Estancia Churrascaria – Austin’s Premier Brazilian Steakhouse
Located in the upscale Arboretum at Great Hills in northwest Austin, Estancia Churrascaria is not only one of Austin’s premier Brazilian steakhouses, but rather is a dining experience not to be missed. If you have never been to a Brazilian steakhouse, the dining format is similar. Lunch and dinner menus are a set price for endless trips to the salad bar, rotating cuts of meats fresh off the grill brought table side and authentic side dishes. While that might sound like a buffet, rest assured this is not buffet food.
While the dining format may be the same, Estancia Churrascaria sets itself apart with impeccable service, a stunning atmosphere (known to draw the likes of famous athletes and performers) and its authentic South Brazilian offerings. As I am marrying into a Brazilian family, I consider myself a connoisseur of Brazilian food and this place hits the mark.
If you don’t know Brazilians, you will quickly learn they like to drink. My kind of people. Brazil’s national cocktail is the Caipirinha, made with cachaca (sugarcane rum), sugar and lime – light, refreshing and delicious. Estancia Churrascaria offers a tropical version as well, while delicious I prefer the traditional one. When first delivered to my table, the waiter was not satisfied by the appearance of my drink and it was remade. Now that is service! When my remade drink arrived, it was perfection (taste and appearance). Makes you feel like you should be in a bikini on a beach somewhere. Estancia Churrascaria requires its waiters to attend mandatory wine tastings. So if wine is your thing, you will not be disappointed by an impressive wine list and knowledgeable waiter there to guide in your selection.
Next up is a trip to the salad bar. Quite frankly, I like any restaurant that allows me to start eating immediately but when I think salad bar I usually shy away picturing wilted greens and bottled ranch dressing. That is not the salad bar you will see at Estancia Churrascaria. Instead, you are met with a giant Parmigiano Reggiano cheese wheel, fresh made mozzarella, artisan meats (including smoked salmon), asparagus and sun dried tomatoes. In total, the salad bar has over twenty items that would please meat lovers and vegetarians alike.
Once you have filled yourself with your daily veggies, the meat service begins. You are given a coin with a red and green side. Green means “bring me meat” and red means “taking a break.” As soon as you flip that coin to green, you are approached by servers with various cuts of fresh grilled meats. There are 15 cuts of meat in total and include chicken, pork, beef, lamb and sausage – all grilled to your desired temperature. You are also provided two types of sauces: traditional and spicy chimichurri (yum!). Here are my favorites:
Picanha – sadly this cut of meat is difficult to find in the United States. The fat on the outside of the steak adds continuous flavor to the interior meat as it cooks making it my favorite cut of meat. If you crisp the fat on the outside, it takes like bacon. I had to stop myself from gorging just on picanha.
See that smile, that is genuine happiness at the sight of bacon wrapped filet mignon. I asked for a slice of medium rare, and it was delivered. The bacon on the outside was crispy and delicious as well.
Lamb chops are always tricky. If not cooked properly, it can be gamey to some people. Estancia Churrascaria did not make that mistake. It was tender on the inside and perfectly crusted on the outside.
Filet mignon – yes I had it twice. I gasp to say this, but I actually prefer it without the bacon on the outside. It was one of the most tender pieces of meat I have ever put in my mouth.
While I prefer red meat, I felt like I should add some variety to my plate. I was not disappointed. The bacon wrapped chicken was superb. The bacon keeps the chicken moist and prevents it from drying out. If you are not a heavy red meat eater, this chicken will not disappoint.
During meat service, traditional Brazilian side dishes are delivered to your table. The golden fried plantains, farofa (a toasted cassava flour mixture), polenta and homemade cheese bread rolls (which are gluten free) were my favorites but they also offer garlic mashed potatoes and rice and beans.
The one thing to remember is this is a marathon, not a sprint and you need to save room for dessert. The house-made Tres Leches Cake is worth whatever room you have left in your stomach (I actually think dessert goes into a different stomach, but that may be just me). Soft, spongy and beautifully presented – ahhh!
Remember I said Brazilians like to drink? That includes at the end of dinner. The Limoncello and Creme de Cassis are both recommended digestifs that will help you digest all that meat.
