Brazilian Steakhouse

[stasu1213]

Does anyone has info on the opening of the Brazilian Steakhouse that will occupy the former Borders spot in the Compuware Building? It is just an empty space with no sign of renovation being done there.

[jh0]

This is all I could find about it, looks like it's behind schedule from what you see.

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[[Source: Detroit Free Press)By Sylvia Rector, Detroit Free Press
July 24--A Brazilian churrascaria-style steakhouse chain is scheduled to open a restaurant in the Compuware Building downtown early next year, occupying the former Borders Bookstore space facing Woodward at Campus Martius.

The new Texas de Brazil location will be about 7,000 square feet, seat upward of 250 guests, offer private event rooms and employ 60-75 people, company public relations director Candyce Hedlund said Thursday.

The fixed-price dinners are expected to be less than $40 for the 50- to 60-item bar of salads and appetizers, plus all-you-can-eat roasted meats, continuously carved off long skewers onto guests' plates by servers dressed as South American gauchos, or cowboys.

Meat selections include various cuts of beef, pork, lamb, chicken and sausage. The restaurant will serve only dinner to start and add lunch later on, Hedlund said.

The Dallas-based Texas de Brazil, founded in 1998, is one of the country's best-known churrascaria chains. It has 16 locations and plans to open seven more over the next 9-12 months, Hedlund said. The Detroit location will be the chain's first in Michigan and is slated for the first quarter of 2011.

"We think Detroit will be a great fit for us," Hedlund said, adding, "I don't think we felt Detroit is as depressed as some people think.

"We love the location with the stadiums right there that we can capitalize on. It's a destination restaurant; people drive an hour to an hour-and-a-half to have dinner there for special occasions, and we have a lot of locations to pull from," from Windsor to Ohio, she added.

It's too early to begin hiring, she said, but information about the company is available on the Web at www.texasdebrazil.com.

[cman710]

Recently, I noticed in an in-flight magazine an advertisement for the chain, and they listed Detroit as one of their cities. [[They had listed another city as "Coming in 2011," and the Detroit one was listed like the other locations.) So I imagine they are still planning to open, even if it will take longer than one might have thought.

[bartock]

It took CK longer than initially planned to move into the Compuware retail; but it did open, and has been jammed since.

[rhythmc]

I look forward to trying this place out when I visit. Looks like it will be very nice.

[Hermod]

They haven't paid the bribes to get their building permits yet.

[spiritofdetroit]

Their website lists Detroit as coming in 2011.

[EastsideAl]

Given the right promotion, and perhaps some coupons or specials, I think a restaurant of this type could do pretty well here. It's the kind of food folks around here like, good meat and lots of it. But these places can be pricey, and really have to be to properly keep up the quality and quantity of food. That could be a real problem around these parts. I know restauranteurs from other areas are often surprised at the 'price resistance' of Detroit area diners.

[Hypestyles]

...well, it's definitely not for the budget diner..
in any case, I have never been to one of these types of restaurants.. what is the experience like, how is the food at similar restaurants?

[jh0]

From my experience from three similar establishments, Fogo de Chao in Chicago, Philly and DC. They all are far and few between on bringing out the best meats, but lots of chicken and sausages. They do come around and the meat is extra salty.

[Hermod]

...well, it's definitely not for the budget diner..
in any case, I have never been to one of these types of restaurants.. what is the experience like, how is the food at similar restaurants?

I have not tried the chains, but with our large Brazilian population here in south Florida, we have a large number of "one offs" and the dining experience varies from excellent to abysmal.

[iheartthed]

Given the right promotion, and perhaps some coupons or specials, I think a restaurant of this type could do pretty well here. It's the kind of food folks around here like, good meat and lots of it. But these places can be pricey, and really have to be to properly keep up the quality and quantity of food. That could be a real problem around these parts. I know restauranteurs from other areas are often surprised at the 'price resistance' of Detroit area diners.

I imagine that in Detroit the business model will probably be to make it the attraction, sort of like Hard Rock Cafe. Seems like an aggressive discount campaign would damage the brand...

