Dining in Águas da Prata: January 2009

On Saturday, January 3, 2009 we went to Apaloosa's to celebrate my 72nd birthday. Here are photos of our experience at this marvelous restaurant in Águas da Prata.

From Wikipedia

A churrascaria (pronounced ʃuxaskaˈɾiɐ) is a Brazilian Steakhouse". Churrasco is the cooking style, which translates from the Portuguese language for 'barbecue'.

Distinctly a South American style rotisserie, it owes its origins to the fireside roasts of the gaúchos of southern Brazil traditionally from the Pampa region, centuries ago. In modern restaurants, rodizio service is typically offered. Passadors (meat waiters) come to your table with knives and a skewer, on which are speared various kinds of meat, be it beef, pork, filet mignon, lamb, chicken, duck, ham and pineapple, sausage, fish, or any other sort of local cut of meat.

In most parts of Brazil, the churrasco is roasted with charcoal. In the south of Brazil, however, mostly close to the borders of Argentina Uruguay, embers of wood are also used.

They have two sizes of Rodízio, modest and unlimited!

From Wikipedia

Rodízio (roo-DEE-zyoo) is a style of restaurant service in Brazilian and Portuguese restaurants. One pays a fixed price and the waiters bring an offering of food to each customer at several times throughout the meal, until the customers signify that they have had enough. In churrascarias servers come to the table with knives and a skewer, on which are speared various kinds of meat, most commonly local cuts of beef, pork, or chicken whereas in a Pizza rodizio varied pizzas are brought on trays.

Foods served at a churrascariaoften include: Filet mignon chunks wrapped in bacon Turkey chunks wrapped in bacon (these two are usually two-bite sized)Sirloin steak cut semicircular and served in slices)
Roast beef (served like sirloin steak)
Rump Cover (called Picanha in Portuguese)
Beef short ribs
Pork ribs
Chorizo or some other spicy Iberian pork sausage
Chicken hearts
Grilled dark-meat chicken
Grilled pineapple or banana meant as a palate cleanser between courses
Sushi in rare occasions

Most rodizio courses are served right off the cooking skewer, and are sliced or plated right at the table. In some restaurants, they are accompanied with Spanish fried potatoes, bananas, collard greens, black beans, and rice

In many places where churrascarias have been opened, such as the United States(but much less common in Brazil), the diner is often provided with a colored card, red on one side and green on the other. According to the usual meaning of these colours, the servers will only bring more meat if the card is flipped to the green side.

This is the grand entrance easily seen from the highway.

Inside the staff awaits to serve you.

There is seating for 208 customers.

This bar is for the waiters to provide you with the drinks of your choice at your table.

There is a fabulous salad bar with almost anything imaginable.

There are hot and cold foods to choose from. But don't fill up on these because the best is brought to your table.

The restaurant started to fill up just after we arrived.

The Passadors (meat waiters) started to bring the meats.

So many different cuts of meat.

They just keep coming and coming.

We should have seated ourselves st this table. #72!

If you want more meat you have this sign on your table.

If you have had enough you turn the sign to No Thanks.

From where we sat we had a wonderful view of the small lake and the mountain.

They had some interesting decorations.

But when we were done we avoided the desert tray because we had this fabulous birthday cake at home waiting for us. I remembered to take this pic after we had gorged ourselves .

It was 14 inches in diameter and was a gift from our friend Carlos Gottman, proprietor of Pousada Schoenheit. Carlos has a marvelous Pastry Chef, Denousa. She makes fabulous cakes and pastries for the Pousada. See the blog at http://pousadaschoenheit.blogspot.com.

So I had a great birthday lunch and we heartily recommend this restaurant to anyone passing through Águas da Prata!

Photos by Urso Branco