Eats+Drinks
Bobolicious o o co Wild Shrimp Bobó is the comfort food you never knew you needed. H E AT H ER AN N E LEE
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nprepared. That’s how I felt when I walked into Pico Bistro in Winter Garden. Tucked in an unassuming plaza behind yet another 7-Eleven, I admit, my hopes were not high. Maybe an empanada, a glass of wine, and then I’d split. With four decades under my belt, I should know by now not to judge a book by its (strip mall) cover. Some of my favorite haunts have been in much seedier locations. Still, judge I did, and thankfully I was wrong. So very wrong. The atmosphere: charming in its simplicity. Fewer than 10 distressed wood tables simply adorned with bud vases. Fresh herbs, vibrant and overflowing, grow in well-tended plant-
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The Local
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ers along the window, their fresh scent dancing on the air to the tune of soft Bossa Nova. With nary a hint of pretentiousness, Pico Bistro feels like someone’s home. I ordered a glass of Vinho Verde and settled in for the experience. You should know, I’m a girl who likes to eat. I’ll order 10 things on a menu just to have a taste. And since I don’t do leftovers (it’s a thing), if you’re dining with me, you have the pleasure of toting home the extras. That said, it’s best to know the price for said take-home luxury is my fork in your plate. When it comes to food, sharing is caring. I will not be swayed. So yes, I ordered a sampling of the empanadas,
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of which there is already a cult-like following. They did not disappoint. Delightfully light, housemade pastry dough, lovingly wrapped around your choice of traditional or inventive fillings, lightly fried in oh-so-clean oil. Truly a pocket-sized delight. Then again, you already know that. What piqued my interest was the Wild Shrimp Bobó. From the description, I knew it would be owner and chef Romulo Costa’s version of the iconic Brazilian shrimp stew, Bobó de Camarão. Bobó, a popular dish from the Bahia region in northeastern Brazil, epitomizes the sweet, creamy, seafood-focused cuisine of the Atlantic coast, while paying hom-
age to the West African influence on the region. Afro-Brazilian comfort food, if you will, meant to be served over rice. Romulo’s version is infinitely more interesting. Baby shrimp and Andouille sausage swim in a chowder-like Brazilian puree made with yucca, coconut milk, amazon oil, herbs, and yellow and red pepper. It’s the amazon (aka dendê) oil that lends the glorious orange hue and a subtle heat. Warm and deliciously comforting, you could simply eat this with a spoon and no one would judge. But then you’d miss out on what is obviously the best part of the dish: the yucca puffs. Starchy-sweet, but still paleo (if that matters to
