BARBEQUE BRASIL!

Over the past couple of years I have heard much about Brazilian barbeque. And what makes Brazilian barbeque different than any other style of barbeque you ask? Dancing girls! Well, not just dancing girls...there are many other things that go along with it...but the dancing girls definitely make it different than your run of the mill chicken and rib place! All kidding aside however, everything is different about Brazilian barbeque and I highly recommend trying it out when you have a serious hankering for a belly full of meat!

In a nutshell (a Brazil nut shell, that is) Brazilian barbeque consists of a large variety of meats seasoned only with coarse sea salt that are slow smoked over a churrasco (Brazilian barbeque). These cuts of meat are walked about the churrascaria (restaurant) by rodizios (servers who serve in this style) and are carved at your table. Guests can have as much of any kind of meat as they like, as often as they like. And the meat keeps on coming until you are either full or you burst...which ever comes first.

Several cuts of beef, pork, chicken, lamb and sausages are prepared at a churrascaria. Usually the meat parade is preceded by a trip to a well laid out salad bar that includes both hot and cold items that are both common and uncommon. But the real reason one goes to a churrascaria is to eat as much meat as humanly possible!

I went to a Brazilian churrascaria this summer in Ontario. The Carnaval Brazilian Grill is located at 160 York Blvd. in Richmond Hill. I was really surprised at how much fun this place was because I wasn't expecting live entertainment as well as great barbeque. Brazilian dancers put on a fun show on the weekends as a Brazillian duet plays live Latin music. One of the musicians doubles as a Flaminco dancer too! If you come away with the urge to run out and buy a ticket to Brazil...don't worry...you're just catching the vibe!

Another highlight of the evening was the Caipirinha. Caipirinha is Brazil’s national cocktail made with Cachaça, sugar and lime. Cachaça is Brazil's most common distilled alcoholic beverage. Like rum, it is made from sugarcane. The Caipirinha is very much like a Margarita, and considering that Margaritas are my favorite thing to drink in the whole world...I was very happy!

I have to say that The Carnaval Brazilian Grill was a lot of fun and I really enjoyed my evening there. The festive atmosphere, great music and lively entertainment were a pleasant bonus on top of the great barbeque. For a look at this cool restaurant, follow this link: http://www.carnavalgrill.com/

Beach volleyball anyone?!