Balada Mix is one of those chain cafe restaurants that I am told you can find around Rio de Janeiro. Maybe even around Brazil. We went here for a client lunch and it was so nice just walking around in the warm sun.

My English sun-deprivation really showed since I was always looking for the chair under the sun whilst all my colleagues sought out those in the shade.

Balada Mix’s menu offered very typical Brazilian lunch time things – everything from salads, sandwiches, pastas and plenty of juices.

Overwhelmed by choice and with the translation help, I chose a refreshingly beautiful mint and pineapple juice. You can tell from the foam how freshly squeezed it was.

I figured I was going to try eat a bit healthier and went for a turkey sandwich. Classically matched by mozzarella, pesto and some other salads, there was a lot of cheese. Almost too much to the point where I was starting to pull out chunks because it is, frankly, too tasteless to really be eating other than melted, or in smaller bits for texture.

Still, the side salad that also arrived was very nice. Complete with soy beans and lightly dressed.

Name: Balada Mix
Found at: Various locations (this one was in an open air shopping centre in Barra)
Website: http://baladamixrestaurante.com.br/