The day after Thanksgiving, I strolled along Forty-Sixth Street in Midtown Manhattan with two friends, Mr. and Mrs. West from Upper Manhattan.  It was 2:00 PM, and Mrs. West suggested Brazilian coffee at Via Brasil.

Via Brasil Restaurant is located at 34 West 46^th Street (“Little Brazil Street”), New York, New York, 10036.  Start at either Fifth Avenue or Broadway on Forty-Sixth Street—there, one can enjoy the cuisine and culture of Brazil.

I remember the third day of October, when my eight-year old niece, Dahlia, recited her school essay on Brazil.  In the first paragraph, she said, “Brazil’s two largest cities are São Paulo and Rio de Janerio; the traditional food is Feijoada, that’s with black bean, dried beef and pork; and the chief drink is coffee.”  Dahlia was pleased with her results, and I took pleasure in reading her report.

When my friends and I entered Via Brasil, we settled in a handsome booth.  Mrs. West and I ordered coffee, her husband, hot chocolate.  The West’s decided to share a dessert: Caramel Coconut Flan.  Soon, our beverages arrived, and the conversation started with a question: “How to turn-off the Football game on Thanksgiving Day to a Turner Classic movie?”  We debated, we laughed, and the topic changed—upon the arrival of their dessert.

Suddenly, the Caramel Coconut Flan became a two spoon competition among the West Family.   One minute later, the winner said, “Honey, we’ll have to hurry up to make it to the movies,” he said.

The bill was paid, we hugged, and we said our good-byes.  They travelled north, I trekked south and with one consensus—Viva! Via Brasil.

Catch it if you can at www.viabrasilrestaurant.com.