Grand Strand Restaurants Review
A Brazilian style steakhouse that feels like home
The predominate aroma exuding from the complex of restaurants located in a single building at 19th Avenue North and Kings Highway in Myrtle Beach is created by the charcoal searing of 16 different kinds of meat at the Charcoal Brazilian Restaurant.
Most Brazilian style restaurants employ waiters that they call “Gauchos” and other service people, and try to give their businesses a feeling of being in Brazil. Robert Jaques ( pronounced “Jake”) , is the manager of the kitchens and operations of both the Brazilian Steakhouse and the Kansas City Steakhouse next door. He says the idea is to serve outstanding charcoaled Brazilian cooking, but, at the same time, keep the atmosphere mostly American. “We are probably a little more American friendly and a little less Portuguese-Brazilian, but all the meats are here and we have sushi on the salad bar,” says Jaques. “There needed to be a Brazilian-style steakhouse for Americans in Myrtle Beach,” he said.
The restaurant does employ “gauchos” who carry long swords on which all sorts of meat are skewered and carried to the tables, but the huge salad bar and the décor are strictly upscale American. The dark stained wood in the ceiling and walls along with the amber lighting give the place the feel of an expensive New York City steakhouse.
For anyone who has never had the Brazilian steakhouse experience, it is unlike any other kind of nationality-oriented eatery. The first impression is going to be the humongous salad bar that includes all kinds of ordinary salad-making ingredients from mixed greens to fresh tomatoes and cucumbers to various kinds of specialties from broccoli salad to special pasta creations and peel-and-eat shrimp.
A diner can also choose from among mashed potatoes, black beans and rice, and papaya.
What makes the restaurant unique is the fact all of its meat is cooked on skewers over charcoal, not propane gas flames. The charcoal gives the meat a sharper taste and infuses it with the taste of charcoal smoke. The variety seems endless as the gauchos make continuous rounds in the dining room, cutting slabs of meat off the swords and onto the diner’s plate. The beef is USDA prime which is also served by the Kansas City Steakhouse next door. In fact the two restaurants use the same kitchen, with the exception of the Brazilian Steakhouse which houses the charcoal cooking pit. Beef-on-the sword offerings range from bacon-wrapped Filet Mignon to a special cut of Sirloin, a Sirloin Steak, beef ribs, a flank steak, and top Sirloin.
Each of the beef dishes is rubbed with a homemade steak mixture and Jaques says many tourists who return ask to have some if it packaged up so they can “take it home to Ohio.”
There’s pork…barbecued pork ribs, pork sausage and a pork loin with Parmesan. For chicken lovers there are big chunks of barbecued boneless chicken, bacon-wrapped chicken cuts and chicken legs. There are lamb chops, and even pineapple which is also charcoal cooked on a skewer.
Outside there is a patio bar where frozen drinks are served and inside is a full bar. The price is all inclusive of the salad bar and meat, but doesn’t include drinks and desserts.
