Perhaps it’s the Portuguese influence or maybe because Cariocas have always enjoyed something fried, but the fact is the bolinho de bacalhau, a type of croquette made from salted cod, is among the most beloved of bar snacks in Rio de Janeiro. Whichever way you prefer to have your bolinho, with simple olive oil, hot sauce and/or lime, this is the perfect companion for a well pulled draught. In the list below, we have selected five of the best and some most daring of codfish croquettes in Rio. Grab one, raise your glasses and enjoy.
Making your way up here on a hot sunny day will test your resilience but any effort made to discover Adonis is certainly worth it. Located in Benfica, the house has been declared a Carioca cultural heritage site. Now we have the formalities out of the way, get comfortable at the bar or at one of the tables and order their unrivalled bolinho de bacalhau (R$5). Crispy, always made to order and with the perfect ration of potato to fish, this appetiser is spectacular. The supporting act can only be one: a Brahma draught, with a frothy top, served from the bar’s classic tap (R$6.50 for 300ml).
As the name hints, this place’s speciality is their freshly made linguiça, Brazilian sausage. These sausages range from classic pork meat to other more exotic fillings like chicken hearts. Another big hit is their pork turnover pastry (joelho de porco) baked in a typical Carioca bakery oven, affectionately known as “doggy television” as the big windows and roasted delights inside always attract the local neighbourhood strays. However, before you try one of these, you have to go for one of the most inventive codfish croquette recipes around. This one consists of the classic cod and potato filling but with a juicy shrimp in the middle, guaranteeing a contrast of flavours with every bite (R$7). Ice cold bottles of Antartica Original (R$11 for 600ml) provide the perfect tipple to your nibble.
Among its fruit and veg stalls, its florist shops and wineries, the municipal market Centro de Abastecimento do Estado da Guanabara (CADEG) also hosts some of Rio’s gastronomic gems. One of which is the Cantinho das Concertinas. During the week this cozy bar, started by Portuguese-native Carlos Cadavez serves up a spectacular codfish croquette (R$4.50). And on Saturdays, diners are treated to live Portuguese fado music as well as fresh sardines and cod fillets cooked on a grill.
This super-popular bar in Copacabana, which has gained 2 annexes due to its popularity, has a classic codfish croquette recipe as its signature dish. The famous Pavão Azul “patiniscas”, as they are called here, use a simple but flavoursome recipe that uses all the classic ingredients except potato, perfect for those that love codfish. They cost R$3 each but at the very least you will want to order 4 and believe us accompanied by a good chopp (draught beer at R$5 a pop), those 4 patiniscas will go down a treat.
Gifted Portuguese cook, Donzília Gomes, left her native Portugal in order to grace Cariocas with her culinary delights in this authentic tavern in Ramps. The deliciously fresh cod and chick-pea salad with apple and heart of palm will spoil you for flavour and creativity. But make sure not to miss their own take on the codfish croquettes (R$4.50). It will be difficult to limit yourself to just one.
