A grotty side street close to the railway arches, with a working man’s pub and council block in spitting distance, is not where you would expect to find one version of culinary heaven. However, for those intrepid diners willing to venture into the Bermondsey district of southeast London, a mighty feast awaits. Spend time in Dom Carnivoro and you could almost imagine you were in Brazil.
Think of Dom Carnivoro (literally translated as ‘Mr Carnivore’) as an attempt to create an authentic Brazilian experience. A mural of the country’s iconic flag dominates one wall. Another shows the diversity of country’s culture. Music plays, the Caipirinhas flow and the restaurant gradually starts to fill – word to the wise, don’t arrive early. Dive in and party on.
It probably helps that Dom Carnivoro began life as a butcher (its parent company is called Fine Cut) and so visitors can expect to be in for a meat-heavy treat. Several steaks adorn the menu, from rump to tomahawk, but if you want the full-on Brazilian experience, then there is only one thing to do: go for ‘bottomless’ menu. Diners are presented with as many skewers of grilled meat as they believe they can eat in 90 minutes. Like an old school Chinese restaurant, guests get a slip – as if they were at a betting shop – and tick which cuts they want. Wait a bit and a platter of pungent meat arrives alongside a swathe of superb sides. At £40/head, this must be one of the best-value deals in town.
We were absolutely delighted with our choices. If offal is your thing – fortunately both your reviewer and dining comrade love it – then the chicken hearts are an absolute must. High up on any list should also be the pork belly and rump tail steak too. And, if you think Dom Carnivoro excelled at meat, then leave space for the sides, which happily hold their own. A dish of beans mixed with cassava flour, sausage, eggs, spring greens and plantain is the stuff of dreams. We liked it so much we ordered a second. We did the same with our wine selection. Saúde, as the locals say. A return visit is undoubtedly in order.