Dinner at Fogo de Chao

Hi, friends!  I had such a great weekend!  Hope yours was fabulous as well.  One of the highlights was enjoying dinner at Fogo de Chao on Sunday night with my parents. 

Fogo de Chao is an authentic Brazilian steakhouse.  In 1979, Fogo de Chao opened it’s first restaurant in Porto Alegre, Brazil.  They recently opened a location in Las Vegas. 

The restaurant was cozy, open, inviting…and had perfect lighting (a food blogger’s dream).

I started my meal off with a glass of Louis M. Martini Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa Valley. 

Kristen + a glass of cab = quite the happy girl

Although there was lots of food coming, I still couldn’t resist trying the warm cheese bread called, pão de queijo . 

After ordering drinks, we headed to the salad bar. 

I have to say, the salad bar was impressive.  Honestly, there was every salad topping imaginable, along with other goodies like olives, jumbo asparagus, and tabbouleh to name a few. 

My mom and I joked that eating the salad bar could have been more than enough for dinner. 

I’m quite the cheese lover as you all know, so I had to put a few slices of aged parmesan, manchego, and mozzarella on my plate.

I loaded salad, cheese, peppers, artichoke hearts, green beans, prosciutto, tabbouleh, and sundried tomatoes on my plate.

I love fresh mozzarella! 

Fogo De Chao offers a selection of 15 fire roasted meats including chicken, beef, pork, and lamb.

This fancy shmancy card is placed near you to signal to servers whether to keep the meat coming (green side) or if you’re done for the moment (red side). 

Before we get to the meat, let’s talk about the sides.  They were  exquisite. 

The garlic mashed potatoes were creamy and comforting.

There was also a savory, crispy polenta side.

I just loved the caramelized bananas.  They were sweet and flavorful.  I couldn’t help but go for seconds of this side.  I hope to recreate them at home. 

Warning to those not fans of meat..there is lots ahead!

With our cards green side facing up, the meat started arriving tableside.  Here is the picancha, a prime cut of top sirloin, which is their signature steak. 

I filled my plate with a variety of meats and sides.  I wanted to sample everything, but not get too stuffed.  The beef was juicy and the chicken and pork were oh so tender. 

All the meats were exceptional, but I especially enjoyed the filet mignon and bacon wrapped chicken breast.  

Although I didn’t try a taste, my parents raved about the cordiero (lamb).

For dessert, we couldn’t resist this strawberry mousse.  My dad is a fan of strawberry desserts where his daughter usually goes for the chocolate.    Couldn’t have been happier with his choice though.  The mousse was velvety, light, and full of strawberry flavor. 

You wanted a closer look, didn’t you?? 

After dessert, they brought around a cart with various liquors.  I loved the concept (traveling alcohol-genius!), but we decided that we were too full for anything else.

After dinner, the manager (in from another location) happily took me on a tour of the restaurant starting with the kitchen. 

It was neat to see all the meat being slowly grilled to perfection.

The staff and manager were very attentive to the guests.  Swanky parents and I couldn’t have been more pleased with the service.

After touring the kitchen, the manager took me to the wine cellar.  Fogo de Chao are proud recipients of the prestigious Wine Spectator Magazine Award of Excellence for eight consecutive years.  I can see why!

Every winos dream! 

A big thank you to the manager, staff, and SK + G PR for providing my family and I with such a wonderful dinner.

Thanks for reading!  Be sure to check out more of my Vegas restaurant recaps here. 

Have you ever eaten at a Brazilian steakhouse? How was your weekend?

*disclaimer: the dinner was courtesy of Fogo de Chao.  My opinions are honest and my own.

Tagged as: brazilian, fogo de chao, las vegas, restaurant, weekend