Meet the founders of Senzala, Sunnyvale's Brazilian and Latin music venue. Lidia and Wagner Bueno are Brazilian natives from metropolitan Sao Paulo who exude a warm, genuine hospitality… a national personality trait among Brazilians everywhere.
The restaurant was an outgrowth of sorts of the Capoeira school the Buenos ran in San Jose. Wagner has been teaching Capoeira, a Brazilian martial art form, locally as well as around the world for 30 years. One such workshop was taking place in Moscow, Russia, where Wagner taught for seven years straight from 1999 to 2005. Being a Russian ex-pat and a big devotee of Brazilian music and culture myself, this fact nourishes my inner Brazilian.
Lidia has always been inspired by cooking. The Buenos would occasionally take their students to an inn they owned on the beach near Sao Paulo. There, Lidia would perfect her group cooking skills. The students encouraged her to consider becoming a chef some day. By opening Senzala in January of 2006, the Buenos embraced their passion for music with an inspired vision of an international cultural center.
The word Senzála is of African origin, and was used to describe "living quarters of black slaves" during the colonial period of Brazil’s history. African folklore is explored in various murals on the walls of the restaurant: inspiring visions of men and women dancing, cooking and playing drums. National Brazilian dishes served at Senzala are also greatly influenced by African cuisine. On the menu are Carne de Panela (slow-cooked beef topped with stewed peppers served over beans and rice), Galinha com Polenta (chicken with polenta), and Bobó de Camarão (shrimp with tomato sauce over rice). But the most raved about is Lidia’s signature dish, Feijoada, a smoky black bean stew with chunks of beef and pork served atop white rice with collard greens and sprinkle of yucca flour.
This burgeoning South Bay venue combines the elements of Brazilian cultural center, museum, music club, Capoeira studio and restaurant, and provides a nurturing environment where people of various origins can mingle and coalesce, united by common interests. Warm interiors, art and photographs on the walls, delicious Brazilian home-cooking, Capoeira aerobatics presentations on Fridays and incredible jazz, Brazilian and Latin music on Saturdays… all-in-one!
The club has been featuring local bands such as Viva Brasil, Edgardo & Candella, John Worley, Ed Johnson & Novo Tempo, the Alexa Weber Morales Band, SambaDa, and Carlos Oliveira & Brazilian Origins. It has also become a hot booking ticket for international stars of Brazil. Leny Andrade, one of the greatest singers of Brazilian jazz, gave a concert at Senzala in 2007; Toninho Horta, a virtuoso guitar player and composer, recently made a stopover on his way to the Healdsburg Jazz Festival; and in June young Samba sensation and Latin Grammy Nominee Diogo Nogueira will perform there with his eight-piece band. In August, Senzala will be presenting mestre Guinga, whose guitar and compositional genius enthralls people across the world.
Recently, I also had a great opportunity to bring my own band to Senzala, and it was an amazing experience! This restaurant truly represents Brazil in its inner nature: excellent food, great people and incredible music!
When you book your dinner table at Senzala, please mention that you read this blog on JazzWest.com!
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Senzala Restaurant is located at 250 E. Java Drive in Sunnyvale. Call 408.734.1656 or visit www.senzalarestaurant.com.
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