2005 Sao Paulo Reports

[Starfe]

If someone has a review of this massage house would you please post it.
I have it on my to do list for next week.

http://www.lafleurdejour.com.br/index.asp

Thanks

Starfe

[Ecanto]

Bandy,

Like you I booked the Mercure Jardins. My first trip to SP is next week! (I've been to Rio twice.) I will probably change my booking however. Here are a couple trivia items I've learned about the Mercure Jardins:

1. After careful study of the Accor website, I have come to the conclusion that the safe deposit box is at the front desk, not in the room. Other Accor hotels explicitly mention that the rooms contain safe deposit boxes. This hotel (Mercure Jardins) explicitly mentions that the safe deposit box is at the front desk. For me, this is a fairly significant consideration since I'm in and out of these safes often on trips like this. (If I am mistaken on this point, perhaps other board members can correct me.)

2. For a long time I had Mercure Jardins and Mercure Downtown mixed up. They are about 3.5km apart. For some reason I thought that Mercure Jardins was next to Love Story. Other posters correct me if I am wrong, but I now believe that Mercure Downtown is near Love Story, not Mercure Jardins. I mention this because you made a reference to the now defunct Hilton Hotel which was also near Love Story. I thought perhaps you might be having the same misconception.

Anyhow I'll probably change my booking to the Mercure Downtown or, more likely, the Grand Hotel Ca’d’Oro.

Yep Mercure Downtown is on the same street as Love story, basically 150 yards away. Mercure Jardins is a 10 min. cab ride away from Love story, basically 15 Reais during daytime, about 20 at time (unless you get ripped off).

As far as I can recall, you have your own private safe in both downtown mercure and jardins mercure!

[RexG]

Pluto 2,

I want to thank you for creating a great SAMPA guide. Following this, I made a booking at Mercure Jardin for a week in August (6 -13). Rate is 180 R weekdays and 134 R weekends. 5% tax will be added. I explicitely asked about the guest policy. Guests are allowed. However, if you book a single room, you have to pay the difference of price (not that much, may be 30 R) between the single and the double room. The Hilton is now manged by somebody else and I could not contact them. If I can do better, guys on ground can comment.

Bandy

Bandy,

Like you I booked the Mercure Jardins. My first trip to SP is next week! (I've been to Rio twice.) I will probably change my booking however. Here are a couple trivia items I've learned about the Mercure Jardins:

1. After careful study of the Accor website, I have come to the conclusion that the safe deposit box is at the front desk, not in the room. Other Accor hotels explicitly mention that the rooms contain safe deposit boxes. This hotel (Mercure Jardins) explicitly mentions that the safe deposit box is at the front desk. For me, this is a fairly significant consideration since I'm in and out of these safes often on trips like this. (If I am mistaken on this point, perhaps other board members can correct me.)

2. For a long time I had Mercure Jardins and Mercure Downtown mixed up. They are about 3.5km apart. For some reason I thought that Mercure Jardins was next to Love Story. Other posters correct me if I am wrong, but I now believe that Mercure Downtown is near Love Story, not Mercure Jardins. I mention this because you made a reference to the now defunct Hilton Hotel which was also near Love Story. I thought perhaps you might be having the same misconception.

Anyhow I'll probably change my booking to the Mercure Downtown or, more likely, the Grand Hotel Ca’d’Oro.

[Genghis Khan]

Funny you mentionned the Cafe Antique, as the chef/partner of this place is a good friend with who I hit daily Love Story when I'm in town. He's in SP since years and is certainly the gringo the most well-known in E.Pestana/Love Story area.

Pro

Cafe Antique is a great restaurant. Read my trip report from day 1. Tell your friend/chef/partner that I really enjoyed my visit and their cuicine.

GK

[Prosal]

Funny you mentionned the Cafe Antique, as the chef/partner of this place is a good friend with who I hit daily Love Story when I'm in town. He's in SP since years and is certainly the gringo the most well-known in E.Pestana/Love Story area.

Pro

[Pluto2]

GK

Thanks for the effort.

In reviewing your list, I think my experinces in Sampa are somewhere between rat on a stick and the three stars you list.

I got spoiled when I lived in Italy and the dollar was equal to a 20x boost in buying power for restaurants and other fun stuff. I ate out three to five times a week in high school at first rate places for about 10US a meal. And yes, a 10 for really full service was about 10- 20 US. Ahhh the good old days.

