Yes besides watching and chasing pussy, good food can be had there at a very reasonable price.
Good soups include chicken soups for 6.5R, excellent seafood soup for 14R.
I tried their paella for 35R, good for 2 people, excellent.

I tried pepper steak and it was awful.
If you like sandwiches for lunch, the filet mignon with tomatoes and cheese was pretty good. Any pasta, salad is pretty good there. I tried the onion soup, forget it, not cooked like the French soup, just onion with some flour and cheese.

I had a good omlette there but was annoyed at the constant stream of hawkers trying to sell me their wares.

Some of the food is good at Meia's but some ain't so good either. The primary reason to go to Meia has never been the food; it seems to me that with the selection of garatos that hang at Meia's one is better off meeting & eating at almost any other beach cafe along Atlantica.

meaning, the meia pataca selection of garotas is lacking?

I guess that I'd say that the Meia Pataca selection of garotas is lacking for the most part in looks. Everyonce in a while one will see a very good looking girl hanging out in Meia's but that is the exception rather than the rule. Garotas in Meia Pataca's don't come close to termas girls in terms of looks IMHO.

Check the outdoor cafe next to Meia`s, seen some of the better help girl`s there.

Meia can have good lineup on Sun as some Barbarella ladies can be seen hanging there eating early dinner. I like to check Meia myself just to watch people, hombres and garotas milling around. But food is overpriced and can be mediocre at times. It's conveniently located near hombre hotels, apartments and Help Disco. But I agree with YoungTom, you will have a hard time finding a hottie in there.

What the hell is there to eat besides chicken soup? I think I had soup everyday for a mid-day snack right after monte carlo. I tried there breakfast, taste worse than economy airline food.

CN

Ceenotes
Ask for menu (cardapieu) and choose. It's even translated in English.
I had the Filet Piemontese. The rice was too thick but beef was good. I know their salads are not bad as well as beef sandwich.
I hated Meia on my last trip as too many smokers, aggressive ugly hardcore garotas.
The chicken soup at Alcatraz is twice as good so I cannot even recommend their canja any more.

Athos,

I concur food at Meia was not very good and the place is always crowded it seems.

Never heard of anyone actually EATING at MP. The food is the only thing tougher and more tasteless than the women there ;-)

I know the foods isn't great but it's headquarters to meet all your buddies during the day and after hearing all the headlines I eventually get hungry and order the fucking chicken soup, with the stale toasted bread.

I think they have a great omelette...

Omelettes taste like shit....
I ordered for breakfast one day and took one bite and ended up eating toast for breakfast.
How is the place "Havana" next door?

Without wishing to reignite the Great Pizza debate (US vs Brazil) MP varies dish by dish. Personal faves include the filet parmegiana, seafood paella, sanduíche príncipe and the large caipirinhas. On the downside sucos are overpriced and chopp is poor.

What makes MP for me (aside from the garotas and goings-on) is the great attitude of the waiters e.g. Paiva, Ayrton, Zé Maria. The name tags help but they always seem to find time to discuss the footie on TV, ask where your missing buddies are etc.

I actually prefer the food at MP over Alcazar. They have a much broader menu. A really good one is Don Camillo's down about two blocks from MP.

BT

I agree, BT, that Alcazar is hardly a citadel of fine cuisine, and that Don Camillo's is quite a bit better. Frankly, none of the Copa Av. Atlantica restaurants do much for me. For eating, I'll take Felice Cafe any day.

But Alcazar and MP are good locations for swapping stories and pictures, since a good percentage of the clients are fellow mongers who won't be offended by hearing folks at the next table loudly discussing who gives the best head at L'uomo, etc.

I was also impressed with Don Camillo's food. The Terrace, in front of Help, is better that Alcazar in my opinion. Cafe Felice is head and shoulders above any of the above mentioned, it would be considered fine dining anywhere. But, Alcazar is ground zero for the day's mongering events.
Bwana, who does give the best head at L'uomo?

Don Camillo gets my vote also. The A/C part inside is nice, and welcome in summer. It's only 100 yds from Help but feels like you've left Copa and are in Ipanema/Leblon.

I prefer the MP over the Terrace for food but the Terrace is nice for a quiet tea/coffee in late afternoon/early evening.