The Brazilian steakhouse concept is not one that is used very often in restaurants mainly because of the high cost of operating an establishment like this and the market to which you are appealing is a small niche of the whole restaurant going public. The concept is that you are given a coin one side is green for go and one side red for stop. Roaming carvers or gauchos (the Brazilian word for cowboys) walk around with fourteen different meats on spits and carve freshly roasted meat onto your plate. In addition to every type of meat imaginable they have a phenomenal salad bar.
Ian, Stephanie, Aaron, and I went to Fogo de Chao yesterday for lunch. Let me say that this was a hell of a meal to eat in the middle of the day, so much so that it essentially rendered us useless for the remainder of the afternoon and well into the evening. First I was in awe of the Lamborghinis, Ferraris, and Porsches we passed to get to our Hollywood lunch spot. Next I was struck by the fantastically appointed dining room. Deep rich wood tones, Frank Lloyd Wright style glass, and lush carpet abounds. Our server, who was excellent, suggested that we start with the salad bar then move onto the main event. Salad bar offerings include marinated olives, asparagus, artichokes, and mushrooms, roasted peppers, fresh mozzarella, salad greens, antipasto items such as Prosciutto, salami, Manchego cheese, and several balsamic vinegars and olive oils to choose from. To be honest I could have made a whole meal out of this wonderful spread, I would have been happy and probably would have eaten too much of this as well. But then came the meat…
Fourteen different meats are walked around the dining room by the gauchos for your carnivorous pleasure. Here is a short list of offerings I remember: Linguica sausage, ancho rubbed ribeye, pork ribs, beef ribs, leg of lamb, lamb chops, bacon wrapped filet mignon, bacon wrapped chicken thighs, garlic flavored sirloin, and bottom sirloin. The sheer amount of meat that was continually heaped on my plate regardless of my coin facing red side up was ridiculous. The true standouts here were all the pork items especially the Linguica sausage. Also the ancho rubbed ribeye was really excellent, smoky and spicy but rich and full of fatty ribeye flavor. I would like to say that I conquered Fogo de Chao, that I fought the good fight, but I have to say this restaurant defeated me. I ate and ate and I wanted so badly to eat all fourteen meats but I am afraid that I simply couldn’t do it. The meat bested me, there was too much for me to experience all of it.
The service here was really attentive and warm. Our waiter had a sense of humor without being too familiar. He tended to our every need with out being too pushy or hovering around our table. I think it also helped that the gauchos were there about every five minutes to carve so that if our server was not around they were able to get a clean plate or pick up a dropped fork. This was a very decadent meal, especially for lunch. I can’t see eating at a place like this more than a few times a year. I had a really great time with my dining companions and the meat was delicious! Nine out of ten (mainly because I ate so much I was sick until the next morning!)
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