With the Summer Olympics in Rio still fresh in our minds, we figured it was a good time to get exposed to some Brazilian influences.
No, we’re not packing our bags and warming up our passports — we can afford that. We’re just going out to eat.
The popular restaurant chain Fogo de Chão just opened a new location at King of Prussia’s new Town Center and if you’ve never had the Southern Brazilian steakhouse experience, you need to check Fogo out at least once in your lifetime.
For the uninitiated, here’s how the Fogo feasting experience works (ranging from $32.95-$46.50 per person, depending on the time and day of the week): Have a seat, order your drinks and then, if you are so inclined, visit the Market Table while warming up your appetite. The table features a fresh and colorful array of vegetables, salads, cheeses, meats, smoked salmon and Brazilian stews. There is a lot of great fare on the Market Table but don’t hit it too hard. Trust us; you’ll need the room.
On your table there is a double-sided medallion: red on one side, green on the other. Once you are settled and ready, flip it to the green side. And then it’s on because that is the signal for the gaucho chef patrolling the floor to stop by, armed with a skewer of sizzling meats to slice you your choice of cuts. The meats range from sirloin and filet mignon to lamb chops, chicken legs and pork sausages. The chicken is especially crispy-skinned and juicy and tender on the inside. The beef selection becomes somewhat of a blur, but they are all great and cooked to perfection.
The pace is pretty relentless. Your plate can be piled high with carnivore nirvana. If you don’t pace yourself, the medallion will get flipped to red really quick.
There’s plenty of great accouterments that go with the meats. If you like, you can order chimichurri, horseradish or hot sauce to spice up your meat. There’s also mashed potatoes, an excellent crispy polenta and delicate puffballs filled with creamy cheese to round out the experience.
Vegetarians, you might want to sit this one out. This isn’t your rodeo. Not that there isn’t enough for the vegan and gluten-free among you to graze on at the Market Table, but at the end of the day, Fogo de Chão is an arena for serious carnivores — and judging by the people lined up to get in, meat lovers are very, very entertained.