Was. Amazing. After spending four days at the Royal Tulip and shuttled around the city in a comfy chartered bus, four of us decided to take advantage of our free evening and venture out into the wild.
First order of business: Grab a cab and get ourselves to Cuadra 210 Bloco B. Our desination: Universal Diner. After experiencing intense Brasilia traffic, including a re-route because of some police activity, we finally arrived.
I felt some slight hesitation as we entered the establishment–thinking that perhaps, because it was recommended by Lonely Planet, it would be a tourist trap with terrible food. I could not be more wrong. We step into the restaurant and we are immediately drawn to the explosion of color, pop culture paraphanelia, kitsch and chotsky. Think El Conquistador in Silverlake [Los Angeles], multiplied by 100. It was pure fabulousness–a total visual delight. Our senses were on overdrive. We simply could not contain ourselves.
We ordered Bacalao Croquettes and a “Little Steak’ with some type of gravy sauce appetizer. After four days in Brasilia, we had finally eaten something to truly remember. After indulging in these most delightful starters, the four of us proceeded to order our main dishes. I went with the juicy Fielt Mignon, accompanied by a side of very rich and creamy Risotto. Each bite melted in our mouths with an explosion of flavors.
I didn’t think the evening could get any better, but somehow the stars continued to align on this most magical evening. Towards the end of the evening the Chef Owner joined us at our table. It turns out Mauricia had lived in New York City some twenty years prior with her ex girlfriend. She shared a bit of the restaurant’s history, and we offered a few tidbits about ourselves. After a nearly 15 minute chat, Mauricia moved to a few other the tables, leaving us on an even higher high.
Traveling Fern 