By Tricia Chaves
Best Brazilian Restaurants
Whether you are lucky enough to travel to Brazil, or must remain stateside to enjoy your Brazilian cuisine, you're sure to be satisfied by the authentic flavors of these award-winning establishments. They are sure to satisfy, according to endorsements from critics and customers alike.
Language Lesson
In Brazil, rodizio is the name for a style of all-you-can-eat food service where a variety of dishes are delivered table-side by multiple servers, typically with an accompanying buffet.
Churrasco is Portuguese for barbecue and the most popular type of rodizio in Brazil. Unlike the smorgasbord of lackluster dishes you'd find at most all-you-can-eat buffets, the churrascaria is an endless supply of meats prepared over an open flame, accompanied by side items like breaded fried bananas, rice, beans and salads. Condiments include a fresh-made vinegar sauce and farofa--a yucca flour sauteed in butter with onions, eggs and bacon pieces.
Franchises in Brazil, the U.S. and Beyond
Food Buzz users give the top ratings to franchises Fogo de Chão (No. 1) and Texas de Brazil (No. 5). Both of these upscale eateries have wide reach in the U.S. and abroad.
Fogo de Chão has locations in four Brazilian states: Salvador, Brasilia, Belo Horizonte and São Paulo. In the U.S. you'll find locations in California, Arizona, Texas, Missouri, Minnesota, Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Georgia, Florida, Pennsylvania, Maryland and Washington, D.C. It has been named a Zagat best restaurant and has received Wine Spectator awards annually since 2002. The restaurant serves more than 15 cuts of meat, and over 30 salads and side items.
Texas de Brazil has locations in Nevada, Colorado, Texas, Louisiana, Illinois, Tennessee, Virginia and Florida. There's also one in Aruba. The restaurant features a 40-item salad bar to accompany the churrasco. Children from ages 7 to 12 are half price, and children under 6 eat free.
New York City
While a search for Brazilian restaurants in the Big Apple brings up more than 25 results in Manhattan alone, Plataforma takes the top spot. The restaurant is Zagat rated and has received the city of New York's Golden Apple Award each year since the program began in 2004, recognizing their exemplary cleanliness and food safety practices. CitySearch named Plataforma the city's best steakhouse in 2006. Seafood selections, sushi and four hot prepared dishes are among the highlights on the giant buffet.
Resources
About the Author:
After working in advertising and promotions for entertainment publisher "The New Times," Tricia Chaves began writing professionally. In 2005, she earned her real-estate salesperson license from the state of Ohio and certification for leasing and property management from the Northeast Ohio Apartment Association. She was certified as a life and weight loss coach and Master Practitioner of Neuro-Linguistic Programming in 2011.
Photo Credits:
Chris Doelle, Flickr.com
