| Ilhéus - Historical Buildings - Vesúvio Bar |
The Vesúvio, for the absent-minded, is just a simple bar of Ilhéus. It would
really only be this if it hadn't been one of the central scenes of the work of Jorge Amado, who used the establishment and an old owner as the
stage for the incidents of the book "Gabriela, Cravo e Canela".
The bar was founded in 1919 by two Italians, Nicolau Caprichio and Vicenti
Querevini - that the reason for the name since Vesúvio is a volcano that is still active, in the South of Italy. After several years, the
Italians sold the sallon and the Vesúvio belonged to a Portuguese besides three other owners until it was bought by the Turk, Nacib in
1945.
Even though it belonged to Nacib only in the 40's the Vesúvio had already been a
traditional bar for a long time. It was the first establishment to serve draught beer in Ilhéus in 1920 and the farmers, during the period of
the peak of the cacao, used to frequent the bar to tell their stories.
The tourists who arrive in the city today, visit the Vesúvio Bar not only to see
the place where the facts of the work of Jorge Amado unroller, but also to try the delicious Baiana and Arabian cuisine are served in the
establishment.
The menu is divided between "the delicacies of Nacib" with various
options of Arabian dishes and the "delicacies of Gabriela" with the local dishes. One of the most ordered dish of the Vesúvio is the
kibe (meat roll), which is really delicious. It has a lot of meat and should be relished with the green pepper sauce. Among the delicacies
ordered the most of the regional food is the "Moqueca de Peixe" (Fish Stew).
For dessert, the suggestion is to try the delicious bonbon of Cupuaçu which is a
fruit of the Amazonas but is also very popular in Bahia. No one can resist the cherry and chocolate truffles.
The façade of the Vesúvio is original. It was restored but basically remained
the same since the period of the Turk, Nacib. In compensation, the inside of the bar has changed a lot. The bathrooms were reformed and the
kitchen is panoramic. The service is very good and there are shows of live music every Tuesday at 7:30 pm. The bar opens at 11 am everyday and
only closes after the last client leaves. The Vesúvio accepts all of the credit cards. |