After more than two years in Brazil, I finally got to eat good pasta

🍝 Casa Santo Antônio: São Paulo’s Bib Gourmand Pasta Haven That’ll Make You Weep (In a Good Way) After two years of suffering through Brazil’s "Michelin standards" (read: glorified cafeteria food), this Bib Gourmand gem rewrites the rulebook—from burrata salad to tiramisu, every bite feels like a culinary apology for all those past disappointments. 🌟 The Pasta That Brought Cartoon Dreams to Life Starter: Burrata Salad with Spring in Every Bite Arugula so fresh it crunches like dew-dipped grass, paired with oozing burrata and a whisper of olive oil. 🥗 Basic, but miles ahead of Brazil’s usual "cheese on lettuce" starters. Main Event: 30cm Bowl of Cuttlefish Ink Pasta Magic Fresh-made pasta cooked to perfect al dente—each bite springs back like a tiny trampoline, coating your mouth in rich tomato sauce and tender cuttlefish. 🍝 Legit channeled the glowing cuttlefish pasta scene from Chinese Little Chef (no joke). Braised steak with lemongrass pumpkin puree: Fruity notes cut through the meaty richness, while the creamy puree hides a zing of lemongrass—finally, a Brazilian meat dish that isn’t a grease bomb. 🥩 🌟 Tiramisu That Saves Brazil’s Dessert Deserts The First Non-Sugary Death Dessert in Brazil Dense mascarpone that clings to the spoon without suffocating your taste buds, balanced by bitter espresso and a dusting of cocoa. 🍰 Unlike every other Brazilian tiramisu (which tastes like melted ice cream mixed with sugar), this one made me forgive two years of dessert trauma. 💡 Why This Place Rules (and Practical Deets) Bib Gourmand Bang for Your Buck Mains cost R$60–80, and that 30cm pasta bowl easily feeds two—expect to spend R$100/person max. 💰 Way cheaper than most SP "fancy" spots. Chef’s OCD Pays Off Cuttlefish sliced with surgical precision, steak sauce reduced to fruity perfection—Bib Gourmand judges knew what’s up. Pro Tip: Dip Bread in Pasta Sauce Don’t waste that glorious sauce—use the complimentary bread to soak it up. 🥖 Brazilian-style pasta dipping, unlocked. 📍 Where to Find This Pasta Paradise Address: Av. João Carlos da Silva Borges, 764 - Granja Julieta, São Paulo Hours: 12:00–23:00 (book ahead on weekends) PSA: Ignore Brazil’s usual dessert trauma—this tiramisu is safe (and amazing). #BrazilFoodRedeemed #BibGourmandPastaGoals