Ingredient appreciation — what makes Coxinha special

What sets Coxinha apart is the handling of dende palm oil. In lesser versions this is treated as a background note. Here it's central and the rich and earthy result shows it. I've started buying it to cook with at home after this experience.

Brazilian cuisine reflects indigenous, Portuguese, and African culinary heritages in equal measure. The a Bahian seafood restaurant atmosphere was right for this kind of food. I had caipirinha as recommended and it matched well. If you want to understand what makes this cuisine distinctive, Coxinha is the place to start.