O Tabuleiro do Acarajé - Review - Santa Cecília - São Paulo - The Infatuation

"The state of Bahia in the northeast of Brazil is more heavily influenced by Africa than any other part of the country, in everything from music to religion to food. The region’s famous dish is moqueca, a rich seafood stew of palm oil and coconut milk, but at O Tabuleiro, you’ll find only one dish—acarajé—and it’s the best version in the city. Similar to West African akara, this black-eyed pea fritter is filled with caruru (an okra stew), vatapá (a shrimp paste), whole dried shrimp, and vinaigrette, all in one busy bite. Wash it down with a smoky-sweet caipirinha, which are almost as notable as the fritters." - Tomé Morrissy-Swan