In the same decade that the bossa nova movement was born in Rio de Janeiro, a Lisbon native from Bairro Alto arrived in Brazil for a new life with his family. It was the 1950s. Chico Mascarenhas would become a photographer and, later, would have his own restaurant in the Carioca city, in the Gávea area, starting in 1981: Guimas.
More than 40 years later, Guimas has gained a younger sibling on the other side of the ocean. It opened in Cascais in October 2023, initially for trials and in a soft-opening regime, and began full operation in the last month of last year. It is a project of Chico's eldest daughter, Domingas, who has lived in Cascais for five years. "I missed Guimas so much that I decided to make one for myself. I didn't come with that idea in mind, but it's something that's in my blood," she tells Time Out.
The idea was to replicate the Brazilian restaurant as much as possible. The menu is almost the same, as is the decoration – from the collages on the bathroom ceilings to the checkered floor, including the paintings that fill the walls of the two dining rooms. Many pay homage to Rex, a character created by artist Ângelo de Aquino, who became a kind of unofficial mascot of Guimas.
The soundtrack is also identical: nothing but jazz is played. Customers have access to crayons to draw on the paper tablecloths — and if they are true artists, they might be lucky enough to see their work displayed on a wall. The elegantly dressed employees wear fun ties. The spirit is relaxed, botequim-style, even though the space has a more classic aura. In Cascais, the space is slightly larger than in Rio de Janeiro, with a capacity for 60 people, an open kitchen, and an imposing bar next to the glass entrance.
Portugal and Brazil at the table
In the new Guimas, the great classics of the Brazilian namesake are served. “They are already cultural heritage,” defends Domingas, who worked several years in the original restaurant. The moqueca of fish, shrimp, and squid, served with coriander rice and dendê farofa (€23.50), is one of them. Another is the drunkard's fillet (€28), grilled loin with mushroom sauce, red wine, bacon, shallots, and gratin potatoes.
Also, try the farm duck (€23), in magret mode, grilled and confit, with sweet and sour sauce and pear rice; or the oriental shrimp (€24), served with mango chutney, pineapple, and raisin rice. Among other loins, fillets, and the fish of the day, they serve an artisanal cheeseburger (€18) with lettuce, tomato, béarnaise sauce, and homemade chips. And it's worth trying the shrimp or brie cheese pastries (four for €12), or fried squid in wasabi mayonnaise (€16). To accompany, the bar serves cocktails, including the Bullshot, prepared with beef broth, vodka, and lemon juice.
Don't leave without trying a dessert — where family tradition is also present. The Guimas pudding is chocolate with cream (€7); the chocolate mousse is a recipe from sister Lulu (€6); the bacon from heaven is from Aunt Nocas (€6.50).
The family's connection to the kitchen has been present since Portugal, when in Bairro Alto, on Rua dos Caetanos, they prepared big lunches on weekends. When they moved to Brazil, because Chico Mascarenhas' father, Domingos, was going to work as a cultural attaché, they brought a handwritten recipe book from great-grandmother in their luggage. The family's passion for cooking has persisted, even though many of the recipes have been shaped and evolved since then. When he opened the restaurant in Rio de Janeiro, Mascarenhas joined a family friend, the Guimarães — hence the name Guimas, which represents the union of the two clans.
To accompany the works of the new Guimas, Chico Mascarenhas returned to his country — where he always kept family, especially in the Cascais area — to make sure everything was as it should be, in this new adventure led by his daughter in conjunction with three partners, including Aunt Cláudia Mascarenhas. Guimas continues its legacy, now in Portugal.
Rua Freitas Reis, 24, Cascais