| If you want to taste the food of another | | | | and had no way of preserving their food. They |
| culture, you could go to the old Italian | | | | would instead gather together after |
| standby up the block, whether authentic or | | | | butchering a cow and cook the meat on skewers |
| heavily Americanized, or you could try | | | | over an open fire. |
| something else. I'm not talking about an | | | | |
| unpalatable Thai place, but something more | | | | While this isn't quite what's done at a |
| along the lines of exploring new tastes you | | | | Brazilian steakhouse, it's close enough to |
| already like, but might not know about. I'm | | | | make me start to want to sing a few cowpoke |
| talking about the Brazilian Steakhouse, and I | | | | tunes in Portuguese. |
| know just a few such places in the world to | | | | |
| recommend. | | | | That tradition of grilling meat over an open |
| | | | fire and sharing it has continued on today in |
| If you want to have an experience like none | | | | modern Brazilian steakhouses. Though it may |
| other, there are just a handful of places | | | | not be quite as rustic as eating a freshly |
| outside of Brazil that offer something I can | | | | butchered bovine in the Brazilian |
| actually recommend. There is one in New York, | | | | countryside, urban Brazilian steakhouses will |
| Shanghai, Johannesburg and one more in | | | | give you a dining experience you will find |
| Atlanta. They're all good, each worth your | | | | nowhere else. |
| time, and especially if you've never had it | | | | |
| before, worth going quite a ways out of your | | | | So you want to know where to go? Here's my |
| way for. | | | | list: |
| | | | |
| First of all, when it comes to authentic | | | | New York's Rio 22 Restaurant - This one is |
| Brazilian dining, you can't expect your | | | | exceptional, but it's pricey as hell and I |
| typical dining experience. You won't be | | | | say so with zero reservation. It's a great |
| offered a menu, you won't have to settle for | | | | place, but you'd better come loaded if you |
| just one type of food, and your server isn't | | | | want to leave full. Staff is good and the |
| going to just give you your meal and leave | | | | wine selection is delightful. |
| you alone. That's where it starts to get | | | | |
| exciting, but that isn't the end of it by a | | | | Atlanta has the Red and Green Steakhouse - |
| mile. | | | | Atlanta isn't exactly the hub of American |
| | | | culture, but I went there after a very long |
| You'll instead be given a card, red on one | | | | day of work and couldn't believe the space, |
| side and green on the other. Flip it | | | | the staff, the food and mostly I couldn't |
| green-side up, and your parade of waiters | | | | believe the prices. If you're feeling |
| will continue stopping by with an array of | | | | adventurous you should take a stroll through |
| skewered meats, each fresh off the barbecue, | | | | the wine humidor. They have the best |
| and each bursting with flavor. | | | | selection of South American wines I've seen |
| | | | in the states, and they're happy to show them |
| Take what you want, and if you want more | | | | to you even if you're just looking and |
| after that, just put your card out again, and | | | | curious. Also remarkably affordable, priced |
| if you need a break, just turn it to the red | | | | at about half what the in-town Brazilians |
| side to let the server know you're done | | | | charge for as-good-or-better foods. |
| eating, even if just temporarily. | | | | |
| | | | Shanghai's Brasil Steakhouse - I haven't been |
| But here's where the rubber meets the road. | | | | there in about a year, but it was exceptional |
| Anybody can take a steak, grill it and walk | | | | when I last visited. On account of the |
| it by your table. You have to go to a place | | | | favorable exchange rate, it's affordable, but |
| that's authentic to the South American style. | | | | steer clear of the bar or the tab will get |
| They've got one thing great in Brazil, and | | | | over your head in a hot, South American |
| I'm not talking about coffee (though that's | | | | hurry. |
| pretty darn good too.) They've got | | | | |
| exceptional cuts of beef. Around the world it | | | | Johannesburg's The Bell Pepper = This place |
| just isn't the case, so you have to make sure | | | | has gone downhill in the past couple years, |
| the place you're going serves up the best. | | | | and it's plain they don't pay their staff the |
| Red and Green Steakhouse in Atlanta, for | | | | way you might want them to, but the food is |
| example, is way off the Brazilian path, but | | | | exceptional and the service is relentless. |
| they keep it authentic by only serving Angus | | | | Leave a decent tip, however, it's what they |
| cuts of beef, and by hand-selecting | | | | live off on the service end. |
| everything from the salad bar to the top rung | | | | |
| sirloin that passes your table. | | | | And in no case should you ever tell them I |
| | | | sent you. They don't know me from Adam, |
| The modern American version of the Brazilian | | | | unless you're Adam, in which case they might |
| steakhouse comes from the Gaucho culture of | | | | know that you are you and I am not. I just |
| Brazil. Gauchos, these are the people born in | | | | love to eat without end and seek out any |
| the Rio Grande do Sul state in Brazil and who | | | | opportunity to do so. Special occasion of |
| have been described as a loose equivalent to | | | | not, this is the way to do it. |
| the North American cowboy, lived off the land | | | | |