all's fare
Tastes Of The Pampas
Meat, meat and more meat
in Gaucho's churrascaria style.
BY ANNABEL COHEN I PHOTOGRAPHY BY ANGIE BAAN
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Even though I was born in Detroit, my
on three-foot steel espetos, or skewers,
Brazilian parents sent me most sum-
piercing the gigantic hunks; prepared
mers to Rio de Janeiro to visit family
aoponto, just right; and carved directly
and friends. While most kids went to
onto plates. Whipped potatoes, black
camp, I went to Copacabana Beach and beans and rice (on request), as well as
fell in love with a culture.
fried bananas, are brought to the table.
Gaucho (pronounced gah-oo-sho),
Wash it all down with the Brazilian
a churrascaria (shoo-has-cah-ria),
national cocktail, caipirinha, or
or Brazilian steakhouse, opened in
Brazilian beer, and soft drinks. There's
Northville a couple of years ago. It is
also a full bar.
among my favorite restaurant concepts:
If you're a big meat eater, Gaucho is
The food is served rodizio (ho-di-zio),
a bargain. If not, come at lunch when
as in all-you-can-eat meat, meat and
the price is more moderate. But going
more meat. So I finally went.
there is an experience.
Eliane Carvalho Coelho Turner
(she's a carioca, a local, from Rio de
Janeiro), a Gaucho principal, was
working in the auto industry.
She came up with the idea of
a Michigan churrascaria some
years ago while visiting Chicago,
where there are several, all
hugely successful. After a year of
exhaustive research, she recruited
an expert — H. H. F. Neto,
-sArhom Turner calls a "perfection-
ist" — in all things churrasco,
found a space, hired an architect,
imported equipment from Brazil
and opened Gaucho.
The stylish eatery welcomes
diners with show-stopping
waterfalls cascading between
panes of glass. The appointments
are elegant and contemporary.
Brazilian music, much of it bossa
nova, completes the ambiance.
Sit down, and you're greeted
with pao de queijo — cheese
Gaucho Brazilian Steakhouse
bread made with tapioca flour. I
love these and had to stop myself
39550 W. Seven Mile Road
from filling up. At any time,
Northville Township
you can eat from the cold buffet
(248) 380-7770; gauchosteakhouse.com
— vegetables, salads, smoked
salmon, cheeses, charcuterie. You
Hours:
can opt to purchase just this buf-
Lunch — Monday-Friday, 11:30 a.m.-2 p.m.
fet instead of the whole shebang.
Dinner — Monday-Thursday, 5:30-9:30 p.m.:
Then comes the star of
Friday, 5-10:30 p.m.: Saturday, 4-10 p.m.;
Gaucho: meat. Churrascarias
Sunday, 3-9 p.m.
rub meats with coarse, dry salt
or baste them with a solution of
Lunch entrees: $22; cold buffet: $16.50
salt, water and garlic.
Dinner entrees: $44; cold buffet: $27.50
The all-you-can-eat meats
are cooked on enormous grills