Ciao

Pluto2

[Genghis Khan]

Pluto 2,

OK here are my recommondations.
I haven't visited all of them myself, but I have read reviews or have contacts that visited them. All of them are on my must-do list. The restaurant By Adriano Kanashiro listed among the 5 star entries is currently closed, but will probably reopen soon. The only restaurant I would have awareded 6 stars (Laurent) closed in November, but the chef Laurent Suaudeau will open a new restaurant/hotel late 2006 or early 2007. It should be something to look out for.

5 Stars.
Fasano, 3062-4000, Rua Vitorio Fasano 88, Jardim Paulista - Italian
D.O.M., 3088-076, Rua Barao de Capanema 549, Jardim Paulista - Contemporary Cuicine
Massimo, 3284-0311, Alameda Santos 1826, Jardim Paulista - Italian
Jun Sakamoto, 3088-6019, Rua Lisboa 55, Pinheiros - Japanese
Kinoshita, 3105-4903, Rua de Gloria 168, Liberdade - Japanese
Cantaloup, 3078-3445, Rua Manuel Guedes 474, Itaim Bibi - Contemporary Cuicine
By Adriano Kanashiro, 3078-5361, Rua Doutor Mario Ferraz 441, Itaim Bibi - Japanese

4 Stars.
Cafe Antique, 3062-0882, Rua Haddock Lobo 1416, Jardim Paulista - French
Le Coq Hardy, 3079-3344, Rua Jeronimo da Veiga 461, Itaim Bibi - French
Baby Beef Rubaiyat, 3141-1188, Alameda Santos 88, Paraiso - Beef
Vecchio Torino, 3816-0560, Rua Tavares Cabaral 119, Pinheiros - Italian
La Tambouille, 3079-6277, Avenida 9 de Julho 5925, Jardins - Varied Cuicine
Pomodori, 3168-3123, Rua Doutor Renato Pais de Barros 534, Itaim Bibi - Italian
Mosaic, 3842-0094, Avenida Doutor Cardoso de Melo 1197, Vila Olympia - Japanese
Skye, 3055-4702, Avenida Brigadeiro Luis Antonio 4700, Jardim Paulista - Varied Cuicine
Roanne, 3887-4516, Rua Henrique Martins 631, Jardim Paulista - French
Parigi, 3167-1575, Rua Amauri 275, Itaim Bibi - Varied Cuicine
Freddy, 3167-0977, Praca Dom Gastao Liberal Pinto 111, Itaim Bibi - French
Sabuji, 3814-1240, Rua Sabuji 40, Jaridim Paulistano - Contemporary Cuicine
All Seasons, 3082-3015, Alameda Santos 85, Paraiso - Varied Cuicine
Eau, 6838-3207, Avenida das Nacoes Unidas 13301, Brooklin - French
Kinu, 6838-3208, Avenida das Nacoes Unidas 13301, Brooklin - Japanese
Suntory, 3283-2455, Alameda Campinas 600, Jardim Paulista - Japanese
Chakras, 3062-8813, Rua Melo Alves 294, Jardim Paulista - Contemporary Cuicine

