The Best in Rio de Janeiro: Esfiha

There´s a magnet in my butt. Seriously, there is a magnet it my butt.

You´d have to see it to believe it but let me try to explain. I walk past the entrance to the Galleria Condor in Largo do Machado and I am slowly pulled in.  Of course it´s not butt first but for decency reasons, let´s just say the magnet is there. 

So, the attracting half is connected to the Lebanese (Arabic, whatever you want to call it) place.  It´s the only explanation.  It happens ever time I pass the entrance of the Galleria. I literally get pulled in by my ever growing ass to the counter.  At that point, if I´m already there, I might as well order some cheese esfihas. 

I just can´t control myself.  They have the best esfihas in all of Rio de Janeiro. Of course you will logically ask, have you eaten esfihas from all the esfiha places in Rio de Janeiro?  Hell no people!  What do you think I am, crazy?  No, these are just so damn good that I feel totally and completely comfortable making a blatantly uneducated statement that they are the best. They are that good!  Honestly though, Cariocas say the same thing. These esfihas are famous. 

Now I´ve told you where they are located but have not given you the address. That´s because I´m a selfish bitch and don´t want my already busy place to get totally packed with foreigners (I never see foreigners there!) So why am I writing about it then?  I guess I´m just a big old esfiha/Lebanese food tease.  Actually, I don´t know the exact address. Just walk in, you´ll see it. 

Oh, and everything else is amazing too! Great rice with lentils and caramelized onions. Amazing stuffed zucchini, eggplant, and cabbage! 

And be nice to the people who work there! If you become a regular, you will start to recognize them and vice versa.