Fogo de Chao

I've been ruined.

When we were up in Minneapolis this week one of my co-workers insisted that we go to Fogo de Chao, a Brazilian steak house. My first reaction was to question just how good of a place this was going to be. I'd never heard of it before.

We walked in the door and were quickly ushered to our table. Fortunately we had reservations. They quickly brought out our drinks and then led us to the ample salad bar. It was full of good traditional American salad bar stuff but then it had loads of Brazilian dishes as well like cured meats, palm hearts, fresh farm cheese, green salsa and much more.

Time for the main course. We were each given a flip card - green for go, red for stop. A flood of chefs/waiters, maybe as many as twenty, poured out of the kitchen doors and stormed the restaurant. Each with his own wand of skewered meat. If they saw your meat card green side up, they would race to fill your plate. Every cut of meat imaginable from lamb chops and sausages to rib eye and fillet. Each morsel was perfectly cooked with meat at the top end of the fire roasted skewer well done and at the bottom rare. Just say what you like.

The attempt is to try every cut of meat offered but you quickly feel like you've gorged yourself on a whole bison. Just a flip of the card to the red side and the waiters will avoid you like the plague while you catch your breath and take a break. Flip the card back to green and once again they trip over each other to serve you.

This first rate service says nothing of the deliciousness of the meal. The meat was perfectly marinated, some in a brine, some with a dry rub and so each piece melted in your mouth. While the salad bar could easily be a meal in itself, this is a place for carnivores! The meat was so good that I have been ruined from all other meats. Nothing I've had before quite compares.

The restaurant apparently has a long history, and I can only be thankful that we will shortly have one of our own in Indianapolis. The service, the meal (delicious and all-you-can-eat), the experience could easily demand $80 or more a plate. It's that good. But, it is more moderately priced at $44 a plate. None of us felt the slightest bit of remorse at the price, especially since the man picked up the check.

Dinner concluded with a decadent dessert called Tres Leches - Three Milks cake. It definitely satisfied my sweet tooth. If you come visit me in Indy, remind me about Fogo de Chao and we'll go have dinner there. I'm always up for good food and good company.