Fogo de Chão opened its 18th U.S. location today, about a mile north of the Orange County Convention Center on International Drive. The 12,000-square-foot restaurant has five private dining rooms that can accommodate up to 150 people. Each private space is equipped with Wi-Fi and hard-line Internet connections, motorized projection screens, audio and lighting controls, and portable projection equipment.
The restaurant has seating for 400. This is the first Fogo de Chão location to have an outdoor patio, and it features stone floors, exposed wood beams, and teak planters. One of the private dining rooms opens onto the patio for groups that want indoor and outdoor space.
The restaurant’s menu is based on the gaucho tradition known as churrasco, the art of roasting meats over an open charcoal fire. A prix fixe menu offers 15 different cuts of beef, lamb, chicken, and pork carved tableside. There is also a large, four-sided, self-serve bar in the middle of the restaurant offering more than 30 salad and side items. Desserts include papaya cream, made with fresh papaya, vanilla ice cream, and crème de cassis liqueur, as well as flan and molten chocolate cake.
The restaurant also has a 200-label wine list and a variety of cocktails, including the traditional caipirinha, the national cocktail of Brazil.
