Fogo de Chão

Fogo de Chão Restaurant Review:

Bring your appetite to Fogo de Chão for the "churrasco experience," which is probably the most elegant all-you-can-eat buffet around. Start with the extravagant salad bar, featuring all kinds of cold seafoods, charcuterie and cheeses. At your table, nibble on gluten-free cheese rolls, made with yucca flour. Then get seriously carnivorous. Turn the coaster at your place setting to green. Grilled meat will start arriving, almost faster than you can consume it, and won't stop until you turn your coaster to red. Everything is tasty, and cooked to various degrees of doneness. The bottom sirloin is lean and flavorful, the rib steaks a little more marbled and richer, and the beef ribs first-rate. There's also mildly spicy pork sausage, grilled pork loin, chicken legs in beer and brandy marinade or wrapped in bacon, lamb chops, and platters of caramelized bananas. Meats are generally flavored simply: dip them into bowls of garlicky chimichurri scattered around the table. If it’s possible, save room for crème brûlée or Key lime pie for dessert. Fogo de Chão serves its own very satisfactory brand of Brazilian wine. Portland's outpost of this international chain (started in Southern Brazil; now tallying 30-odd restaurants) is a big, beautiful dining room in the historic Public Services building with many private and semi-private eating areas. Service is cheerful and professional. At $50 per person (much less for kids) it's an indulgence, but a surprisingly good value.