Panelas also makes a "maravilhoso" hot dog, an entirely different species than the American version. Brazilians put their spin on it by including corn, oregano and cilantro in the filling. This cross-cultural comfort food originated in Greece with an assist from the Romans, who added the top crust. Amid the chicken croquettes, cod fish balls and fried chicken, don't overlook the mini chicken pot pies known as empadinhas de frango. Panelas also has a lot of great appetizers. Another dish that brings out the flavor of the south is carne de panela, aka pot roast, prepared with tomatoes and potatoes. Gaucho cuisine is all about the meat, which is prepared simply, by rubbing rock salt on it. The South Bay restaurant is known for its picanha plate, a heap of sliced top sirloin served on a bed of rice, beans, potato salad, farofa and vinaigrette (which Americans know as sals). If you want to experience Gaucho cuisine, food from the border of Brazil and Argentina, Panelas is your best bet. When you're in Ventura County, you can stop by the original Moqueca, in Oxnard, where there are dancers and live music on weekends. If you have trouble getting a table, sidle up to the bar and order a caipirinha. It gets busy on Friday and Saturday nights so reservations are recommended. The restaurant is on the pricey side - entrees cost $24 to $74 - but the huge portions easily feed two people. If you have a sweet tooth, get the pavê de amendoim, a peanut tiramisu that layers creamy and sweet peanut custard on a bed of ladyfingers. (Capixaba means "hard working people" in the local Native American language.) On Saturdays, Moqueca serves feijoada, a pork and bean stew. The paella capixaba, which combines your choice of shrimp, octopus and other seafood, is delicious. Get it with a side of plantains and farofa (toasted yucca flour).
I'm a fan of the shrimp stew (bobo de camarão), cooked in coconut milk with fresh tomatoes, cilantro and onions. Seasoned with onions, tomatoes, garlic, cilantro, malagueta peppers and urucum (a native condiment high in protein that gives the dish its reddish/orange color), moqueca is cooked slowly and then served in a terracotta casserole dish with white rice and pirao, a sauce made by adding yucca flour to the broth. Located in a mini-mall off of busy Thousand Oaks Blvd., Moqueca (pronounced "moo-kek-ah") takes its name from a a saltwater fish stew that originates in Espírito Santo, a state in southeastern Brazil.
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