The Thrill of Mixed Grill

The Thrill of Mixed Grill, by Kathy Blake. The Original Mixed Grill. Fogo de Chao, an authentic churrascaria, "known in Brazil as a restaurant where meat is a specialty," is a slow-growing chain that originated in Sao Paulo, Brazil, and now has four 325-seat restaurants in Houston, Dallas, Atlanta, and Chicago. Churrascaria has been a popular restaurant concept in Brazil for about 60 years. You could even say that the original mixed-grill concept was born centuries ago in southern Brazil where gauchos, or cowboys, cooked big chunks of meat on wooden skewers. Today, Fogo de Chao's menu offers 15 cuts of beef, chicken, lamb, and pork. Selma Oliveira, Fogo de Chao's operations manager, explains that each unit has several "chefs" who cook in the style of the gauchos, South American cowboys, and are even referred to by the term. "The gauchos both cook and serve," she says. "Each is assigned one type of meat, which they put on the grill, and when it's ready to serve, they take it to the tables then return to the grill to tend the meat that's cooking." Other than an option for mashed potatoes, Fogo de Chao's menu is authentically Brazilian, says Oliveira. Beef cuts are seasoned only with rock salt, but pork loin, lamb, and chicken are marinated before skewering and grilling. Gauchos carry skewers of grilled meat around the dining room and serve guests who display cards requesting service. "We make no limits on how much anyone eats," says Oliveira. "We see people put away three pounds of meat, and that's OK!" In addition to unlimited meat, customers are invited to a salad bar that showcases more than 30 items illustrating the cultural diversity of Brazil with hearts of palm, prosciutto di Parma, marinated mozzarella, cabbage salad, and tabbouleh. Hot sides are also numerous, including french fries, polenta, fried bananas, cheese bread, tapioca, rice, and beans. "The atmosphere is festive and we encourage guests to try a little of everything. Then, when they come back they'll know what their favorites are," Oliveira says...