What I Got: Vegan Tapioca Sandwich, Traditional Brazilian Cheese Bread (Pão de Queijo), Spicy Brazilian Cheese Bread, Pesto Brazilian Cheese Bread

Price: $$

Location: NYC

Review:

Tap is a healthy Brazilian cafe with 100% gluten-free food.  Everything is naturally gluten-free (none of the foods typically contain gluten because they use tapioca instead of wheat), so everything is delicious and worth eating even if you are not gluten-free.  There are many vegetarian options and some vegan options as well.

Vegan Tapioca Sandwich – The Vegan Tapioca Sandwich includes a tapioca flour crepe with homemade tofu, vegan mozzarella, seasoned avocado, fresh tomatoes, and baby arugula.  The tapioca crepe has a unique crisp texture with a slight chew to it.  It has a neutral flavor that can complement any filling.  The tofu is soft and seasoned nicely.  The vegan mozzarella is melty and delicious.  The tomato is juicy and bright and the arugula adds a great crunch and peppery flavor.  The avocado is smooth and perfectly complements the slightly salty cheese and tofu, alongside the fresh tomato and arugula.  The Vegan Tapioca Sandwich is a unique and tasty alternative to your regular old sandwich.  It is a perfect vegan, gluten-free, not boring sandwich packed with delicious flavor.

Traditional Brazilian Cheese Bread – The traditional Brazilian Cheese Bread is made with a blend of mozzarella, Swiss, and parmesan cheeses.  It is amazingly crisp on the outside.  The chewy, cheesy interior is filled with gorgeous air bubbles that make it amazingly light.  The flavor has the perfect mixture of saltiness, milky mozzarella, sharp parmesan, and a hint of sweet, mild Swiss.  These pão de queijo are definitely some of the best ones I’ve had.  My favorite part is that they are quite large.  Each one is about three times the size of the typically smaller cheese bread I’m used to eating.  If you are a cheese lover, you must try one (or many)!

Spicy Brazilian Cheese Bread – The Spicy Brazilian Cheese Bread is made with a blend of mozzarella, Swiss, and parmesan cheeses with jalapeno and hot sauce.  It is beautifully crisp on the outside and chewy on the inside with a kick of spice that compliments the cheese wonderfully.  The hot sauce adds a tangy, peppery flavor that makes the cheese bread exciting and different.  The level of spice brings the heat, but it is not overwhelming.  I would consider it more of a smolder than a burn, which makes it very pleasant and delicious.  

Pesto Brazilian Cheese Bread – The Pesto Brazilian Cheese Bread is made with a blend of mozzarella, Swiss, and parmesan with nut-free basil pesto.  Pesto and cheese is always a delicious combination, so of course this cheese bread is delectable.  It is crisp on the outside and chewy on the inside with herby, garlicky pesto flavor that compliments the cheese.  I find both Brazilian cheese bread and pesto separately to be addicting, so together they are a powerhouse.  The Pesto Cheese Bread has the perfect balance of cheese and delicious pesto flavor alongside the incredible crisp, chewy texture unique to pão de queijo.  It is perfect.