Fogo de Chão

Yes, Brazilians really do eat this way. Fogo de Chão, the new Brazilian steak house at City Center in Minneapolis, is much more elegant—and more expensive—than the truck stop in northeast Brazil where I first experienced churrascaria (Brazilian spit-roasted barbecue), but the basic principle is the same: Waiters in black pleated gaucho pantaloons (at Fogo de Chão, not the truck stop) stroll through the dining room with a skewer of spit-roasted meat in one hand and a long-bladed carving knife in the other. If your little coaster is green-side-up, they’ll stop at your table and carve off a portion to order. Turn the coaster red side up and they’ll steer clear.

The fifteen meats offered range from sirloin, rib eye and beef ribs to leg of lamb, lamb chops, pork loin and bacon-wrapped chicken breast. As a dining experience, it’s a carnivore’s dream; as a business model, it’s brilliant. Instead of the typical mammoth slab of high-priced beef served up by Morton’s, Ruth’s Chris, Manny’s, etc., which congeals on your plate for an hour or two and eventually goes home with you, half-eaten, in a doggy bag, the mixed grill at Fogo de Chão arrives hot and juicy, a few slices at a time. (The chicken and pork tend to be drier, but the beef is wonderful.)

You can have as much meat as you like, but you’ll probably eat a lot less than you might at a steak house. Diners are encouraged to start their meal at the cold buffet, and by the time you work your way through the cornucopia of salads, cheeses, and salumeria ranging from prosciutto, smoked salmon, and mozzarella to sundried tomatoes, asparagus, and hearts of palm, you are likely to be half-full. Then an assortment of filling side dishes is brought to the table, including fried plantains, seasoned mashed potatoes, pão de queijo (little cheese popovers), and fried polenta.

The white-tablecloth ambience compares well with the other high-end steak houses in town, but you are likely to spend a lot less. Lunch is $22.50 and dinner, $38.50. 645 Hennepin Ave., Minneapolis; 612-338-1344; www.fogodechao.com.


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