Oteque — Restaurant in Região Geográfica Imediata do Rio de Janeiro

My husband and I recently celebrated our anniversary at OTEQUE, a two Michelin-starred restaurant in Rio de Janeiro. While we had high hopes for an extraordinary dining experience in Rio, unfortunately, our visit fell short in several aspects.

Service: When we first arrived, the service was excellent. The servers were attentive, observed our cutlery choices for each course and quickly replaced each one. That said, we were two out of four total patrons in the restaurant at that time, since the establishment had just opened for the evening. However, the service quickly devolved once the restaurant began to fill up. For example, the communication surrounding the additional, supposedly "celebratory" dessert course was lacking. The plate was dismissively slid onto our table without any explanation or preparation (the staff failed to complete the presentation by pouring the accompanying sauce), which was unexpected for a restaurant of OTEQUE's caliber.

Food Quality: In addition to the service issues, we found the food itself to be lackluster. The tasting menu, which was mostly seafood-dominant, lacked the otherwise anticipated homage to Brazilian cuisine & culture in its ingredients. Furthermore, the menu lacked a compelling narrative, which is a crucial component for a two Michelin-starred establishment. A memorable dining experience is not only about flavors, but also about the story the menu tells. One specific dish, the truffle-covered potato, stood out for the wrong reasons. Despite the generous serving of shaved black truffle, the dish was surprisingly bland. This lack of flavor complexity was unexpected, especially in a restaurant renowned for its culinary excellence.

Safety Concerns: Regrettably, our concerns extend beyond the communication lapse. In the hours following our meal at OTEQUE, both my husband and I began to experience symptoms of foodborne illness that persisted for the next 24 hours. This unfortunate turn of events significantly impacted our anniversary celebration and left us deeply disappointed and sickly. In our effort to address these issues, we reached out via email to the reservation team to communicate our experience and express our concerns. However, the team failed to apologize, nor offer any accomodation or compensation. They simply stated that it is "procedure" to wait until other clients complain of similar symptoms; that it should simply be considered an "isolated incident." This response was essentially a written "shrug" from the reservation team.

Fraudulent Reviews: Upon further investigation into our food safety concerns, we discovered that OTEQUE's Google profile is seemingly flooded with fraudulent five-star reviews. One particular review caught our attention, as the reviewer, with only one historical review, appeared to have posted the precise directive from the restaurant in his feedback, stating, "just five stars and then send me a screenshot" (photo of this review and others, attached). This discovery raises serious questions about the authenticity and integrity of the reviews on OTEQUE's Google profile.

In considering the overall experience at OTEQUE, we find it crucial to share our honest sentiments. Needless to say, this R$ 895 per person meal (plus R$ 795 wine pairing) left us severely underwhelmed, sick, and shocked. While we had hoped for a memorable anniversary celebration, the issues we encountered from service lapses to food quality and safety concerns, have left us questioning the standards of this Michelin-starred...

A Michelin two-star in Rio de Janeiro: not my typical fare. Oteque, named by the suffix of ‘places’ like a discotheque, is hidden in the Botafogo neighborhood, tucked behind a stone facade marked with a wrought-iron gate and an understated nameplate. Inside is a dining hall with eight tables and the Chef’s table adjacent to the kitchen, where the staff is busily preparing the ten items on the daily menu.

The fixed menu is set when you make reservations, for a set, pre-paid R$995 plus service, plus water and coffee. Wine - another story, when you selects from a dictionary-sized directory of wines from Europe and the Americas. We passed on the R$35,000 offering.

I’ve mentioned price twice already, which reveals my motivation: I am normally a value-driven diner. This is a Michelin-level experience!

The plates were served in a series of nine offerings, mostly seafood. One in our group is allergic, and the chef had prepared an alternate menu based in grains. The highlights were a squid casserole seasoned with Brazil-nut oil and a small, tender offering of beef, flavorful and juicy. The desert, a concoction of yogurt cold and dehydrated, was an excellent conclusion and the caramel candies at the end were a fun surprise

We should have gushed more to the staff about how wonderful the experience was, and we should have been alerted to the potent espresso!

Staff was impeccably attentive, and spoke Portuguese and English. The music was challenging - a loud 70s-80s playlist of English pop hits. Missed opportunity was a cocktail from the stylish bar that stands opposite the open steel kitchen. Art deco tables and chairs add solemnity to the dining hall.

The website hinted at influences from Rio’s favelas, but all I noticed was one plate with farofa, a...

We came to celebrate a special occasion and were disappointed. No idea why it has 2 Michelin starts. The food was mediocre, the atmosphere is ok, the service was ok. They made us stand in the shoe box like corridor for about 5 minutes even thought we were on time. Sat looking at the kitchen which I’m assuming was supposed to be interesting but actually half of the time the staff was standing there doing nothing, very weird sitting. The music was someone’s Spotify with Brit pop hits of 10 years ago, playing on two speakers with different settings playing out of sync, so the sound was distorted for the first half an hour. The chef came in mid service and sat a girl he wanted to impress in the middle of the table and that was kind of it. I just wish the food was good but it wasn’t, not at the price point not the Michelin star level. The only good dish that felt somewhat unique was the tuna, the rest was mediocre and bland. Desert was the most upsetting - it wasn’t tasty at all. There are much better places in the city. Really...