Say Olá! Prazer conhecê-lo! to your hosts for the 2014 World Cup Brazil.
For the next month — through the first game June 12 between Brazil and Croatia to the final July 13 — the Courier will introduce you to the Vancouverites who are devoted to football (that’s soccer) and to following their national team from afar in coffee shops on Commercial Drive, pubs in Strathcona and convenience stores on Robson Street.
These are the best places to watch your team, even if you’re a second-generation Scottish sports fan (as I am) who cheers for Japan.
The schedule outlines the groups, opening and stage fixtures as well as the World Cup final and where each of these matches will be played in the Latin American country. The scores will be updated each issue and all times are local for Vancouver.
To begin, there was only one place to start: The 2014 hosts.
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Filipe Batista and his mother Maria opened nearly three years ago in August, 2011.
“We opened the day I turned 25,” said Batista, who has long eyelashes that curl around dark brown eyes.
The restaurant has large front and back yards and serves home-style Brazilian food — “The typical flavours that you’d find at grandma’s house when she has her family over for dinner,” he said — like feijoda, a black bean stew.
“That is a staple dish of Brazil. It’s a really big country with different regions with different dishes, but feijoda is one of the only dishes that you can go anywhere and find at anybody’s dinner table,” said Batista, who was born in Sao Paolo and has lived in B.C. since he was three.
Batista, who plays more basketball than soccer, is optimistic protests won’t disrupt the tournament. “There’s about 30 million people in Sao Paolo. The people, when they get upset, they can cause some disruption. I hope it doesn’t affect the Cup and we can all enjoy the celebration.”
At Boteco, the walls are bright yellow and the dinner crowd rambunctious. During games — including the first one of the World Cup at 1 p.m. Thursday when Brazil hosts Croatia — Boteco will serve barbecue outside beside numerous televisions and a live band.
What does the typical Brazilian fan drink?
FB: If they’re here, they’re definitely drinking caipirinha [a coctail made with lime and sugar cane liquor].
What do they eat?
FB: Appetizers, it’s always about finger foods and barbecue. They call it churrasco de gato, that means literally barbecued cat but it’s not cat! It’s just a joke that when you go to backyard barbecue, you don’t know what the person is serving but you’ll have good meat. It’s always beef and chicken.
Would you rather be in Brazil during the World Cup?
FB: I have been here for many years and so I’m used to the culture here in Canada, but Brazilians, it’s mixed… 50/50 miss home and miss the heat and busyness and everything else, but a lot of them are very thankful to be here and live in a country where they have maybe more freedom and opportunity. For myself I would love to visit for a month at a time but not to live permanently.
What is the best Brazilian goal ever scored in a World Cup?
FB: I can’t remember back to a specific goal. I remember where I was for the last World Cup. I was on Commercial Drive and they had closed the entire street for the big games. We were at Libra Room and they had Brazilian food there.
That was the day the Netherlands got the best of Brazil and we were disqualified. Then the Netherlands went to the final with Spain and we got our redemption because Spain kicked them out. At least we got that much.
Who will win if not Brazil?
FB: Nobody. The power will shut off in the stadium.
I would like to say no other team will win, but definitely not Argentina. Over the years we have build up a bit of a rivalry with them. Maybe Germany.
Boteco Brasil is located at 2545 Nanaimo Street, near Broadway
