Trendy restaurants are a given in Sao Paulo's Vila Olympia more known for all-white supper clubs than glamorous enclaves of conceptual design. KAA is a different sort of eatery; one of the city's most beautiful thanks to the award-winning architecture of Arthur Casa whose previous work includes the city's Hotel Emiliano. From the streetside, few eyes know what awaits behind the subdued facade leading to a long and narrow space stridden by a vertical hanging rain forest and reflective pond. A series of geometrically perfect covered patios and outdoor dining room are arranged in minimalist furnishings with heavy exotic wood detailing. Inside, a sunken bar features a deco library theme with wall of old bottles, handmade pottery and vintage books. An additional upper level booms more elements of 20s Italian design under retractable canvas awning that's reveals a star-filled sky on clear summer nights.
The Food
We’re usually ambivalent about visiting a restaurant known more for its architecture than its cuisine, but KAA is known for both even though its iconic design makes its difficult to concentrate on the food when surrounded by such spatial eye candy. Chef Pascal Valero leads an innovative Brazilian menu of neauvo cuisine with skills derived from days spent in the kitchen of Alain Ducasse in Monte Carlo. Today, his French influences are tangible in dishes like foie gras-stuffed ravioli, shrimp with zucchini flowers and crayfish-stuffed squid that’s a Brazilian seaside specialty.
Last Word
Opened in 2008 and designed by Brazilian architect Arthur Casas, KAA continues a tradition of fashionable dining in one of Sao Paulo’s sexiest restaurant spaces. Photo: KAA Restaurant
