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Oteque

Rio de Janeiro

Brazilian seafood temple where simplicity meets sophistication

On the Pass

Alberto Landgraf

Pastry Chef

Nayara Tonani

Simple ingredients, sophisticated dishes: Located in Botafogo, one of the trendiest neighbourhoods in Rio de Janeiro, Oteque offers modern Brazilian cuisine where the ingredients are the star of the show. The restaurant is the brainchild of chef Alberto Landgraf, whose roots are Japanese and German. He combines cooking techniques learned in Japan and in London with Tom Aikens and Gordon Ramsey with high-quality produce to create a minimalist menu where simplicity and sophistication meet.

Home from home: The cosy yet elegant restaurant is set in an old house built in 1938. With a discreet and unassuming front door, you’d have no idea you’d be stepping into a Brazilian temple to seafood. The building was painstakingly refurbished by Landgraf to build his dream space, which mixes modern and minimalist architecture. There are exposed-brick walls in the open-plan kitchen and dining room with a small chef’s table seating six, an aquarium where guests can look at the fish about to be cooked, and a wine and cocktail bar with an award-winning list of more than 400 labels carefully selected by sommelier Leonardo Silveira.

The three elements: Chef Landgraf’s kitchen style is centred around three important elements: texture, acidity and temperature. These are the secrets behind the fresh, light and flavourful dishes created by the cook. The tasting menu features dishes such as pickled sardine with raw foie gras and brioche; a juicy steamed oyster with pork skin and pork spine broth; and a dessert of raw Brazil nut ice cream.

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