A Churrascaria is a Brazilian steakhouse. Churrasco is a style of cooking, which translates roughly from the Spanish for 'barbecue'. Distinctly a South American style rotisserie, it owes its origins to the fireside roasts of the gaúchos of southern Brazil, centuries ago. At Ipanema, they keep bringing out skewers of succulent barbequed meats until you’ve had enough. There’s even a little piece of wood which has a green and a red side. If the green side is up, then they keep coming with more food. Red means you’ve had enough.
They brought out meats in this order: chicken drumsticks, sausage, roast beef, lamb, pork, and turkey. Every piece of meat had a smoky and distinctly bold flavor. No need to add salt or pepper here! It’s a meat lover’s paradise. The barbeque chef and some of the waiters are from Brazil. The salad bar was created by a Korean chef, which would explain the Korean style marinated mushrooms, the corn fiesta and the soba noodles. This large restaurant looks like a typical Korean style Beer Hof or a family restaurant. Don’t expect a chic atmosphere, but the food is a great value if you’re really hungry and the restaurant is convenient for those working in the city hall area. Ipanema is located on a scenic road behind the Doksu palace, close to the City Hall train station.$$ (27-11, Chong-dong Chung-gu) 02-779-2756