A group of us went to Fogo de Chao (www.fogodechao.com), the new Brazilian Steak house across from GameWorks in Block E. This is the place that used to be Copelands and before that was the Nankin. I think I speak for everyone in our group when I say it was fantastic. For those that are not familiar with a Brazilian Steak house, it works like this: There is an enormous salad bar that is continually stocked with vegetables and fixings that look like they came right out of a magazine. There are no slightly ripe tomatoes here. Then you sit down and let the food start coming your way. You have a card in front of you with two sides, green and red. When your card is green, the wait staff carrying many different types of meat will come over and cut a portion for you right on your plate. They will cut the meat to your taste (rare, medium, etc.). The wait staff will continue to bring different types of meat to your plate until your card is showing red. You can take a few minutes to relax and enjoy what is on your plate and simply turn your card back over to green and let the food keep coming.
I have no idea how they train their staff, but they have it down to perfection. Your beverage glass never gets empty without it being refilled. The bread, mashed potatoes, etc. are continually refreshed on your table as well. When your card is green, you don’t wait long for food to be put on your plate. The most remarkable thing to me is that you never feel like people are hovering over you. With this quick of service, you would think the wait staff would be standing over you the entire time. That is absolutely NOT the case. They are not imposing or pushy, but they are there when you need them.
I’m hardly a restaurant / dining professional, as I do not have the taste buds to decipher between mediocre and great. I am truly happy eating just about anywhere and eating any type of food. And, truth be told, I rarely eat red meat. I will have a chicken sandwich over a cheeseburger or a steak more often than not. However, the service and quality of food at Fogo de Chao is top notch! I would highly recommend the experience (and yes, it is an experience). I would recommend planning a three hour dinner and going with some good company. Add a few drinks for a fantastic night out.
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