The Swiss Family Robinson Experience

Last night we ate dinner in a tree house style restaurant on the side of a mountain overlooking Rio.  The restaurant was Aprazivel, located in Santa Teresa (a neighborhood in Rio located on the top of Santa Teresa). The neighborhood is famous for it's winding streets - understatement. It takes roughly a half hour to get to the restaurant from Copacabana/Ipanema.  Do not be alarmed, just about the time you think you are about to be human trafficked is when you arrive at the restaurant.

Upon entering the restaurant you take two (narrow) sets of stairs down to the hostess stand.  They asked if we had reservations - we didn't - and sat us immediately (the restaurant was hardly packed but it was also a Tuesday night).  The food is on the more expensive side with entrees ranging from $40 - $50.  We ended up getting the bread basket (carbs are not the enemy when you are on a vacation that includes hiking), couscous, and scallops.  They were are starters and on the smaller side, but they more than filled us up.  On our way out we met the owner, a man in his mid 30's who informed us it is a family owned restaurant and popular with tourists and Brazilians alike.

Even the bathroom had a tree in it

The taxi situation upon leaving is a bit dicey - aka: there are none.  The restaurant keeps a car service on hand for a flat rate of $50 reals (appx: $25 USD), the taxi there was only $38 reals - not exactly a great deal.  However, we split the ride with a couple who were staying only about 10 minutes away.  At the end of the ride our cab driver seemed to have "forgotten" the $10 reals the other couple paid - but I reminded him, firmly - and $40 reals later we were back in our apartment.