I saw one of these restaurants in Chicago when I was there a couple of months ago. It's located just a block or two off of Michigan Avenue/the Magnificent Mile, so it's an extremely tourist oriented area. That location probably draws in much of its business from tourists and pedestrian traffic in the area, as well as referrals from the many hotels in proximity. Of course, they won't have that same luxury in Detroit, which is why I speculate that it will be marketed as a destination.

[rooms222]

This chain does lots of discounting if you join their eclub....

[vivadetroit]

...well, it's definitely not for the budget diner..
in any case, I have never been to one of these types of restaurants.. what is the experience like, how is the food at similar restaurants?

No, it is usually for businesspeople or people who love to eat. lol.

The Brazilian steakhouses in the US are excellent. The quality of the meat is quite good and the selection is great. Just depends on the chain [[Texas de Brazil, Fogo de Chao, Porcao) are the better ones, while there are smaller ones spread out across the US.

When you go to a Brazilian steakhouse, there is an amazing salad bar with many types of lettuce, toppings, fresh fruit,types of bread and then they also have ''pao de queijo" [[cheese bread) and/or french fries as an appetizer. If they are legit, they will also have black beans and rice, or even "feijoada" [[black bean stew with bits of ham, sausage, ham hock, etc) and shredded kale.

Then the waiters come to your table with huge skewers of beef, pork and chicken. Brazilians use pretty much all of the cow, unlike the US, so they have types of meat we don't have. They also serve chicken liver, sausages, chicken wings and some serve seafood and/or fish. The waiters roam the dining room, serving the meats. You have a little red or green disc on the table which you flip to say "yes" [[green) or "no" [[red). It is all you can eat. It is amazing.

Then they have wonderful beers, guarana [[a soda made from the guarana berry, found only in the Amazon), and caipirinhas [[sugar cane alcohol mashed with limes & sugar). This is amazing. If they are really good, they will mix strawberry or passionfruit instead of the limes. Usually, dessert isn't included, but you wont eat it since you will be soo stuffed from the meat.

If you go to a Brazilian steakhouse, here are some tips I learned here in Brazil. Don't eat anything before you go. Maybe breakfast, but no snacks or lunch. When you are there, do not eat anything from the salad bar. Save room for the meat. Don't wear tight pants. You might laugh, but just wait til you've sat for a while, ate 5 lbs of meat and then have to walk out to your car.

I cannot wait to see this place open, btw!

[English]

^Mouth is watering. That has been my experience with churrascarias too. Can't wait until the grand opening!

[wazootyman]

I think it may have been mentioned in a previous thread, but we do already have a Brazilian steakhouse in the metro area [[for those who can't wait until 2011):

http://www.gauchosteakhouse.com/

It's not a chain. I can't speak for its authenticity, but I can for its deliciousness. Definitely don't eat anything beforehand [[skip lunch) - nor should you expect to be mobile afterwards, especially if you throw a couple of drinks into the mix [[you'll want the couch, be prepared to fall asleep).

I've taken out-of-town family there, and they were very impressed by the unique dining experience.

I'm very much looking forward to trying out the new place when it opens. I think it will do well.

[French777]

I took this picture last monday.

[English]

They need to hurry up already! Tired of getting the notices for some great deal in Denver or elsewhere...

[WPitonya]

Are there any updates with this restaurant? Is there work going on or is it still just a sign in a window?

[Islandman]

I've been to the Chima Barzilian restaurant in Charlotte. It is exactly as Vivadetroit describes it. It's about $50 per person just for the food, but there is a ton of it. You will definitely not leave hungry.

[rooms222]

Just got a notice that the Texas de Brazil in Tampa just opened up across the street from their version of the Somerset Collection [[including Cheesecake Factory and Zara)....It took 5 weeks from announcement to opening:

http://www.bizjournals.com/tampabay/...-location.html
[[this was the announcement. The opening notice was just sent to all email club members).....
Something seems up with the Detroit location........

[Detroitnerd]

Probably just waiting to have a few more inspectors visit at $150 per hour to check every damn thing and make sure the city gets some money out of them.

[EastsideQT]

They haven't paid the bribes to get their building permits yet.

That's because many of the King/Queens of bribes are in prison.

[spiritofdetroit]

There was no/very little work done on the Compuware location for several months after their announcement, however in the past 3 weeks there have been workers coming and going from the location. Just off to a typical slow, Detroit start.

[leland_palmer]

Their website says April, 2011.