Rio’s bar culture is crazy for chicken. It’s common to see at bars dozens of the cooked birds laying within heated glass cases, awaiting hungry customers. The more popular the botequim, the more parts of the chicken are available.
In the fancy bars of Ipanema and Leblon you can only find voluptuous breasts and legs, accompanied by salads and risottos. But in more humble botequins in the North Zone or further out in the suburbs, you’ll find gizzards, feet, beaks, and even rear ends. Yes, cu de galinha is a rare delicacy in Rio…
Not only is every part of the chicken appreciated, but also all ages of the bird. Cariocas love in particular the tender three-month-old chickens known as galetos, which are ideal for grilling as appetizers and which you’ll find on the menus of many popular restaurants around town with “Galeto” in their names.
At the other end of the spectrum is the equally loved rooster. In the hands of experienced botequim cooks, this ropy old fowl can be transformed into unforgettable meals that are excellent washed down with dozens of glasses of beer. That’s what you can expect every Saturday at Ajota Bar, better known as Bar do Chico, in Vila Isabel in the North Zone. The “Chico” in question is Francisco Bezerra, the owner and sole rooster cook here.
Every Friday night, Chico himself goes to an aviary on the outskirts of the city to pick up five big, old and still strong roosters. Back at the bar, he slaughters them, plucks, butchers and seasons the birds. He allows the meat to marinate in a secret brining mixture of water, salt, wine and spices and then, on Saturday, very early in the morning, he begins cooking them. The roosters, prepared with Galician potatoes, cucumbers and rice, require four to five hours of poaching in the pan before they’re ready, but the result is extraordinary.
Just before noon, the line outside the tiny bar has already formed. People who live and work nearby know about this Saturday special, and they tend not to miss out if they can help it. It’s been a tradition here for almost 10 years, ever since Chico left his job as a maître d’ at a famous restaurant in the South Zone and decided to open his own business. And cooking roosters – a tradition in his family – was his first and best goal at the bar.
Small and simple, Ajota is an exemplar of botequim culture. The décor is typical, with funny signs, blue-and-white tiles and cheap booze bootles. Two TV sets show football without interruption. The beer is cheap, but always very cold. And at the counter, besides the delicious rooster (only on Saturdays, don’t forget!) there are classic preparations that would please anyone who loves ungussied-up Brazilian food. Dishes like roast meats, shrimp rice and pirão (manioc flour-thickened fish broth) are offered everyday.
Unlike the trendy botequins in the South Zone, Bar do Chico is never very crowded, which is fine by us. But on Saturdays, if you get there after 2 p.m., all you’ll find is leftovers. The early bird gets the, ahem, bird.
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