Restaurant review - Guia Quatro Rodas reviews D.O.M.

As mentioned below, SãoPaulo's D.O.M. restaurant was recently awarded 18th position among the World's 50 Best Restaurants.

In Brazil, the Guia Quatro Rodas is considered the supreme authority in gastronomic criticism, and restaurants watch for the additions or subtraction of stars from their establishment's listing as nervously as do French restaurateurs when the Guide Michelin publishes their annual ranking.

This is Guia Quatro Rodas most recent review of D.O.M. which I've translated from the original Portuguese version found on their website.

Alex Atala is not only the chef of D.O.M. He has become famous around the world as a sort-of ambassador of Brazilian cuisine, hosting visiting top chefs when they are in Brazil, or demonstrating to them in their home territories the elements of Brazilian gastronomy. But it is at the tables of his own restaurant that he truly proves his quality as a chef. In a beautiful glassed-in kitchen - where a collection of images of St. Benedict, the patron saint of his profession, is displayed - full of the latest in culinary equipment, like thermomixers and thermocirculators, Atala's team, commanded by subchef Geovane Carneiro, creates wonderfully creative dishes, influenced by the cuisines of the world, but primarily influenced by Brazilian cuisine. In the pantry, for example, truffles and foie gras have given way to jambu, to tucupi and priprioca. a plant that only became "comestible" after long research by Ataya. Along side dishes such as fettucine de pupunha com manteiga de coral e camarão glaceado" (palm heart fettucine with lobster coral butter and iced shrimp), the menu features a tasting menu, which ranges from four to eight courses, and also a recently-created vegetarian menu. In this menu, Ataya gives herbs and vegetables "prime ingredient" status - another investment in the appreciation of products of the earth, primarily sourced from small local farmers and vendors. Since the restaurant is extremely popular, it's best to reserve a table well before the date.