Fogo de Chão®

Thanks to Paul in Tokyo (ex-Chicago) for sending in this great restaurant review. Being a person of discriminating taste and gastronomic appreciation, I knew you’d want to know about it. It is called Fogo de Chao.

Fogo de Chão^® (fo-go dèe shoun) is an authentic Brazilian steakhouse chain. In 1979, Fogo^® began sharing the gaucho way of preparing meat in Porto Alegre, Brazil. Today, gaucho chefs still expertly grill 15 cuts of meat and offer continuous tableside service in Brazil and cities across the USA. 

It is best described as a fixed-price Brazilian steak house. At least, that's how they describe themselves. What it is, basically, is a giant all-you-can-wrestle-down-your-throat barbecue with linen tablecloths. Lunch is $32.50…$22.50 salad bar only and dinner is $49.50.

They offer a variety of 15 different types of meat, all of which are speared on giant skewers and flame roasted. But they don't bother taking the meat off of the spits in order to serve it. The dining room is stalked by a half dozen servers at a time, each one carrying a three-foot long skewer loaded with meat which they bring right up to your table and carve off generous sized samples for you.

Each diner is given a cardboard disc, exactly like a drink coaster, which you keep on the table in front of you. One side is red and the other side is green. Red means 'stop,' and when that side is flipped up, the severs ignore you. When you are ready for meat you flip the coaster to green.

Green sends the servers into swarm mode. Somehow they see it from across the room and sprint over to your table waving a three-foot skewer full of meat like maniacs and try to carve half of it off onto your plate. You have to practically beat them off with bread rolls.

The worst part is waiting for the guy with the type of meat you want to try. I was desperate to try the spicy pork sausages and the bacon-wrapped filet mignon, but I kept being accosted by servers with everything but those two selections.

A guy came by with about six pounds of top sirloin who didn't seem to want to take no for an answer. He kept asking me, "Are you sure? Just a little sample? Is very gooood!"

So I told him I would take just a bite-sized sample, where upon he carved off about 12 ounces onto my plate.

I was trying to save my appetite for the sausages and the bacon-wrapped filet mignon, but now I felt obligated to eat the sirloin. Since I still wanted the sausages and the filet I left the card on green and had to fend off a succession of determined servers.

I turned away the pork loin guy (but only on his second lap), the bottom sirloin guy, parmesan-encrusted pork guy, the bacon-wrapped chicken breast guy and the top sirloin guy again, who seemed to take personal offense that I hadn't eaten the gargantuan portion he originally gave me in four bites.

It was worth the wait, however, because when I finally got them, both the filet and the sausage were extraordinary.

They have a ridiculously huge salad bar, delicious appetizers and pricey wine by the glass, but suffice it to say most everything was excellent.

If you ever find yourself in downtown Chicago with a huge appetite and plenty of money to spend I can recommend it.

Thanks, Paul! Chicago’s a bit of a hike from Thailand though I suppose by the time I got there, I might be ready for one of those three-foot skewers!
Bob

Comment from Doug in Bangkok:

Hi Bob,

           For more on this fascinating subject read: God Is Back: How the Global Revival of Faith Is Changing the World - by John Micklethwait and Adrian Wooldridge

Regards

Doug

Bob’s Reply:

I’ll look for it.

Rev. Bob

Comment from Wayne in Quebec:

And it's usually the religious people who are the more racist and hateful. That's really what is in store for the world. There is even a school in the USA returning to segregation as a trial option.

Bob’s Reply:

Translation from a Quebec expression: “The more things change, the more they are the same!”