The Rio Olympics may be over, but a corner of Nolita in Manhattan is just beginning to celebrate one of Brazil’s indigenous treats. Oca, a newly opened ‘tapiocaria’, is dishing up a bevy of crepe-like creations, made using tapioca flour. A popular snack sold street side in Brazil, these gluten-free pancakes are getting a big city spin at Oca’s tropically-infused space in New York.
Considered an alternative to bread in Brazil, these tapioca discs are paper-thin like crepes, but boast the crunch of a taco. At Oca, they contain a range of healthy fillings, from scrambled eggs, chopped tomatoes, mozzarella and truffle oil, to wild salmon, cashew nut cream, wasabi, pumpkin seeds and diced avocado.
Established by four friends from Rio de Janeiro who were inspired to create a healthy, quick bite that conveyed a sense of Brazil, Oca (which means ‘house’ in Portuguese) uses fresh organic ingredients from local purveyors to complement the tapioca base. Each crepe is made by mixing house-made tapioca flour with purified water and cooked to order. There are also parmesan-crusted tapioca bites (served with red-pepper-infused raw honey), and several fruit-focused cashew nut milkshakes.
The Brazilian experience is made complete with an assortment of paint-splattered stools, wooden benches, vibrantly printed cushions and plenty of hanging plants. For diners with an interest in the more unusual corners of the street-food world, it's an irresistibly pretty package that will have people coming back for more.
A popular snack sold street-side in Brazil, these gluten-free titbits are getting a big city spin, with fillings made from fresh organic ingredients
The Brazilian experience is made complete with an assortment of paint-splattered stools, wooden benches, vibrantly printed cushions and plenty of hanging plants that decorate Oca’s glass-fronted interior
Considered an alternative to bread in Brazil, the discs are paper-thin, but boast the crunch of a taco
Fillings range from wild salmon, cashew nut cream, wasabi, pumpkin seeds and diced avocado, to dark chocolate, strawberry, cashew nut cream and macadamia (pictured)
INFORMATION
Oca is open daily from 11.30am – 7pm. For more information, visit the Oca website
ADDRESS
Oca
250 Mott Street
New York, NY 10012
-
Cafe Kitty is Soho's new theatre-land restaurant inspired by the world of cabaretLondon’s Soho welcomes Cafe Kitty, the cool little sister of the Kitty Fisher’s Group, with intimate interiors inspired by the world of cabaret and burlesque
-
Canvas House’s wavy brick façade stands out in its suburban Toronto context
Canvas House by Partisans brings a wavy brick façade to its sleepy Toronto suburban neighbourhood
-
Miami Art and Design Week 2023: the best fashion moments
The best crossover fashion moments at Miami Art and Design Week 2023, from Frank Gehry’s sculptural bag collection for Louis Vuitton to Fendi’s collaboration with cult collective Bless
-
Chef Daniel Humm gets honest about turning Eleven Madison Park vegan
Eleven Madison Park chef Daniel Humm on his new book ‘Eat More Plants’, revealing why he turned one of the world's most famous restaurants plant-based
-
Laila Gohar debuts bar accessories inspired by her travels
Chef and designer Laila Gohar unveils a new range of bar accessories and cocktails with her signature surrealist flair
-
The Commerce Inn is a West Village Tavern inspired by the Shakers
We explore the simple pleasures of The Commerce Inn, Rita Sodi and Jody Williams’ perfectly crafted, Shaker-inspired West Village tavern
-
Happy Independence Day, USA! Wallpaper* launches a month-long celebration of creative America
This 4 July we toast the cream of creative USA with our very own cherry soda float. See more in August 2023 Wallpaper*, on sale 6 July, and all month on Wallpaper.com
-
St John takes nose-to-tail Stateside for limited run at Ace Hotel Brooklyn
St John, the London restaurant that pioneered nose-to-tail eating, makes its American debut in Brooklyn for a limited period
-
Lavender and Truffles: plant-based ice cream with Asian-inspired flavours
Fashion industry veteran Alicia Liu launches an ice cream brand like no other, with passion and grit as the main ingredients
-
In Washington, DC, Yayoi Kusama and Veuve Clicquot are in full bloom
Yayoi Kusama and Veuve Clicquot continue their long and fruitful collaboration with a series of art events in Washington, DC, headlined by the artist’s major show, ‘One With Eternity’ at the Hirshhorn
-
New York exhibition celebrates the history of African American cuisine
‘African/American: Making the Nation’s Table’ is a new exhibition in New York City that examines the traditions and innovations of African American cooking
