No, not that kind of Brazilian. Have I brought you here under false pretences? I do apologise. This Brazilian is a new steakhouse in Paddington, London, which we visited during our recent stay in the capital. Just round the corner from our apartment, we spotted Desejo do Brazil restaurant when we were checking out the neighbourhood and decided to bowl up on the Sunday evening. Just the two of us – the teens were doing their own thing.
This is a traditional Churrasco style Brazilian restaurant, Churrasco being the Portugese and Spanish term for grilled meat, usually beef. The idea is that you pay a set price of £19.50 for an all-you-can-eat buffet. But this is no ordinary buffet. The Passadores (waiters/cooks/men with very sharp knives?) serve you a selection of 12 mouth-watering cuts of meat, sizzling on a huge metal spike ( a bit like a kebab and yet nothing like a kebab, if you get my drift). They cut off huge slabs of delicious meat – lamb, rump steak, pork, chicken – which you eat with plenty of salad from the buffet table. This highly skilled service is called Rodizio and is the most fantastic way to eat succulent grilled meat until you burst.
There is a knack to all this. As the Passadores move around the tables you know there are 12 cuts
available. You don’t want to be greedy with the first few then have no room left for the rest. So they provide diners with special coasters – a green one to say ‘Yes give me more of your delicious meat’ and and a red one to say ‘No, I’m savouring this one, give me a few more minutes and the chance to adjust my belt’.
The buffet table does have a selection of potatoes but my advice is to stick to the salad or you will fill up with carbs and run out of stomach before you have had less than half of the meat and, let’s face it, you don’t come to a Brazilian steakhouse for its chips.
I have to say this was one of the most enjoyable meals we have had together for a long time. We laughed, got rather tiddly on the cocktails (you must try the traditional Caipirinha) and loved the whole idea of flipping the beer mats over every few minutes, knowing that within seconds of the green side showing, the Passadores would be by our side.
I think I gave up the ghost at about Number 9 or 10 of the 12. I can’t remember now, I was having such a great time. The manager and all the staff were on the ball, making service quick and efficient.
If you are in the area, give it a try. With the World Cup beginning in Brazil next week I imagine this will be the place to go during the tournament.
I gather they do puddings too!
Desejo do Brazil is located on the junction of London Street and Sussex Gardens, Paddington. You can reserve a table online or by phone 0207 402 3456
Hello Trish,
This does all sound very South American we have to say. Our experience is of Uruguay but we are fairly certain that Brazil would be similar with regard to the meat eating at least. Everywhere we went we set the most delicious meat and this all sounds to have been of very good quality too. Definitely worth a try!
I think a trip to South America might suit us very well then if Uruguay is also big on meat. The quality of the meat was excellent here – the aroma of the garlic lamb was just divine.
I love the idea of you and the doctor getting tiddly on a date night……..and I imagine with all that food elastic waistbands are the order of the day.
Definitely elastic waistbands – plus starvation rations in advance. A giggly date night was just the ticket.
I fell right into your trick with the title of this post! 😉 Sounds like a fun night!
I knew someone would fall for it. I couldn't resist it 🙂
Sim sim!! yes looks deevine and so healthy -well you know what Gisele B. looks like don't you? I like the look of those drinks and you guys looks waaay too young to have a son Rory's age, must be the eating out fun!
The no-carb thing is still going strong, I hear, with this Paleo diet?
If we ate and drank as much as this regularly we would be looking ravaged…
A post that brings debauchery (of a kind) and football together? I think my head is going to explode!
I can imagine it will be a crazy place to be next week. Wish I was going again.
That sounds great, all the boys in this house are big meat eaters, they'd love this! Sounds like you had a super evening.
It's a shame Rory missed out as he loves steaks, it would have been just up his street. We told him all about it though, just to rub it in.
What fun! There's a restaurant based on exactly the same model in Romford which we visit when we are in the UK called Braza. We always waddle out too but as we go at lunch time, we're not usually tiddly (and we go with the boys!).
I must find more of them – I think the concept is brilliant. Buffet food but most of the time you don't have to get up as it comes to the table.
