According to the Patricia, there’s not much to do in Sao Paolo except eat (& drink) and shop–which is what we did. Similar to my story with Neil, Patricia had been inviting me to visit Brazil for Carnaval for some time. But every year was the same excuse, I just didn’t have the time to make the long trip. But just recently she landed a big job that brought her back to her native Brazil, so the timing couldn’t have been better to visit Sao Paolo and check in on Patty, and do the thing we like most, eat.
The big thing in Brazil is the churrascaria, which is a Brazilian steakhouse. There are two styles of steakhouses; the traditional steakhouse where different types of grilled meats are bought out on a huge skewer (called rodizio dining) which is sliced and served table-side. The second style of Brazilian steakhouse has a grilling station near your table, and the waiter will bring out a large piece of meat, slice it, and cook it, and serve it at the same pace you eat. As you nearly finish eating what is on your plate, more is served. We ate so much at lunch that we weren’t hungry the rest of the day, but rest assured, we still forced down dinner at 10:30pm (Brazilians eat late).
The gauchos (former cattle ranchers) in the south of Brazil are very serious about this second method of cooking steak. Patricia’s friends mentioned that it is a “selling point” to those buying a house. Apparently, these grills are the centerpiece in the living room of any self-respecting gaucho.
Oh, and BTW, Patricia is happy to be back in Sao Paolo, reunited with her family, meeting up with old friends, and energetic for her new job.