I had a really awesome dream a few nights ago.  I was sitting at a huge table filled with all sorts of dinnerware, but in front of me there was an empty white plate.  Using thought alone I could summon men with huge spears of meat to my table.  They would present me with their offering, allowing me to decide whether or not I wished to indulge myself.  Any meat I imagined would appear: pork tenderloin, prime rib, filet mignon, lamp chops, skirt steak.  Knives flying at my command. It was magically intoxicating and empowering.  I was the master of the meat!

But then I realized, it wasn’t a dream.  It was Brasa Steakhouse on West 9th Street.

Churrascaria

Brasa is a churrascaria which is inspired by the gaucho cowboys who would roast meat over open fires and then slice off pieces for eating.  The large pieces of meat are deliciously charred on the outside, but remain succulent inside. 

How it Works

Brasa is an all you can eat restaurant and while $35 per person may seem a bit pricey, it is certainly worth the money.  There is also a bit of a system to the meal. 

You start off the meal with an amazing “salad” bar and then it’s meat time baby!  Each table has a little paper disk.  One side is green and the other is red.  Once your ready for the meat madness to begin you flip that puppy over to the green side.  After your plate is filled with the flesh of various cute little animals the red side gives you a bit of time to enjoy the feast.

“Salad Bar”

Brasa’s salad bar might be one of the most amazing things about the restaurant.  I use salad in quotes because there is so much more than your traditional salad bar items.  There was shrip cocktail, mushroom salad, sun dried tomatoes, parma ham, anchovies, mussles in wine sauce, brie, lasagna and even sopresotta.  It would have been more than enough to make a meal out of, but you aren’t coming to Brasa for any stinking “salad” bar.

Being the Meat Master

The second you flip over the “bring on the meat” disk, it is tough to keep up.  Guys with gigantic knives and meat on spears start flying around your table offering you any kind of meat you can imagine.  Because there were not too many other people in the restaurant when we first got there these guys were coming so fast that I couldn’t even keep up. 

Pork tenderloin?  Sure.  Bacon-wrapped filet mignon?  Ok.  Chicken leg?  Fine.  Delicious Spanish sausages?  Definitely.  Skirt steak?  Yeah, ok.

Will someone please flip over that damn disk!

Meat was piling up so fast I couldn’t even find a place to put it.  There was meat everywhere!  It was fantastic.  And everything was so good.  I’d eat something, declare it my favorite meat of all time and then try the next thing and do the same.  The meat was cooked perfectly, all medium rare, but you could get it more well done if you’d like.

My favorite item by far was the prime rib, I don’t know if I’ve ever tasted anything so amazing.  Also good were the bacon-wrapped filet, the lamb chops and the sausages.

Try Brasa for Yourself

Brasa is one of those restaurants that is more of an experience than a meal and its easy to feel like you’re dreaming while you’re there.  The service alone will have you wondering if you’re just imagining things.

I’d heard Brasa talked about a number of times and I thought I knew what to expect, but the restaurant managed to exceed every expectation.  You might think you know what it’s all about, but you have to try Brasa for yourself.  It’s one of the best things going in Cleveland.

Brasa Grill Steakhouse
1300 West 9th Street
Cleveland, Ohio 44113
216 – 575 – 0699