A walk down many neighborhood streets in Brazil reveals countless glass-covered displays, each containing raindrop-shaped pastries illuminated under heat lamps. These are coxinhas (translation: “little thighs”). By my account, they are an acquired taste. The doughy masses, stuffed with dry shredded chicken and cheese sauce, present a combination of textures that might deter the uninitiated.

Now that the snack has arrived at Little Brazil in Wheat Ridge, we can all decide for ourselves. Try it once, and it’s a bit weird. Try it twice, and the coxinha becomes a pleasant surprise. On the third tasting, the pastry morphs into an irresistible craving.

5280 January 2013
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The coxinhas at Little Brazil aren’t quite as perfect as the ones I remember from my time in Juiz de Fora, but that may be nothing more than a bit of wistful nostalgia.

10081 W. 26th Ave., Wheat Ridge, littlebrazildenver.com