Shirley

Estrella Sanchez came to Brasil from near Vigo, Spain and opened Shirley together with some family members back in 1954. While you won´t find her in the kitchen anymore she still actively participates in the buying, menu planning and day to day operation of Shirley. Because the same folks at Shirley have been doing business with the fishmongers continuously for over 50 years they believe they get the best deals in terms of price and quality which they pass through to their customers. Upon entering the small dining room Shirley´s patrons can eyeball all the day´s fresh fish, precut into portions for one or two, piled high in the refridgerated display case that lines the narrow entrance and behind which is located the tiny bar. You´re welcome to choose the specific piece you would like to have prepared for you. Waiters hustle back and forth between the display case and the kitchen carrying the orders on silver serving trays stopping only to give diners another opportunity to check out their selctions, to confirm the freshness and/or that it is the same piece requested. One would be wrong to forego the couvert here. For my money Shirley serves the best couvert in town. Generous portions of sardines in tomato sauce and mussels vinagrete ($R6.80 each) are scooped from large tubs on top of the bar. With the customary sliced baguette and a small carafe of house white (10) these alone could easily make a meal for a light eater. Alternaively, the Spanish style tortilla of egg, potato and onion ($R9.80) can be split for two or even three as an appetizer. I´d recommend the sangria with it. The menu facilitates going further. As much as I have tried, I have difficulty remembering the Portuguese name for various species of fish. Here the menu is written in three languages so I know that cherne is grouper, besugo/pargo is snapper, linguado is flounder, badejo is bass, bacalao is cod, and haddock escoses is described as a smoked cod imported from Scotland (even I knew truta is trout, salmon is salmon, pulpo is octopus, lula is squid, and that camarões are prawns). Half a dozen specials are offered each day often including a simple trout baked in foil with butter and caper sauce (a bargain at $R12.80) as well as more exotic preparations such as bass filet a Baiana, ($R39.80 for 2) which I found tasty, not excessively spiced and surprisingly light for a dish prepared with dende oil. When fish is truly fresh I prefer it simply grilled which they do well here, but the preparation do Shirley is a tempting alternative. They smother any fish of your choice with a mixture of grilled bell peppers, onions, potatoes, and a hard boiled egg all crowned with a humongous prawn (35.80). I´ve only had the paella a la marinera (39.80 for 2) and the huge prawns al Honolulu with pineapple and banana (48.70) once each and while not bad at all my preference is for the fish. The dining room can accomodate only 50 and when full, as it often is, can be a bit loud. I might suggest you go at an off hour if you prefer quiet. The tiny kitchen doesn´t allow for much in the way of desserts and the wine list is simple. The house white is quite "drinkable." Brahma chopp is served, too. Smoking is not permitted. Credit cards are not accepted. Open for lunch and dinner until 1am all days.