First look: Fogo de Chao

It's all about the meat and Brazilian has nothing to do with waxing at this churrascaria

By Molly V. Strzelecki

Special to Metromix
August 17, 2007

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Hello, carnivores, and welcome to heaven. Fogo de Chao (pronounced fo-go dèe shoun) just opened its doors at the Inner Harbor, allowing the enticing aromas of meat, meat and more flame-cooked meat to waft out on to Pratt Street. Sound tempting? Damn right! It's a simple concept for this classy all-you-can-eat churrascaria. You get a circular card that's green on one side, red on the other. Green side up, and men flock to your table bearing skewered meat to be portioned into luscious cuts right at the table. Red side up, and it's your silent way of saying, "Stop! Keep away with the meat!" Flip as many times as you like, no one's judging. Oh, and those guys carving your meat? They cooked it, too, all trained in Brazil to do it right. And by right, we mean mouth-wateringly delicious.

Food: The whole idea behind the newest link in the Brazilian steakhouse chain is the luscious call of the cow cooked in the traditional style of the Rio Grande do Sul, which is served by gauchos (you know, those guys who inspired the god-awful pants trend) who scurry from table to table with sword-like skewers heavy with perfectly seasoned meat and monstrous carving knives that look like machetes. They'll carve you off a piece of just about anything, from filet mignon and lamb to chicken breasts and sausage. You can pick your jaw up off the floor now.

Those folks who think cows and lambs are too pretty to eat can still enjoy a night out at Fogo. The restaurant has an immense salad bar, so there's probably something there you'll like. Maybe it's the huge, fresh stalks of asparagus, or the nicely marinated mozzarella balls. Or possibly the oodles of smoked salmon. If you're an omnivore, listen to your server when he or she says don't fill up on the salad bar. It's entirely too easy to do, and there will be barely any room for meat, let alone dessert. And dessert should definitely not be skipped. The house specialty, a papaya crème, is a simple mix of fresh papaya blended with vanilla ice cream and topped with crème de cassis, and is, in a word, tremendous.

Booze: While the focus at Fogo is clearly the food, the liquor aspect has not been forgotten. The restaurant will gladly whip up a caipirinha—a traditional Brazilian drink made with sugar, Cachaça (a Brazilian liquor) and a boatload of limes. Along with a stocked bar of high quality hard liquors and premium bottled beers (sorry, no taps here!), Fogo de Chao excels at wine. There are more than 250 different kinds. But don't worry, your server can help you make a good decision.

Digs: Sleek and teak, baby. The interior of Fogo de Chao is all dark woods, low lighting and crisp accents, invoking a sense of calm. The enormous salad bar is in the center of the room, and various walls are lined with bottle-upon-bottle of wine. And while you can't really decorate with meat on the walls (erm ... stinky ...) that aspect is not lost with the dozens of gauchos swiftly going to and fro.

Vibe: Since it's smack dab in the middle of Pratt Street, across from ESPN Zone, Fogo de Chao definitely has an upbeat tempo. Especially since the gauchos are hustling and bustling around the tables to make sure everyone has satisfactorily slipped into a meat coma. If you're looking for quiet, Fogo isn't your place; the din is such that you don't even realize there is elevator muzak playing until you escape into the bathroom where it's quiet. But the zesty atmosphere meshes well with the food, and works well for dates, family nights out or business dinners.