Here we are back to Av. Paulista… though we intend to explore other areas, Paulista can’t be beaten as the place to go for tourists to feel the atmosphere of the city. On weekdays, busy people hurrying to cross the streets and having lunch in 15min, men in their suits and women in high heels; on weekends, a completely different picture, the large avenue becomes a promenade where people walk leisurely heading to its movie theaters, cultural attractions, or a relaxing cup of coffee. Our proposal is to walk along the avenue and pinpoint some interesting features you may miss.
Starting from the beginning, at the Paraíso subway station (which is actually on r. Bernardino de Campos, before the beginning of Paulista), walk towards Paulista on the right-hand sidewalk and you’ll find Pça Oswaldo Cruz, which marks the very beginning of Paulista. On number 26 is Ponto Chic, a traditional sandwich bar with a 60’s feel, famous for the Bauru ao Ponto Chic, sandwich with roast beef, tomatoes and a gooey abundant mix of melted cheeses (R$ 17,90). Or go for my favorite, Seleto, which adds ham to that mix (R$ 22,10). To help it go down, ask for the lemonade; beside the large cold glass containing it they usually give you a small aluminum bucket of almost as much juice, all the precious liquid that was left in their mixer.
Make sure you order the sandwich; there is a version served as a dish, with bread aside.
It's more expensive and not the real deal.
Some steps ahead, now on r. 13 de Maio, lies the Shopping Pátio Paulista. The name is not written in large letters on its façade, but rather in small letters on a large Big Ben-like clock over the main doors. Though I talked about food courts in shopping malls here I don’t really believe a mall should be of much interest for tourists, but I also admit that many times while traveling I headed to one, especially when all I wanted was fast food and clean toilets. After a wide renovation, this mall offers a wide range of shops and fast food restaurants, and probably a dozen cafés (though I feel sitting on a table in the corridor of a mall takes away much of the charm of a café). Anyway, there are two things I recommend here. As you enter, turn left and take the escalators going down. Look for these:
- Freddo – a kiosk of the Argentine ice cream parlor. Ok, it’s Argentine, but their milk caramel (doce de leite) options are unsurpassable. A must, simply delicious. (R$ 8,50 for one scoop).
- Brigaderia – now for the local goodies… As I explained here, if you want a (very sweet) taste of local treats, brigadeiros are your article. Here you’ll find them with several different toppings, in extremely pretty and well-done wrappings.
IMPORTANT AND USEFUL INFO: On the same floor of the mall there is a Currency Exchange Shop, named Cotação Câmbio (câmbio being 'exchange' in Portuguese). Contact phone: 3285-4845; www.cotacao.com.br
