Post-theatre Saturday night, I went to meet friends for dinner at Mangue Seco on Rua Lavradio…read more Wait, this review is supposed to be for Casa Momus no? Well, by the time I arrived to Mangue Seco, my friends were asking for the check because they didn't want to eat there after appetizers. I came with a French friend and he happened to know the owner of Casa Momus, a lovely Italian man. So he fixed up a table for us and we went over to Casa Momus's open air patio. As beautiful and electic-sophisticated this restaurant is, people still prefer to eat outside in Rio, and who can blame them?
We happened to go to Casa Momus on the second Saturday of the month, after the monthly Antique Fair happens on Rua Lavradio, so Casa Momus had a very busy afternoon, and they were completely out of salads. We made do with the other Italian options, however! We were a group of 7, and got a bottle of white, some caipivodkas, and of course, cerveja. The people who already had their appetite spoiled at Mangue Seco ordered the appetizers, such as the sesame crusted tuna, roasted eggplant, and octopus a la gallega. My friend and I, who had not eaten yet, ordered the salmon and filet mignon, respectively.
I was more impressed by the appetizers than the entrees. The appetizers were perfectly portioned, quite a bit of food, big enough to be entrees and shared. Moreover, the fish was perfectly cooked and the octopus insanely tasty (but perhaps that is because octopus a la gallega is the best way to cook it!), accompanied by a zesty and vibrant olive pâté. I thought the appetizers seemed more dynamic, whereas the entrées we ordered seemed a bit traditional. I regretted not getting the fish of the day after I ordered the salmon (only because I truly love salmon and it's not very common in Rio), because the salmon was perfectly cooked, beautifully presented, and atop a bed of puree of chickpeas and ratatouille, but it was rather unremarkable. I'm a fan of bolder flavors and more interesting culinary combinations. But for traditional mainstays, the salmon and filet mignon were perfectly cooked and quality dishes. It was clear that everything that we ate was of quality, and professionally presented.
I'd love to come back to Casa Momus on a weekday, perhaps for lunch and sit inside on the first or second floor (both gorgeous and with very different decor) and try more of their salads and appetizers. As it is an italian restaurant, it seemed that their pastas are good, as well. However, I may just be too light of an eater for Rio in general! I'll definitely be back here, perhaps one of the best restaurants in all of Lapa (not a very restaurant friendly area in general) and definitely of Rua Lavradio.
