Walking up to Fogo de Chao, I was hit by the smell of fresh, tendered and succulent meat. My stomach was churning, and I was starving when I finally got there.
Fogo de Chao is a “churrascaria” — Brazilian steakhouse — that brings the gaucho spirit to South Florida. The restaurant offers an international flavor in an international city. Inside, I was greeted warmly and led into a restaurant with tall ceilings, modern furnishings and plenty of open space.
Its all meat theme is quintessential to its southern Brazilian roots. Fogo de Chao has 15 cuts of meat expertly prepared and swiftly delivered to their customers.
Brazilian-style “rodizio” grilled beef was brought to the table by servers bearing big, swordlike knives on which the meat was grilled. They approached me, which a selection of rare, medium, or well-done meat, then slice off a piece or two, all done with class and sophistication.
Along with the enticing meat, the restaurants offers a salad bar, filled to the brim with every kind of vegetable. A few side dishes were brought to my table, such as potatoes, fried bananas, and crispy polenta — a type of cornmeal. All these foods were very good. Diners can eat as much as they want, although the overall feeling of Fogo de Chao is much more refined than an average buffet.
The cheese biscuits served with the salads are truly delicious. However, the main course is when the interesting and unique part of the Fogo de Chao truly experience begins.
When seated, a little card is placed on each costumer’s plate. Red indicates that the customer does not want any more meat, and green indicates a request for more meat. When a diner flips their card to green, servers will almost immediately bring around beautiful, tender cuts of meat to their plate.
The filet mignon comes wrapped in bacon, rib eye, chicken, pork, and sausage. It was all as mouthwatering as any carnivore.
The menu is simple, yet quite different from what you would see in any other restaurant. Separated by the types and cuts of meats under Portuguese labels, such as Costela De Porco, the mouthwatering pork rib was slowly roasted and seasoned, the “Fraldinha” cut from the bottom sirloin was generously seasoned, and my favorite, the “Picanha” — prime cut beef — was flavored with garlic.
My dish, fittingly named the “Lombo”, was a delicious, grilled tender pork filet encrusted with a parmesan cheese that was oozing with flavor. It went well with the garlic potatoes, sweet caipirinha — Brazil’s national cocktail, and a glass of wine.
Fogo de Chao offers a variety of rich desserts, from the extravagant “Papaya Cream” to a rich molten chocolate cake and my favorite, crème brule. But after eating such a large main course, I was too full to indulge in dessert.
The service of Fogo de Chao was impeccable and very attentive. The meat, vegetables, bread, and drink were all brought and refilled without asking or waiting. My service may have been one of the best I have ever experienced in Miami.
However, the experience is not cheap; Fogo de Chao is an expensive restaurant. Dinner is $42.50 per person, all-you-can-eat, but doesn’t include drinks, gratuity, or dessert. There’s also a salad bar-only option for $19.50. Lunchtime offers the same exact menu options at a much better price: $26.50 per person, though the salad bar-only option remains $19.50 at lunch.
Fogo de Chao is more than just another steakhouse experience; it is a peek into another culture — a world of Brazilian churrascaria that everyone will enjoy.
