december.fly 0 Jan 03,2011

beyong expection!

Went to Caju for a friends birthday celebration and didn't know what to expect. Never tried Brazilian food before - but was impressed by the flavours and the presentation of the dishes. I had the crab cakes and the fish stew - which was amazing. Our server was friendly and attentive and I loved the Brazilian cocktails. I would definitely go back and have already recommended it to my friends.

tags: brazilian cocktails, fish stew

mamastef Feb 16,2010

I have to say that considering all the glowing reviews received by this restaurant, my husband and I were disappointed. The food is ok, but the portions are small for the price. The chicken dish was terribly disappointing. The pasteis are bite sizes (only 4)for $8.
When we walked in, the smell of backed up pipes or some plumbing issue they must be having is the first thing we noticed. Our waitress left us waiting for 15 minutes before she brought us water and took our order and 20 minutes after cleaning our table without asking us if we wanted dessert. We ended up finally flagging her down to get the bill and skipped dessert altogether.

I have to be honest and say that we went directly to Messini's after to get a gyro because my husband was still hungry. Didn't really find this restaurant justified the excellent reviews it gets.

cookbook Sep 06,2006

Chef Mario Cassini of Caju is from Belo Horizonte in Brazil and makes a wonderful feijoada every weekend as a regular item. It takes about 24 hours to make this dish from scratch, which he does- hence the offering only on weekends. His version is rich, delicious and worth the wait. It's also quite authentic- although he doesn't add as many pig parts as some would like (trotters, snout, tail etc...). I thought it was delicious!

pancake Aug 30,2006

I second Caju. the food was awesome, and so much detail went into each plate. Went with three friends and we all left raving. the passionfruit mousse is a must to end a great meal.

cookbook Aug 25,2006

I like Caju on Queen West for a relaxed, Brazilian-inspired meal. Chef Mario Cassini is from Belo Horizonte and his picanha steak and mocqueca fish stew are wonderful dishes to unwind over, reconnect and enjoy a caiprinha or two. The pao de queijo (hot mini-cheese breads) he serves at the beginning of the meal will get the salivary glands going! My favourite little carb treats!

Anonymous Jun 06,2005

I loved the Brazilian cocktails and the tropical martinis. The appetizers were amazing - especially the crab cakes. The atmosphere is casual and the staff very friendly. It's the perfect place for a casual summer dinner- and I will definitely go back!

Anonymous Jan 28,2005

We have gone to Caju several times and find the food to be excellent,the staff remembers every detail. The hot sauce with the fish stew is divine. I just noticed on their website that they are open for brunch- We love Caju and plan to go back!

Anonymous Nov 29,2004

The food was delectable and flavourful. I had the Moqueca(seafood stew) and the combination of tomato and coconut milk left a lovely lingering taste. The ambience was inviting and it created an atmosphere meant for long dinners with lots, of wine and great conversation. BUT, the Service was BELOW par, to say the least. Our waiter was inattentive and at times rude. He huffed and puffed as we ordered drinks and rushed us through our ordering of food. His knowledge about the menu was limited. Unfortunately, the 'tip' was already added into the bill or else we would have left the bear minimum for him. I would recommend Caju for the Food but, personally, I will NOT go back there due to the poor service.

Anonymous Nov 12,2004

This is Brazilian inspired Cuisine (note capital C). Seafood chower was rather tasteless and fishy. Grilled shrimps were gigantic and flavourful, but only lukewarm. Picanha more like grilled steaks. Server was very nice but not really knowledgeable about Brazilian food. A tad expensive for what we got on our plates.

Anonymous Aug 31,2004

my boyfriend and i went to caju to celebrate our anniversary and were TOTALLY blown away. the restuarant was gorgeous, wait staff excellent and food mouthwatering! they catered wonderfully to my boyfriend's vegetarian diet-we will definitely be back!