Koral, Brazil with swing and flair in Ipanema

After my visit to the recently opened Koral, I must confirm that Pedro Coronha (27 years old) is one of the forerunners of the emerging contemporary Brazilian cuisine. With a focus on comfort and fun, but also a rock 'n' roll edge, this chef, a disciple of Joachim Koerper (Eleven, Lisbon) and René Redzepi (Noma), arrives eager to ignite the Rio de Janeiro scene with a nonconformist and relaxed approach, yet with his (opulent) gaze fixed on the country's traditions.

“Latin America is one thing; Brazil is another.” Coronha, Rio de Janeiro’s 2022 Revelation Chef, is critical of the lack of support for Brazilian gastronomy. “Peru, for example, has made a huge investment in its cuisine, as I also saw in Denmark, and yet Brazil, with its enormous diversity of products and culinary traditions, has fallen behind, something that is quite shocking when you return to the country.”

Pedro complains about the lack of investment and support for the kitchen, the dining room, sustainability, zero waste… However, his eyes light up when he acknowledges that “we are beginning to value our traditions and our products like cheeses, cured meats, wines… We should look to what Alex Atala did with cassava, a true example for us to continue developing our culinary potential (which we can't even imagine) alongside the big players. I speak from a place of hope, because Brazil can conquer the world stage.”

Creativity, ingredients, technique, a touch of nostalgia, and imagination converge at the bustling tables of Koral, located in the heart of Ipanema and consistently packed since its opening five months ago. “We primarily work with charcoal embers, seeking delicacy and the subtle nuances of fire.” This is how he expresses it with the first dish to emerge from the kitchen, which is completely open to the dining room: an olho de boi (yellowtail) served as it was (robust sashimi), only lightly touched by the embers, with a lively puttanesca sauce at the base and a sourdough toast.

Pedro's methods are precise and refined, as seen in the caramelized and braised onion tart, filled with duxelles, drizzled with thyme honey, and accompanied by a lemon curd. Impeccably executed.

At Koral, popular food is vindicated: it revisits the street cheesecake in a round format, filled with homemade mascarpone and topped with a Rio prawn tartare, perfectly crisp and overflowing with sensuality.

A little bit of mischief he lets me try, which he plans to add to the menu in a few days: a brioche burger made with chicken marinated in butter and lemon, breaded with eel, topped with tartar sauce and pickles. Pure indulgence.

This advanced commercial approach is also exemplified in their illustrated version of the Caesar salad, in the form of a lettuce wrap with grilled cavaquinha (Canary Island lobster), tempura onion, cheese, and bacon. Another top ten.

Coronha's culinary flair is solidified with the rice. A perfect al dente in the creamy grilled octopus, enriched with crustacean coral, fish, bits of chorizo, aioli and citrus freshness.

For dessert, he suggests the chestnut tart from Pará, apple compote, dulce de leche and milk ice cream.

A Brazilian-inspired proposal with plenty of flair.