Long story short...I locked myself out of my apartment and had to find a place to hang out for awhile. Enter Pavelka. There are tables outside along the sidewalk as well as a few inside and the vibe was casual and quiet. I observed a few solo diners on their phones and ladies having a snack with their toddlers. In addition to serving hot meals, they also sell pastries, cold meats and cheeses along with pantry items like cookies, chips and gluten free pasta.
I had the cod fish croquette, a sausage in a baguette and a capirinia (yes, it was a little weird having a cocktail on a weekday morning but I've seen dudes drinking beers on the beach at 8 am so there.) The waiter kindly indulged me in listening to my newly learned Portuguese ("qual e o seu prato favorito?" and "a conta, por favor!")
Definitely the friendliest service I've experienced in Rio thus far! read more