Brazil - The Rough Guide to South America on a Budget - page 298

atmosphere and scribbled guests' notes coat the upstairs
walls. The dorms are clean and colourful, equipped with
both a/c and fan, and there's also a commu nal kit chen and
free in ternet. Breakfast included. Dorms R$42 , doubles
R$100

chocolate-fringed cappuccino (R$8) at Fortaleza's best
coffee joint. Tues-Sun 3-10pm.
Tia Nair Sabores do Mar Rua Ildefonso Albano 68, Praia
de Iracema T 85 3219 1461, W tianair.com.br. Despite the
menu's unappetizing photos, this seafront place has good
food at reasonable prices. A range of ambitious, two- and
three-person fish dishes (in the region of R$60) mix it up
with shrimp and lobster. Daily 11am-1am.
Varanda Tropical Av Monsenhor Tabosa 714, Praia de
Iracema T 85 3219 5195. Open-fronted restaurant on the
main road serving a solid range of meat, fish and seafood
options, many of which will fill two bellies; if you're on
your tod try the shrimps in garlic (R$9.90). Mon-Sat
11am-midnight, Sun 11am-5pm.

PRAIA MEIRELES & PRAIA DO MUCURIPE
Pousada Arara Av Aboliçao 3806, Mucuripe T 85 3263
2277, W hotelarara.com.br. A friendly hotel in a safe setting,
although it's on a main road so not too quiet. Rooms are clean
and comfortable although the owners have a penchant for
adorning their walls with tropical sunset prints. There's a nice
enough pool at the back, as well as a little barbecue area.
Wi-fi and breakfast included. R$140
Hotel Pousada Mundo Latino Rua Ana Bilhar 507,
Meireles T 85 3242 8778, W mundolatino.com.br. The
breakfast room and communal area are not exactly alluring
with their PVC-covered sofas, but staff are helpful and the
a/c rooms are spacious. Interne t facilities available, plus
wi-fi. Breakfast included. R$130

3

PRAIA MEIRELES & PRAIA DO MUCURIPE
50 sabores Av Beira Mar 3958, Mucuripe T 85 3032
5850, W 50sabores.com.br. This decades-old Fortaleza
institution hides its light under a proverbial bushel, with
almost double the titular 50 flavours of ice cream, all of
which change with the seasons, even if it feels like the
weather never does. Try the plum, caipirinha or maracujá
(R$11 for two huge scoops). One of six branches spread
around town. Daily 9am-11.30pm.
Ì Neide do Camarão Av da Abolição 4772 Mucuripe
T 85 3248 2680. You buy your shrimp at the door (R$25
por quilo ), choose how you want it prepared, hand it to the
waiter, then eat the crispy shrimp, shell and all, washed
down with ice-cold beer. Local, authentic and awesome.
Daily 5-11pm.
Ponto do Guaraná Av Beira Mar 3127-A, Meireles T 85
3086 5650. Guaraná addicts should head here - there's
plenty of flavours to choose from including lemon (R$3),
acerola (R$3.50) and açai (R$3.50). Sandwiches are also
available (R$7). Daily 6am-10pm.

EATING AND DRINKING
Downtown, Praça do Ferreira offers a few por quilo
lanchonetes (self-service cafeterias), and Iracema has a
few good restaurants, while the Centro Dragão do Mar has
at least seven pavement cafés overflowing with people
having fun. The beaches all have a smattering of good
restaurants as well as beach huts offering some of the
best deals on seafood; the Centro Dragão do Mar is also
a popular spot, particularly in the evenings, with plenty of
pavement cafés and a young crowd.

ALDEOTA AND AROUND
Real Sucos Heráclito Graça 1709 T 85 3244 3923,
W realsucos.com.br. Veteran chain serving renowned fresh
fruit juices (R$4-10), including açaí , graviola , carambola ,
tamarind and papaya, as well as lots of sandwich options
(R$8); the cajú juice is especially good. Mon-Thurs 7am-
2am, Fri & Sat 7am-5am, Sun 5pm-2am. Also at Shopping
Aldeota T 85 3458 1104, Shopping Benfica T 85 3281 4029,
and Centre Um Shopping T 85 3224 0121 (all 10am-10pm).
Tamarindo Rua Araken Silva 296 T 85 3472 1824,
W restaurantetamarindo.com.br. Located down in the
leafy barrio of Dionísio Torres, this is the rarest of beasts,
a wholly organic por quilo restaurant, though at R$45.99
you might want to go lightly on the heavier dishes. In
addition to fishy favourites like vatapá there's plenty for
vegetarians including spinach and ricotta quiche, lasagne,
brown rice and beans. Mon-Sat 11.30am-2.30pm.

VARJOTA
Colher de Pau Rua Frederico Borges 204 T 85 3267
3773. The “Wooden Spoon” is a popular, family-run
restaurant serving up local Cearense cuisine such as
sun-dried beef at reasonable prices, with plates (upwards
of R$20) you can share with a friend or three. Daily
11am-midnight.

PRAIA DO FUTURO
Croco Beach Av Zezé Diogo 3125 T 85 3521 9600,
W crocobeach.com.br. Probably Futuro's most popular
beach restaurant, serving huge sharing platters of seafood
(a 1kg pargo with rice and beans for R$72.90) as well as
sushi (from R$19.50) and plenty of meat dishes ( carne
do sol R$56.90 for two). Also lays on comedy shows Tues
& Thurs (R$20 cover) and DJs/live music at weekends
(R$5 cover). Mon, Wed, Fri & Sun 8am-6pm, Tues & Thurs
8am-midnight.

PRAIA DE IRACEMA
Santa Clara Café Orgânico Rua Dragão do Mar 81,
Centro Dragão do Mar T 85 3219 6900, W cafesantaclara
.com.br. Try the popular espresso (R$3.25) or sip on a