Picture this: an array of mouth-watering, tender yet juicy steaks served to your table whenever you flip your service card over. Pair that with a widespread selection of appetizers like cheese bread, a free-flow salad bar, creative cocktails and wonderful desserts—doesn’t this all seem like a dream come true? Look no further, Galpao Gaucho Brazilian Steakhouse has all this to offer. This was one of the best dinners of my life.
First Impressions
The restaurant is elegantly furnished, but also pays homage to Brazil with portraits of Brazilian cowboys. The salad bar sits in the middle of the restaurant, drawing customers in. Meanwhile, the drinks bar is at a corner of the restaurant, giving off a different vibe as it screens football matches on the TV.
The service is impeccable. The lovely waiters first ask if you have any dietary requirements or preferences for doneness of meat. Then, they introduce the service card. If you turn it over to the green side, the waiters will come around with various cuts of meat and offer them to you. If you turn it over to the red side, they will pause the service. They mentioned that in total there are 17 cuts of meat, which got me really excited to begin my meal.
Appetizers
There was a wide selection at the salad bar. Brazilians love to eat their steak with rice and beans, so of course those were offered at the salad bar. There was also chicken soup, which was creamy and full of flavor. Other salad bar offerings include cold cuts of meat like salami, vegetables and even smoked salmon.
When we came back to our seats, there were already other appetizers on the table. There was warm and fresh mozzarella, and sweet plantains that were grilled perfectly. Interestingly, there was even a green mint jelly, which was a refreshing addition that I used later to cleanse my palate between meats.
Entrees
Speaking of meats, I was eager to flip my service card over. Within five seconds, waiters flocked to our table holding up meat on skewers. Juices from these meats were dripping onto the plates the waiters held below skewers, a sight that made my mouth water.
First, we had two bacon-wrapped dishes—chicken and filet mignon. The combination of the salty bacon with the warm and juicy cuts of meat was incredible. Shortly after, they also brought ribeye and flank steak. Filet mignon was my favorite cut of meat out, but there was one thing in common—all these meats were flavorful and of perfect doneness as per our requests.
The food just kept on coming. I felt like Homer Simpson in that one gif of him being stuffed with donuts. Next, the waiters brought us salmon. I didn’t expect a steakhouse to be an expert at cooking salmon, so I was pleasantly surprised. The salmon was cooked perfectly, such that the meat was soft and melted in our mouths. I could also tell the fish was fresh and of high quality. Salmon is not the only seafood they serve—they brought us shrimp which was chunky and well-marinated.
To my surprise, the waiters brought us chicken hearts next. I thought I would be adverse to trying chicken hearts, but after trying this dish, I am now converted to a fan. It was chewy and only slightly gamey. Overall, the seasoning helped to mask any strong flavors and made it taste great. After that, we tried their lamb, which was so tender that it was falling off the bone. Lastly, we had the parmesan and chicken dish. It had huge chunks of chicken coated with melted and slightly salty cheese. Can you imagine a better combination than that?
To cut through all the heavy meat, the servers offered us some grilled pineapple. Sweet scents were wafting off the pineapple, giving away the fact that it was grilled with a generous amount of honey. I never had pineapple quite like this. Also grilled with honey were thick slices of white cheddar. This was absolutely divine—just the right balance between sweet and savory. I couldn’t stop asking for more.
Drinks and Desserts
I was spoilt for choice when I saw the assortment of alcohol available on their cart. I settled on the signature Brazilian cocktail, which comes in different flavors. I ordered the passion fruit one, but the staff were so kind as to offer me the strawberry one as well. Both were tangy and sweet, with the right amount of sourness to pair with all the entrées we were having.
Again, the waiters asked for our preferences and we mentioned that we loved drinks like Bailey’s. Accordingly, they brought out Godiva chocolate liquer and mixed the drink right in front of us. At one point of time, they even set the liquor on fire, which took our breaths away. The process of making the drink in front of us was so mesmerizing and not for nothing—the end result really tasted amazing. It was creamy, sweet and slightly bitter.
I was so full from the entrées and the drinks, but you know what they say—we all have a separate stomach saved especially for dessert. We sampled the cheesecake first, which was so wonderfully rich in flavor, yet the texture was soft and delicate. Not only did it taste good, but it also looked beautiful—the plate was decorated with swirls of strawberry sauce, and finished with bright pink strawberries.
The Brazilian pudim plate was decorated similarly. Pudim, also known as flan, is one of the most traditional Brazilian desserts. It is also one of the most sold desserts in Brazilian bakeries. If other bakeries make their pudim like Galpao Gaucho Brazilian Steakhouse, I can definitely see why that’s the case. The flan was velvety yet silky, creamy and sweet. Lastly, we had strawberries cream, which was practically a strawberry smoothie served in a bowl. These desserts were a perfect end to a delectable meal.
Final Thoughts
Like I said, this was one of the best dinners I have ever had. The waiters were so friendly and generous with their portions. You definitely get your money’s worth with how much and how quickly they offer the meat. Moreover, each dish we had was so well-prepared and tasty. It was hard to pick one that I liked the most, but I would say the filet mignon left the biggest impression on me. It was so succulent and tender; I’ll definitely come back for it again.
As a meat lover, eating at Galpao Gaucho Brazilian Steakhouse was definitely a dream come true. If you love meat too (as well as alcohol and desserts), you have to try this steakhouse in the Bay.
#SpoonTip: Love steak but going for something less fancy? Try IB's Cheesesteaks.