While most Londoners were cozy under the duvets I was on my way to the bike shop – the small but ever so efficient Russel Motors in Clapham Junction – to pick up my bike after they gave it a new front tire. I had not ridden it for a whole week (riding bikes in the snow is no fun) and it really needed a longer ride to get some juice into its battery. A friend had told me of a new Brazilian snack bar in Merton Abbey Mews which sells Pasteis and for some reason I thought the cold cold perilous ride to the backwaters of Wimbledon would be a good idea as long as I could wrap my fingers around a hot blistery Pastel at the end of it.

So it was with near fronzen fingers that I opened the door at Luciana Chaves’ and Flavio Favero’s small Brazilian caf in the quaint hippy-like market. The Katavento Pastelaria has only be there for 2 months and the pair combine the duties of chef, waiters and culinary detectives. There are loads of recipes for the Pastel pastry but most specialist houses keep their secret recipe very close to their chest, so Luciana and Flavio had to start from scratch and experiment with quite a few combinations before arriving at the present formula. They also had to come up with their own formula for ‘Catupiry’ – the rich cream cheese only available in Brazil.

The shop sells 15 flavours of savoury pockets, with prices from £2 to £2.70 and 1 sweet version with a Goava and Cheese (Romeo and Juliet) filling. The pastry is a real masterpiece, light and crispy and each pastel is more than enough to fill an hungry grown up like me (although I have to admit I had 2!). And while you’re there filling up on delicious pasteis you can also stock up on some Brazilian supplies, like sour starch (for your cheesy doughballs), black beans, cassava flour and some Guarana Soda.

Opening times are Wed-Sunday 10am till 5pm (7pm on Friday) and you can also have your pastel wrapped to take away.

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