Nestled down a street to the side of Brixton’s bustling high street is a restaurant and bar committed to the fun of Brazil. The South American country captured the world’s imagination when hosting the Olympics this year and so after that whirlwind of a summer, I hardly needed convincing to get a taste of that fiery culture right here in London. Well, it turns out a taste of Brazil is exactly what Cabana Brixton excels at.
The Venue
Walking in from the drab winter cold outside - where London seems to have gotten a lot more grey than usual - to the explosion of warmth and colour in Cabana Brixton is a welcome contrast. The aroma of sizzling meats wafted over from the semi-open kitchen as we were seated in their up-cycled denim booths. Fly posters litter the walls, while kites and wooden nests act as make-shift lampshades. The bar lives downstairs, sitting in the centre of the back wall and surrounded by the same flamboyant decoration. There's a natural theme downstairs, with flowers and flora decorating the walls beside the natural wooden bar and chairs that are well illuminated by the hanging lights.
Cabana is a little snapshot of summer in the horrors of winter.
The Food and Drink
The food is packed with the same zest as the venue. We started off with a portion of chargrilled prawns (£5.95), that are slathered in a spicy Malagueta sauce. It packs a bit of a punch but is mostly sweet – and was exactly what we wanted before the mains. Each meal was accompanied by one of their signature cocktails. All the mixed drinks are Brazilian inspired, so we followed our lovely waiter’s recommendation and kicked off with a Carlos the Godfather (£7.95 though we did take advantage of the 2-4-1 happy hour), a refreshing, sharp lemon-and-gin based drink.
Soon after devouring the appetiser our mains arrived: my friend ordered a Bossa Burger (£9.95), while I couldn’t resist the allure of the Chilli Chilli Lamb Lamb skewer (£15.95). The burger is a hearty beast and comes packed with Chimichurri, tomato, and she added guava-cue bacon for an extra £1.50. The beef erred slightly on the edge of well done, but the Malagueta Mayo manages to perfectly compensate.
The skewers, their signature dishes, adds a dash of theatre, as the skewer is brought to the table and served onto your plate. The chilli and cumin marinade bounces across the tongue with sweetness and just the right amount of kick and, when paired with the grilled palm hearts, will transport you to tropical beaches (as long as you ignore the torrential rain outside). The lamb meat was so succulent that I ended up feeling bad for paying all my attention to it and neglecting the very tasty sides of Biro-Biro Rice and Rio Beans. The next two cocktails, again recommended by the staff, were the Classic Caipirinha (£6.95) and Caipirao (£7.95) – both refreshing and complimented the meals well.
The restaurant specialises in Rio street food, with a lot of the snacks found on Brazilian street corners.
Atmosphere
Only the restaurant was open on a Thursday, but where we were seated was filled with people and the light hum of conversation. The crowd was mostly twenty-somethings arriving in groups, though there was the odd middle-aged couple on date night. The waiters are very welcoming and will talk through everything on the menu with genuine enthusiasm if you are bamboozled by the choice (like us), which really fosters a relaxed atmosphere. The equally bright basement bar is opened at the end of the week, where Sandra from Gogglebox has been spotted partying, so you just know you are going to have a good, over-the-top time.
Along with the classics are many Brazilian-inspired Cabana originals with one theme in common: fresh and moreish.
Summary
Fun is in the DNA of Brazillian culture and this translates seamlessly into Cabana Brixton. The food is delicious and dances around the palate, from spicy to tender and sweet. Cabana is a venue for fresh food, refreshing drinks and a fun, carefree attitude. It's the perfect escape from a winter trapped in London and a welcome addition to the Brixton landscape.
