Fogo de Chao

Travel, Travel - Orlando 3 Minutes

Travel Edition – Orlando

Day 2

Magical dining month continues with Fogo De Chao an authentic Brazilian Steakhouse. We have never been to a Brazilian steakhouse before, but I had heard many things from friends in the past. There is one major consistency, “I hope you like meat”. We were interested in this one in particular because it is part of the magical dining experiences and keeps within the theme and culture. They use the traditional “Goucho” way of preparing meat in Porto Alegre, Brazil (10 different cuts for magical dining and 16 on the regular menu) and continuous tableside service.

Located on I Drive in Orlando’s “visitors’ corridor” this restaurant is very convenient when you are visiting any of the many attractions in Orlando. In fact, from the parking lot you can clearly see the “Orlando StarFlyer” the world’s tallest swing ride. They have complementary valet service and we found the valet team very pleasant.

We checked in and were led into the dining area that had a traditional western meets transitional twists (like the fireworks looking lights in the center of the main dining area). The décor was fun and inviting while somehow making our seating feel a bit private.

Service: They take service very seriously (almost too much) but are genuinely helpful and are trying to make sure you have a great experience, the waiter told us he would have us speaking Brazilian by the end of the night, and while that didn’t really happen you can’t help but get pulled into the experience. I really liked that they were also wearing traditional Goucho outfits as they served the tables and seemed very happy (sometimes “hooping” with exuberance) when you enjoyed a particular cut of meat. We were asked by our server if wanted to request a specific or special cut of meat and you could tell that they really try to make your night special.

Wow, appetizers: We ordered our drinks, I had the traditional drink of Brazil called “Fogo premium caipirinha” (which tasked a bit like a strong muddled margarita) and my wife ordered the Meiomi pinot noir. We were then invited over to the market table and Feijoada bar with exotic vegetables, fresh salads ( I really enjoyed the apple salad), traditional black bean stew (Feijoada), meats (different cuts of salami, smoked salmon, and more), fine cheese selection, and fresh soups. The truth is we probably could have just eaten straight from the market table and been happy.

When we returned to the table they had additional side dishes including warm pao de queijo (a wonderful cheese bread, yum), crispy polenta (which my wife really loved), mashed potatoes, and caramelized bananas, all of which were amazing.

And then it started…..(I mean that in the best way). The most incredible cuts of meat came out and the Goucho chef’s each came to the table with their offerings and big smiles enticing you to take (with your little tongs) their fantastic creations. And they were all amazing!!! We got to the point where we had to turn them down because we were getting full and we still wanted to enjoy the desserts. I almost felt like I was in my (wonderful) mother in laws house who puts food on my plate faster than I can eat it and I feel bad when I can only eat three servings 😊. It reminded me of when we went to Ireland and someone had to explain that a meal out was a multiple hour experience that should be savored with your closest loved ones.

After explaining that we could only eat so much (and they seemed disappointed) they offered dessert. My wife was looking forward to the cheesecake and the staff  (I say staff because there were multiple people taking care of us) explained that they were out of cheesecake but would happily upgrade us from the basic magical dining menu to other options (which was nice). She ordered the Key Lime Pie which was fantastic, and I ordered the molten lava cake. I think I can say that it was the best molten lava cake I have ever had and I did not expect that from a Brazilian steakhouse.

Overall, the experience was nothing short of amazing, the service was incredible, the atmosphere was fun, and the food was incredible. My advice, be prepared to eat, take your time, invite some close friends, and enjoy this wonderful restaurant experience!

This one is a WOW and should not be missed.

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Published by datenightspalmbeach

My wife and I have always been an unlikely couple and I think that’s why it works so well. We met in Palm Beach, became best friends, and eventually fell in love. We moved away and followed my career path which eventually led us back to Palm Beach. We had our ups and downs over the years, mostly to do with me working too much and traveling for long periods of time. I made a career change to travel less and spend more quality time with my wife and was lucky enough to find an amazing company in Palm Beach that made all the executives do a personal goal each week and report on if they accomplished it. I chose “Date night with my wife” since my career change was to spend more time with her. This was the best thing that ever happened, it made me accountable at work to do something for my personal life. And so, began “Date night with my wife”. We quickly realized that there were several things that made a wonderful date night and strengthened our relationship. The first thig was making it special. To us that meant a date night car, good food and a great atmosphere. Sounds easy right? Well, it’s tougher than we thought. No matter what you consider good food there are plenty of options in Palm Beach County so we thought we would share our adventures in date night and rate the different places we go. My wife is a wonderful cook 6 days a week and apparently, I can be “a little picky” about our special night out. We are happy to share our experiences and hope you find a way to make it special for your family.

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