Hamburgão

BRAZIL 🇧🇷

It does not seem like much at first glance from either the outside or from the menu, but there is a reason that all three locations of Hamburgão are constantly busy, popular amongst Brazilians and others alike. It is like a typical lanchonete you see throughout Brazil, usually open to the outside since the weather is almost always warm.

Like any good lanchonete, Hamburgão has a good selection of salgados, or salty snacks. I was immediately attracted to the coxinha com catupiry ($2, below center), one of my favorites from a recent trip to the country. This version was not nearly as good as some of the best there, but still satisfying and a good stateside version. It is nice and moist, which is one of the most important qualities.

The pão de queijo ($1.50, above left) is also passable, while the risóles de camarão ($2, above right) is worth passing on. The cheese bread is about as dense and heavy as I have ever seen, and gives that great chewy quality you know and love.

The standout of the first round was definitely the pastel de palmito ($1.75, below), which is microwaved if not fresh from the fryer, but still delicious. The hearts of palm inside are combined with cheese to create a complex bite.

These salgados are all best washed down with a cup of fresh juice, most of which are $4 when made with water and 50 cents more with milk. As always, I went for the passion fruit (maracujá) and was impressed with its fullness this far north.

To be perfectly honest though, these treats were all a bonus for what I really came here for, the X tudo ($6, below), a Brazilian burger that has just about everything on it. Inside of the bun you will find layers of burger, ham, egg, bacon, corn, lettuce, tomato, and mayonnaise, at the very least. This is a very good sandwich, surprising me with its deliciousness.

The only thing that is missing here is that outdoor feeling you get in Brasil, and maybe the old-timey snaking counters you see in many lanchonetes, but don't let that deter you, the plain yellow walls and sparse decor are still home to some excellent Brazilian snacks.

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KEARNY New Jersey

282 Kearny Avenue

NEWARK New Jersey

288 Lafayette Street

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