I recently had the opportunity to attend the opening of a new Brazilian dining experience at Alderwood Mall called Fogo de Chão. The name Fogo de Chão means “ground fire,” and refers to the traditional gaúcho method of roasting meats over an open fire. It was a night to remember and it is an exciting new place to enjoy the bold world of Brazilian food. 

Once you step through the threshold, you will feel embraced by the welcoming staff who are very excited to bring a very entertaining and delicious dining experience to you. The dining room is very large but is designed so that I didn’t feel overwhelmed by the size. Even with a full house on the night that I dined, the noise level was moderate. It was a bustling place but we could still have a conversation among ourselves. They have several private dining rooms that would be perfect for a special event or a private family gathering.  

Fogo de Chão is open for lunch, dinner and brunch on the weekends. The prices start at $45 for lunch, $66 for dinner and $48 for brunch. The price includes the continuous meat service, market table and the feijoada bar (traditional black bean stew served over rice).

There are many options that you can add on that will increase the price of your meal (drinks; “indulgent cuts” of meat such as Wagyu New York Strip, Wagyu Ancho Ribeye and Dry-aged Tomahawk Long Bone Ribeye; as well as desserts.) The bar offerings are extensive and we sampled some delicious specialty drinks including their Strawberry Hibiscus Caipirinha: Silver Cachaça (sugar cane-based spirit) that includes a house-made hibiscus elixir, strawberries and lime. It was delicious and refreshing.  

Let’s get to the important part — the food! The menu is extensive — and this would be an understatement. This is a restaurant that offers something for everyone but it is definitely carnivore forward. Important note: If you are uncomfortable having tableside service of carved meat then this is not the place for you. However, if you are vegetarian they do have many options such as oven-roasted cauliflower steak, roasted veggie power bowl and seared tofu with miso black bean pasta.

Your dining experience begins at the Market Table and the Feijoada Bar. This includes an beautiful array of fresh seasonal salads, exotic vegetables, aged cheeses, smoked salmon, cured meats, seasonal soup, Fogo feijoada (traditional black bean stew with sausage) served with rice, fresh orange, farofa (baked yuca flour with bacon), and more. It would be easy to make this your entire meal. Everything was fresh and a feast for the eyes. It was very hard to stop eating from this buffet.  But you must!

The “main event” includes an authentic “Churrasco Experience” of continuous tableside service of signature cuts of fire-roasted meats: Filet Mignon Tenderloin; Bone-In Beef Ancho Bone-in Ribeye; Fraldinha Bottom Sirloin; Lombo Pork; Picanha Prime part of the Top Sirloin; Medalhoes com Bacon, Bacon-Wrapped Chicken and Steak; Cordeiro Lamb Picanha Chops;  Costela  de Porco Pork Ribs; Costela Beef Ribs; Alcatra Top Sirloin; Linguica Spicy Pork; Sausage; Bisteca de Porco Double Bone-in Pork Chop; and Frango Chicken.

You can have as much meat as your belly allows and believe me when I say it was hard to stop. You are given a card that you can use if you want to pause the meat service — otherwise you are constantly approached by a gaucho carrying a skewer of meat. You need to pace yourself.  

In addition, each table receives several Brazilian side dishes: Warm Pão de Queijo (cheese bread); crispy polenta fries, mashed potatoes and caramelized bananas.

I have to admit that I did not have room for dessert.  But…that did not stop me from sampling a few items.  On opening night we could taste three different desserts and all of them were beautifully presented as well as delicious:  (If I had to choose one, it would be the tres leches cake!)

Acai Cheesecake

New York style cheesecake topped with açai compote, blueberries and fresh whipped cream.

Chocolate Brigadeiro

Rich truffle chocolate in a decadent chocolate cookie crust topped with chocolate ganache and sprinkles.

Tres Leches Cake

Vanilla sponge cake soaked in three types of milk, topped with toasted meringue and mixed berries.

Fogo de Chão does offer take out (although I would recommend dining in to get the full experience)  and they are having a special Mother’s Day Brunch.  You are offered an unbelievable amount of food, but I felt as if I was at a party and the atmosphere was celebratory and festive.  It’s a happy place to enjoy delicious foods.  Since we were there for opening night there are a few things that need to be ironed out.  But if I am truthful I would have to say that the food, service and atmosphere of Fogo de Chão is top-notch.  They make you feel like family in the best possible way.  I hope you will join the celebration and welcome them to the neighborhood.

Location: 18602 Alderwood Mall Blvd, Ste 1110, Lynnwood

Phone: 425-539-0444

—  By Deborah Binder

Deborah Binder lives in Edmonds with her family. She is “dancing with N.E.D.” (no evidence of disease) after being diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2009. She is a foodie who loves to cook from scratch and share her experiments with her family and friends. She attended culinary school on the East Coast and freelances around town for local chefs. Her current interest in food is learning to eat for health and wellness, while at the same time enjoying the pleasures of the table. As Julia Child once said, “Everything in moderation including butter.” Deborah can be contacted at jaideborah@yahoo.com.