Lasai
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
2 Stars
The Experience
From Michelin Guide
Dining at this restaurant with just 10 seats is like attending a show, but with the best seats in the house! Although it starts out quietly, the kitchen comes to life as the chefs embark on the task in hand, with interesting interaction between chef Rafa Costa e Silva and his guests. The surprise tasting menu, modern in style, begins with a variety of appetisers, and includes outstanding vegetarian dishes (cooked to perfection and based around seasonal organic ingredients from his gardens in Itanhangá and Vale das Videiras), with the option of superb wine pairings. “Lasai” translates as “tranquil” in Basque – the restaurant takes its name from the time the chef spent refining his skills in the award-winning Mugaritz (in Errentería, in Spain’s Basque country). You’ll need to book ahead and be punctual, as the experience starts at the same time for every guest.
From Visitor Experiences
Ten seats, no hiding
A ten-seat counter where the cooking happens at arm's length, the room reads like a performance without theatrics.
The vegetable tray as opening act
The meal begins with a sequence of vegetable-led appetisers presented together, then unpacked across different preparations.
A Basque name, a Basque apprenticeship
"Lasai" means tranquil in Basque, the restaurant keeps a link to Rafa Costa e Silva's time in the Basque Country.
From Visitor Experiences
Signature Ingredients
- Seasonal vegetables and leaves: the opening snacks put vegetables first, using varied forms and textures.
- Garden produce from Itanhangá and Vale das Videiras: two kitchen gardens supply organically grown ingredients that steer the menu.
- Fresh seafood and meats: used as counterpoint to the vegetable backbone, chosen for freshness.
From Visitor Reviews
Overview
- Ten-seat chef's table in Humaitá, built as a single, timed seating.
- Surprise tasting menu that starts with a run of vegetable-led snacks, served in multiple textures and temperatures.
- Most produce is grown organically for the kitchen, drawn from the restaurant's two gardens in Itanhangá and Vale das Videiras, then balanced with the freshest catches from sea and land.
Practical
- Book ahead, the experience starts at the same time for every guest.
- Wine pairing is available.