We used to go to a restaurant similar to this when I worked in London, it was Amazing…I loved all that meat 🙂
It's a great ideal isn't it, as long as you pace yourself.
This time I was not lured to your blog under false pretence like with the whipping story… I suspected it would be something entirely different than that kind of Brazilian!! ;o)
Sexy Hubby and I went to a similar place in Dresden, it was really goodt fun. I do not eat meat but they had a lovely selection of fish dishes. Sexy Hubby had a blast, but no pudding either!
Sounds like a great place. 🙂 xx
Haha! You know me too well, Katia.
This restaurant didn't appear to have fish – will have to go to Dresden!
People next to us had pudding – I don't know where they put it.
Goodness, I thought you meant you'd had 12 of those drinks. I would have been most impressed with your stamina.
Ha! I can see why you thought that. Heavens no, I'm not a big drinker at the best of times – 12 of those would have floored me.
Well, you had me fooled – I thought this was just your clever way of saying you were preparing for your next beach holiday! We are huge Brazilian fans here – it looks fantastic! There are several Brazilian restaurants in our part of Seoul, and they are great and very authentic – set price for tons and tons of fantastically cooked meat (although, after the 5th or 6th offering, I just eat whatever's put in front of me without trying to identify it.) As far as the Caipirinhas go, we are fans – MrL makes a mean one. The story goes back to the days when my mother-in-law was working on Capitol Hill and had bought a very nice bottle of Cachaca Pitu' (Cachaca is in the Caipirinha) for a party after work. She worked with international VIP visitors at the time, and one of the men who came through that day was from Brazil. She mentioned that she had just bought a bottle of Cachaca and he asked her what kind. She showed it to him, and it turned out that his family owned the company. He and his entourage were thrilled, photos were taken, and later complimentary gifts were sent to her and her staff. We have since always tried to buy the Pitu' brand, just out of sentiment – but we love Caipirinhas no matter what they're made with!
What a great story, MsCaroline. I'm delighted to have brought back memories of your Caipiranhas. Will have to look out for that brand as I'm keen to try the cocktail at home now.
How great to have a selection of Brazilian restaurants to choose from – I wish we had access to them more regularly as this was such a fabulous way to eat.
By the way, our next trip is to Oslo – no need for much maintenance in the bikini area methinks :-))
That sounds like a great restaurant. They have a few here with the traffic light system too, a few Argentinian restaurants too… Love Ms Caroline's Cachaca story too! 🙂
Have never experienced the traffic light system before – it was brilliant.
I think we went to an Argentinian restaurant in Madrid!
Need you to go back and sample the desserts Trish!!
If you insist, Sarah…
This sounds great Trish. We went to a Brazilian place like this in Florida last year with the kids and we all enjoyed it, even me and I don't eat meat. Thanks for telling us about this place.
Now I know what they are like, I must seek them out on our travels. Such a relaxing, fun way to eat, though not sure I could do it all the time.
OH YES! love the idea of the card – Bring me more meat! Yummy yummy – thank goodness I'm reading this at dinner time!
The cards were such a laugh and I am amazed they could spot a green card a mile off.
I love the sound of this place. The idea with the card is so good and nothing, really nothing beats a well made Caipirinha on a warm summer evening x
I have the limes but must get some proper cachaca. Makes a subtle change from a mojito.
sounds amazing mine would probably be on Si the whole time!
Ah but then your plate would be overloaded. Don't worry, you don't miss out on any of the meats – they just stagger them, and then you stagger home!
My husband once asked if Brazillian restaurants just have one long table down the middle.
Classic comment and, dammit, I can't think of a witty reply.
It sounds like a really nice place to go out!
It was, Otilla. Had a smile on my face all evening.
We did this on a Christmas night out in Manchester. It was fun with a bunch of girls although I'm not sure the waiters thought so. It's a novel experience.
Here was me thinking you had changed your style!!! I was hooked by the title!
But it sounds fab! – glad you enjoyed x x
Oh that sounds like a great evening!