Gotta Slow Cook It Down

With 2 days of snow followed by freezing weather, I was ready for some warm stick-to-your-ribs food on Sunday. Despite years of living around the Little Portugal area, I have never tried the pork-and-beans stew called Feijoada. But a regular at my laundromat told me it can be found on the week-end at a Brazilian chicken joint just north of Dufferin subway station.

I knew right away the location, Stop BBQ Chicken at Dufferin and Hallam,  as I've passed by there before on my way to Porto Nova. It was larger than it appeared from the outside although most of the space was given over to the kitchen. There were a few tables but this was mostly a take-out joint.

A medium order ($15) got me a heavy container of rice, pork and beans, farofa (toasted manioc flour), and a side of veggie slaw (must be a local "Canadianism"). Overall, it was a disappointing meal partly because of my expectation. From the description, I thought it would be similar to pozole. But it was closer to a main topping for the rice. I liked the chorizo (or possibly morcela/blood sausage). Also, the manioc mixed nicely with the beans and rice and there were little salty bursts from the pork crackling. But the pork was mostly fat belly without much meat and so didn't impart much flavour. I also did not taste any beef despite the menu description. The dish reminded me a little bit of the jerk pork at Caribbean Queen. But the latter gives you more bang for your buck both for spice and amount of meat.

So generally it didn't seem worth it to break my plant-based diet for this. I'm debating whether or not to try again at one of the sit-down Brazilian restaurants along St. Clair West.