Louis Vuitton CityGuide – Rio de Janeiro

The latest and greatest vegan option for Rio’s growing army of steak-snubbing food-lovers, Teva brings a touch of class to a genre in which style is all too often an after-thought. This is not to say that the food doesn’t deservedly take centre stage. Chef Daniel Biron, who learned his trade at New York’s Natural Gourmet Institute, takes the raw bounty of Brazil’s fruit and vegetables and turns them into something memorable. The superb starter of palm-heart ‘ceviche’ with baroa chips is given a light dressing of citrusy tiger’s milk and red onion, and the Portobello mushroom carpaccio is flavoured with brazil nuts and mustard. Adventurous mains include Indian-style eggplant and a divine spinach and tomato ravioli. Cocktails abound, too: combinations such as bourbon and cherry or rum and vanilla prove there is no lack of invention and fun, and all the wines are organic and from sustainable vineyards.