By Chesney Hearst, Senior Contributing Reporter
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Started on October 30th, the third edition of the Gastronomic Festival Mercado Municipal do Rio de Janeiro – CADEG will continue through November 22nd in Benfica. Once again focusing on the main ingredient of bacalhau (salted cod), the festival features twelve restaurants using the fish to create unique dishes plus eight shops and emporiums that are offering discounts on wines, specialty beers and other items.
Created in 2013, organizers hoped the festival would help to showcase the popular Zona Norte (North Zone) market to a broader audience. In addition to the culinary attractions, the festival features special programming including shows and exhibitions.
The Centro de Abastecimento do Estado da Guanabara, better known simply as CADEG, is a a three-floor fruit, vegetable, plant and flower market with many restaurants, bars, and emporiums located within its approximately 100,000 square-meter space.
For this edition of the festival, Barsa, one of the better known establishments within the market, is offering Bacalhau ao Brás, a meal of bacalhau braised in olive oil with garlic and fresh spices served with french fries, eggs, rice, onions, Portuguese olives, and carrots.
The restaurant Bacalhau & Cia is offering Baião Ora Pois, a meal of bacalhau with black-eyed beans, white rice and spices served with a glass of wine. Corujão do Cadeg is offering Bacalhau a Rio Douro, a meal with bacalhau with broccoli rice, pureed potatoes, catupiry (cream cheese), parmesan cheese and eggs.
Costelão do Cadeg is offering Bacalhau na Brasa, a meal of grilled bacalhau with grilled vegetables and broccoli rice. The restaurant Espetáculo is participanting in the festival by offering two special dishes; Bacalhau La D’riba, with grilled bacalhau with shrimp and couscous and Bacalhau D’Carolina with bacahalau pureed pumpkin served with risotto and potatoes with herbs.
The upcoming special programming includes a boxing championship for the Boxing Federation of the State of Brazil. Taking place on Sunday, November 8th from 11AM to 4PM, the event will feature ten main card fights. On November 14th, Mais do Mesmo, a Legião Urbana cover band, will perform live beginning at 4PM and on November 22nd there will be an Olympic-themed event from 11AM to 4PM.
For more information about the ongoing festival, the events, the participating resturants and their specialty dishes, see the official CADEG website.
What: Gastronomic Festival Mercado Municipal do Rio de Janeiro 3rd Edition
When: October 30th through November 22nd.
Where: Mercado Municipal do Rio de janeiro – Cadeg, Rua Capitão Félix, 110 – Benfica
Entrance: FREE. Meal prices vary.