Restaurants in São Vicente participate in the 2nd Meca Gourmet Festival
São Vicente is participating in the 2nd edition of the Meca Gourmet Festival, which brings together restaurants from the Baixada Santista region in a program dedicated to gastronomy and seafood.
This year, the festival coincides with National Fish Week, created in 2004 by the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture. The initiative also seeks to encourage the consumption of fish and other seafood in the country. Currently, Brazilian consumption is estimated at between 10 and 12 kilos per person per year, while the world average reaches about 20 kilos.
According to the event organizer, Diego Brígido, the festival aims to stimulate the consumption of fish and encourage the public to discover new restaurants in the region.
“When we talk about a seafood festival, it’s about trying to bring this consumption habit to Brazil, which in general is still far below the world average, far below what it could be. And here in the region, it’s no different. So, the idea of the festival is also to encourage people to go out and consume seafood in their cities or throughout the region, since the festival is regional. We are in five cities in the Baixada Fluminense region, including São Vicente, with three participating restaurants this year, so people can get to know these dishes and, sometimes, even new restaurants they didn’t know before,” he explained.
In addition to encouraging the consumption of seafood, the event also stimulates the creativity of culinary professionals, who develop exclusive dishes for the festival. “When we bring a gastronomic festival, it's precisely with the idea that the establishment will focus on new creations, to test new possibilities, attract new audiences and, consequently, allow new people to discover the restaurants. So, this is one of the festival's great strengths. We challenge the business owners, the chefs, but also the public, the residents, the citizens, to visit restaurants they didn't know and try dishes they didn't know,” highlighted Diego.
In São Vicente, three restaurants are participating in the festival, each with an exclusive dish for the public. Check out the dishes, prices, and addresses:
Guitar
Dish: Baked Lobster – oven-baked crab served over octopus rice with fresh peas. Price: R$ 125 Address: Rua Frei Gaspar, 1 – Gonzaguinha.
Lyon | Zero
Dish: Tangerine risotto with squid – tangerine risotto with basil, accompanied by squid tentacles and grilled tangerine segments. Price: R$ 86 Address: Praça Heróis de Trinta e Dois, 4 – Gonzaguinha.
You Mary
Dish: Supreme Sole – sole stuffed with Catupiry cheese, ham, and shrimp, served with broccoli rice and sautéed potatoes.