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| - This place has great, friendly service. And yes, the free after-dinner (or before) chocolates at the hostess stand are delicious.
The Gauchos do not use Brazilian Portuguese terms for the meats... this was kind of disappointing since I was expecting that part of the fun learning experience. Even if they have to explain what they said, that's part of the fun. To skip this aspect seems... lazy.
Anyway, the Picanha is called "house special." The bacon-wrapped filet mignon is CLEARLY the best choice; DO NOT waste time or stomach space on chicken. The sausage was ok, definitely not the tastiest part of the meal, nor the best I've ever had. It wasn't even second or third best. I'm not a fan of lamb, so I skipped that choice. The porterhouse was pretty good, but I suggest you ask for medium rare or medium since the well done cut is kind of a waste (and it wasn't very good).
Why waste room on the salad bar? However, if you do, you'll find it has great options: asparagus, sun dried tomato, green olives, chilled grilled zucchini, spinach, lettuce, greens, tabouleh, etc. They offer a free cheese bread; IT'S A TRAP! Yes, it's REALLY good. But that's how they sucker you into eating that crap instead of the EXPENSIVE MEATS! The lemonade is more like limeade; it's very tangy, and I needed to add sugar. The crème brûlée was very good, large even for two people. It's a nice way to top off your meal if you still have stomach space and failed to eat enough meat.
Do yourself a favor and be sure to make a reservation. Immediately after I was seated, I saw a tour bus full of Japanese tourists come in with their group and I was really thankful I had made a reservation.
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