There are foods that have the power to affect our feelings. As if by magic, they make us remember times, places and even people. Proust portrayed how the anguish of loss is appeased by a sweet – a madeleine – eaten by Swann and which reminded him of his grandmother. Another example, less philosophical and more humorous, is the scene of the Ratatouille drawing when the strict chef Anton Ego is overwhelmed by the memory of his mother while tasting a ratatouille – super simple dish in France, made from vegetables, the equivalent of ours beans with rice – which was prepared by a mouse.
This was all to illustrate my emotional relationship with Le P’tit Café’s carrot cake. The place is a hidden gem at the bottom of Galeria 444, right in the heart of Ipanema. And as the name already gives, what’s small, it’s also delicious!
This carrot cake is almost the embodiment of my mother. The flavor, the texture, the bright color and the abundant syrup, with every mouthful I can see it! This time, I am totally devoid of rational parameters for evaluating this sweet: It’s a dream! And look that Mom is alive, firm and strong, imagine if… Never mind!
In addition, Le P’tit Café is run by chef Patricia Lombardi, who studied at the renowned Le Cordon Bleu school in Paris, falling in love with the pâtisserie, even interning at Pierre Hermé, the iconic and traditional candy store where the queue stops. buying a chocolate bomb reaches 20 minutes (or more!). Upon returning to Rio de Janeiro, she decided to open her cafe to increase French-based recipes with a very special Minas Gerais touch.
The savory and sweet ones have this refined, yet homemade, footprint, including the original cheese bread with cheese from Minas, the petit gâteau chocolate pie served hot and the cornmeal cake, which many customers say reminds of grandma’s cake .
Le P’tit Café has just turned 3 and I hope it will complete many others to continue taking us on these true gastronomic trips. 
Le P’tit Café
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/leptitcafe
