Waiters at the far-East Village restaurant won't ask for your order in the international speak from which it gets its name. That other universal language, music, flows freely, though, combining with a caipirinha-happy young crowd to crank up the decibel level on a recent Friday night. On the whisky list, too, are tongue-tripping brands such as Ypioca and Pirassununga. Oblivious to such exotica, a pint-sized patron entertains herself by blowing bubbles into a soda with two cocktail straws. My salmon fared much, much better.
Service is friendly and casual, but the timing can be off.
Meanwhile, an order of arepas never materialized. Such oversights are forgiven when a meaty calamari appetizer provides slices the size of onion rings that are surprisingly tender with great charred taste, propped on a luscious salad with tropical mango dressing. Mildy seasoned sancocho de pollo focuses on the natural flavors of boiled chicken, slivers of corn on the cob, chayote and yucca. The plantains are dry but the garlic broth nicely moistens the rice. Here, the usually man-size Brazilian fejoada is a modest portion of mostly black beans with scant portions of four kinds of pork, from chorizo sausage to salted ribs, along with fluffy rice, greens and orange wedges.