Biyou'Z

I strongly recommend this place. They have a good variety of food and drinks, and they also have nice vegan options too. I came here with my girlfriend and the place was very nice to chat and chill.

I've been wanting to visit this place for ages, but it's always packed to the gills and my stomach has been too demanding to wait for a vacancy, but today I finally got my chance to dine in and I was NOT disappointed! My companion and I ordered an entree, salad and a main course, to share between us. Everything was delicious, lovingly prepared from fresh ingredients. I cannot even begin to describe the sensational interplay of flavors; you simply have to experience it for yourself. Can't wait to eat here again!

So. My first trip to São Paulo was very cultural. A lot of time was spent attempting to soak up Liberdade but there was also a trip ao Mercado Municipal (obrigado Anthony Bourdain), o Museu Afro Brasil e o Museu da Língua Portuguesa. For this trip, I knew that I wanted to see who else other immigrated to São Paulo, other than the Lebanese and the Japanese of Liberdade. After reading J. Loran Matory's work on Brasil spirituality, I thought that food would be a great way to experience the Trans-National Africanidad present in São Paulo.

In addition to a couple of other West African restaurants that I booked marked, I found Biyou'Z. I'd had Senegalese food in the States but never anything from Cameroon so I was eager to adventurate.

I'm not one to ill out on nobody's neighborhood because context and perspective vary. I try to keep that in mind. With that clear on my mind, I could see over the course of the walk between here and Estação Júlio Prestes that the area surrounding Biyou'Z is real. Don't Be a Bama! With all of that said, I was feeling my surroundings. It was the exact opposite of the stuffy conference I'd spent the day at. West Africans were shooting pool and jamming to Reggae, a few people were walking, "drinking cans and quarts" as the lady of the night mooned passers-by. This is the city from which Biyou'Z stretches toward the sun.

Biyou'Z is a definite hole-in-the-wall. Me being the simple Pisces man that I am, I take to places like this just like a fish to water. That feeling was increased with the warm welcome from the owner. He was cool bruv. Something cooler was the menu. Well, plátanos make anything better and I was glad to order the Kamba plate. Shout out Kamba Cuá, Kamba Kokue and Emboscada.

I rarely imbibe but after the conference and because I was in my element, I ordered a Djindja. I love jengibre so that was an easy choice. The drink wasn't too strong but it was a drink. Done and done.

Now with the food. The food was aight. It was my first foray into Cameroonian dishes so I won't judge too hard. Shrimp and Veggies with plátanos and I ate pretty fast. I loved the amount of plátanos and how they were cooked. They weren't unripened but they also weren't maduros. They were in between and cooked to perfection. A place that does the seemingly simple things right gets credit from me. Looking back I would have ordered an appetizer or two to get a better feel for the food. I'm not the biggest shrimp person but it was cool. They didn't skimp on the shrimp. The food did have those uniquely West African flavors and I appreciated that. Hopefully you'll do that since I didn't.

I am going to jump out here and leave with a 4 Star Review. Read 3.5 but 4 for the experience, nice service and a the fact that I cleaned my plate. A memorable meal indeed. The meal being the trip there, the meal itself and the walk back to the station.

Ordered the Ndole Biwole.. A Peanut sauce with Boiled baldo leaves with shrimp. Flavors and spice was excellent.. The food is definitely recommended

nice people behind the counter...also plenty of helpful ones in front of the counter who speak French and English. mostly Cameroonian I think.
for West African I tend toward fish and seafood, which was good here. but a crazy assortment of bones and shell pieces not only in the cut of fish but also the spinach and dried shrimp stew. still, I'd go back to try more seafood dishes.
also noted, the NYTimes has been here: http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/15/world/americas/immigrants-stir-new-life-into-sao-paulos-gritty-old-center.html?_r=0