Bringing Brazil to SW6

When you think of Brazil what do you think of? I think of sun, sea, Carnaval and caipirinhas. However, when I'm told to think about Brazilian cuisine, I tend to draw a blank. And I've been there! Granted I visited on some 5 day party jaunt in Rio where sampling the best of gastronomy did not feature highly on my to do list, but although I do only have the vaguest of memories of Feijoada and eating empanadas on the beach I couldn't elaborate on the food much more than that. So, it was with great interest that Sarah and I accepted an invitation to celebrate Brazilian Independence Day at Rodizio Rico, a Brazilian churrascaria based in Fulham Broadway. I may have not know what to expect food-wise (as it turns out - lots and lots of yummy meat!) but I knew we were in for a hell of a party...

Rodizio Rico sits on the site of the old La Tasca on Jerdan Place. It describes itself as a 'churrascaria de rodizio' - a traditional Brazilian grill - so as you might imagine, plenty of meat is the order of the day. As we settled in with a delicious Caipirinha, the national cocktail of Brazil (cue a mixture of good and bad memories of the aforementioned trip), we sampled steak from the grill which was absolutely delicious - perfectly seasoned and deliciously juicy. As the Caipirinhas slipped down with disconcerting ease, we were also treated to traditional Brazilian cheesy bread, a selection of grilled meat and fajita style vegetables and dates wrapped with Parma ham. The food we sampled was really tasty and hearty, and for those of you who are serious about your meats you'll be pleased to hear that all the barbecued meat you could possibly want, unlimited hot dishes and access to a salad buffet will only set you back £23.50 - about the same as a rump steak in your standard restaurant.

Buoyed by good food and good cocktails, the Carnaval atmosphere was enhanced by a wonderful Brazilian drumming group, who kept us all upbeat throughout the evening, and accompanied by some very energetic and very scantily clad Brazilian dancers, who added a touch of Rio with their bejewelled bikinis and magnificent feathered head-dresses, even if they did make me slightly regret the excessive amount of canapés I had just consumed! The girls got the crowd dancing, and we spotted an array of booty shaking that ranged from the dubious to the suspiciously impressive, and even a couple of passing policemen were inspired to give their bottoms a cheeky waggle!

The evening was really great fun, and the owner and staff were all really upbeat and friendly characters who set the tone for the festivities. I'll definitely be going back to sample the full BBQ menu - not only is it seriously good value, but they'll show you a fabulous time too.

Rodizio Rico
11 Jerdan Place, Fulham Broadway
SW6 1BE