It takes about 5 hours by bus to get to Paraty from Rio but believe me, it is worth it. Paraty is stunning. It’s port is full of colourful boats eager to take tourists out to visit the bay. It is surrounded by lush rainforests and jam packed with historic houses. It isn’t just a tourist heaven, this is a place that people live and work and this gives it an extra special feel.
It is mid week and low season so the streets tonight were not very busy at all. We had a list of several recommended restaurants, as it seems Paraty is full of good places to eat. We walk past Caminho do Ouro and take a liking to it, so we step in. Caminho do Ouro is named after the Gold trail that, after the discovery of the world’s richest gold mines in 1696 in the mountains of Minas Gerais, brought the gold down to the port of Paraty for boats to Rio and then on to Portugal.
The restaurant almost has the feel of an art gallery. The walls are covered with a very eclectic range of paintings (many of which we recognize as being local painters from our previous walk through town). We sit down and order a Carpirina, of course. While listening to the noise of the waiter shaking our drink in the background we look through the menu. Fish stew for two it is and…oh wait…a hot chocolate with rum for dessert.
This was my first boozy hot chocolate. I have never thought of having hot chocolate for dessert (because I like dessert) but we thought, why not. After our delicious and highly recommended fish stew for two we were presented with a large green coloured glass filled to the brim with hot chocolate. Looks like hot chocolate…smells like hot chocolate. Hmm tastes like rum and a lot of it. In fact this hot chocolate was a glass of rum masquerading as a hot chocolate. There was a hint of chocolately taste but really it was a big glass of rum.
I have no complaints really, one can’t complain with boozy hot chocolates, I got what I asked for, but I had to sip it very very slowly. The waiter noticed this and came by and in Portuguese said with a big smile on his face, “ strong?”. We smile back and 2 minutes later he has come back with a little jug filled with just simple hot chocolate. Relieved we dilute our rum mixture bit by bit until it is more drinkable.
Verdict: A good first experience with alcohol in hot chocolate. This was a great night and not just after all that rum. The fish stew was incredible and I would go back to have another hot chocolate with rum (diluted with more hot chocolate) any day. Caminho do Ouro, R. Dr. Samuel Costa 236, Paraty, Brazil
