Not all restaurants are named exactly after the food they serve, but at Boi Na Braza, which means steer over embers in Portuguese, customers get just that, General Manager Josh Matheus said.
The Brazilian steakhouse, which offers diners 16 cuts of meat, has been a part of Grapevine’s dining scene since September 2000 when Matheus’ father, Julio, and two uncles opened the establishment.
“He just wanted to bring the idea and concept that he grew up with in Brazil to [Grapevine],” Matheus said.
Matheus said customers are attracted to the restaurant because of the way the meats are served—rodizio-style, which means the meats are carried on skewers by gauchos.
“Our gauchos are chefs, and they do the whole artwork behind the meats,” Matheus said. “They butcher, season, cook and serve the meats.”
To communicate with the gauchos, diners have a small card next to their place at the table. When the card is turned to green, the gauchos will approach, inform diners of which cut they have to offer and use a knife to serve a piece to the guest. Guests can also flip the card to red if they do not want the gauchos offering more meat.
“It’s beautiful,” Matheus said. “It’s a kind of dance … people continuously moving around, serving you.”
The meats at Boi Na Braza include Picanha—a type of sirloin cut from south Brazil—lamb chops, chicken legs and breasts, and pork sausage.
Matheus also said diners are generally surprised by the simple way in which the red meat is prepared.
“We season it only with salt,” he said. “We let the cut of the meat speak for itself.”
In addition to the meats, guests are brought three sides: gluten-free Brazilian cheese rolls, fried polenta and fried bananas.
For $48.95 diners get the rodizio entrees as well as a salad bar featuring more than 60 items, including fresh vegetables, Brazilian salads, cured meats, imported cheeses and hot dishes to accompany the meats, Matheus said.
Boi Na Braza also has an extensive wine list, which includes wines from Napa Valley and South America, among others. It also has a full bar, which prepares cocktails such as the Caipirinha. This cocktail is prepared using lime, sugar and Cachaca, a Brazilian liquor.
For those looking to book a private event, Matheus said the restaurant can host wedding ceremonies, receptions, corporate events and parties. However, it does not offer catering because Matheus said guests would not be able to get the same experience.