3 Stars.
Yabany, 3078-7773, Rua Professor Atilio Innocenti 53, Vila Olympia - Japanese
Kosushi, 3167-7272, Rua Viradouro 138, Itaim Bibi - Japanese
La Vecchia Cucina, 3079-4042, Rua Pedroso Alvarenga 1088, Itaim Bibi - Italian
Shundi & Tomodachi, 3078-6852, Rua Doutor Mario Ferraz 402, Itaim Bibi - Japanese
Antiquarius, 3082-3015, Alameda Lorena 1884, Jardim Paulista - Portugese (Seafood)
A Figueira Rubaiyat, 3063-3888, Rua Haddock Lobo 1738, Jardim Paulista - Varied Cuicine
A Bela Sintra, 3891-0740, Rua Bela Cintra 2325, Cerqueira Cesar - Portugese (Seafood)
Arleccinho, 3086-0528, Rua Barao de Capanema 568, Jardim Paulista - Italian
Gero, 3064-0005, Rua Haddock Lobo 1629, Jardim Paulista - Italian
Don Curro, 3062-4710, Rua Alves Guimaras 230, Pinheiros - Spanish (Seafood)
Amadeus, 3061-2859, Rua Haddock Lobo 807, Jardim Paulista - Seafood
Fogo de Chao, 5056-1795, Avenida Morieira Guimaraes 964, Moema - Churrascaria
Carlota, 3661-8670, Rua Sergipe 753, Higienopolis - Contemporary Cuicine
Jardineira Grill, 3845-0299, Avenida dos Bandeirantes 1001, Vila Olympia - Churrascaria
Tordesilhas, 3107-7444, Rua Bela Cintra 465, Consolacao - Brazilian
La Risotteria, 3068-8605, Rua Padre Joao Manuel 1156, Jardim Paulista - Italian (Risotto)
Shimo, 3167-2222, Rua Jeronimo da Veiga 74, Jardim Paulista - Japanese
Magari, 3073-0234, Rua Amauri 234, Itaim Bibi - Italian
Bistro Charlo, 3088-6790, Rua Barao da Capanema 440, Jardim Paulista - Varied Cuicine
Leopolldo in Casa, 3816-1363, Rua Joaquim Macedo 135, Jardim Guedala - Varied Cuicine
Shigue, 3885-9606, Rua Doutor Sampaio Viana 294, Paraiso - Japanese
Miyabi, 289-4708, Rua Sao Carlos do Pinhal 241, Bela Vista - Japanese
La Brasserie Erick Jacquin, 3826-5409, Rua Bahia 683, Higienopolis - French
Sendai, 3241-1129, Rua da Gloria 148 Liberdade - Japanese
Arabia, 3064-4776, Rua Haddock Lobo 1397, Jardim Paulista - Arabic
Bolinha, 3061-2010, Avenida Cidade Jardim 53, Jardim Paulistano - Brazilian (Feijoada)
Bargaco, 3085-5058, Rua Oscar Freire 1189, Jardim Paulista - Brazilian (Seafood)
Vento Haragano, 3083-4265, Avenida Reboucas 1001, Jardim Paulista - Churrascaria
Braz, 5561-1736, Rua Grauna 125, Moema - Pizzeria
Osteria Don Boseggia, 3842-5590, Rua Diogo Jacome 591, Vila Nova Conceicao - Pizzeria

GK

[Genghis Khan]

I am preparing for my first trip to San Paulo and have found your post very helpfull. I would love to know of a place/post I should look for to prepare my self for this type of trip? language/money-conversion ect.

Thanks in advance.

Flguy

FL Guy,
I am not sure I understand what you are asking for. Could you try to be a little more specific?
GK

[FL Guy]

I am preparing for my first trip to San Paulo and have found your post very helpfull. I would love to know of a place/post I should look for to prepare my self for this type of trip? language/money-conversion ect.

Thanks in advance.

Flguy

[Member #4732]

Bandy, I can assure you from first hand experience that the "rate adjustment" for a guest may be as high as 50R on the weekend. I don't know what it is during the week and maybe it depends on your base rate. And that is per visitor. They adjusted my rate twice in one day.

[Bandy]

Pluto 2,

I want to thank you for creating a great SAMPA guide. Following this, I made a booking at Mercure Jardin for a week in August (6 -13). Rate is 180 R weekdays and 134 R weekends. 5% tax will be added. I explicitely asked about the guest policy. Guests are allowed. However, if you book a single room, you have to pay the difference of price (not that much, may be 30 R) between the single and the double room. The Hilton is now manged by somebody else and I could not contact them. If I can do better, guys on ground can comment.

Bandy

[Pluto2]

GK

Why not post your restaurant picks in Sampa?

Just like the other establishments, list the location, style, price and recommendation.

All of us have to come up for air once and a while.

Pluto2

[Genghis Khan]

If anyone is interested in phone numbers or addresses to the restaurants I visited, feel free to send me a PM.

GK

[Sperto]

A good way to spend an afternoon in Sampa is to check out the 8-story houses.
- Rua Barão de Limeira 134: 8 floors with lots of women grabbing you, and maybe you grabbing them. It must be hard to find so many ugly women in one place. They could scare dogs. R$ 5-10 sessions. No thanks!
- Rua dos Andrades 69: Again, 8 floors with bottom low standard. I were surprised to fina a blond gem om the second floor. R$10 for what to turned out to be a 30 minutes session. Interesting experience.

- Cine Duque: 8 women offering BJ for R$ 10. All looked like nightmares. Fun to watch.

- Teatro Orion: R$ 10 entrancefee. Room R$ 40. Girl R$ 50-100. Some nice ones. Still not my cup of tea.

I think the best option for cheap sex in Sampa is Rua Agusta.
My favourites are:
- Blue Night: Several nice girls. Room R$ 22. Girl R$ 35 (bargaining).
- Night House: Even more nice girls. Room R$ 20. Girl R$ 40.

[Carrib]

I dont think I can add to these compliments!! talk about how to monger in style. Great food, great wine, fine ass garotas. Your posts are like write-ups in travel and leisure mags with a twist (info on the garotas!)

You should think about starting your own thread. I have enjoyed reading your posts.