Fogo de Chão (fogo-dee-shown) is now in Garden City! Leading Brazilian steakhouse Fogo de Chão recently held its grand opening for its newest location – and first within Long Island.
Millennium Magazine received an exclusive invite to dine with Long Island’s elite at the eatery located on Old Country Road, just east of Meadowbrook State Parkway and minutes from Roosevelt Field shopping center. Our dining party was treated to a non-stop parade of mouthwatering served meats and poured red wine. The restaurant or churrascaria, specializes in the centuries-old Southern Brazilian cooking technique of churrasco – the art of roasting high-quality cuts of meats over open flame, all of which are carved tableside by Brazilian-trained gaucho chefs. Founded in Southern Brazil in 1979, there are currently 57 locations throughout Brazil, the United States, Mexico and the Middle East.
Fogo’s distinctive and authentic Brazilian dining experience begIns with the seasonal Market Table and Feijoada Bar, which includes seasonal salads, soups, fresh vegetables, imported charcuterie and more. The restaurant features a variety of simply seasoned meats that are fire-roasted by gaucho chefs, plus seafood, desserts, signature cocktails and an award-winning wine list. In addition to the Full Churrasco Experience, Fogo offers its guests multiple ways to enjoy the experience at varying price points, including weekday lunch starting at $15, weekend Brazilian Brunch and a Bar Fogo menu that features smaller, sharable plates, Brazilian-inspired cocktails and happy hour. Rooted in gaucho tradition, Fogo de Chão prides itself on nurturing and harvesting foods with respect (“Respeito Pela Comida”) to ensure guests are always served the most delicious, wholesome and highest quality food possible.
“Fogo de Chão is best known for offering an authentic churrasco experience, and I’m thrilled that we now have the opportunity to invite Long Island residents to witness firsthand what true Brazilian hospitality is all about,” said Barry McGowan, Chief Executive Officer of Fogo de Chão.
Our server for the evening, Natasha was pleasant and always ready to make dinner as enjoyable as possible. From offering more wine pours, a fresh clean plate or making suggestions of meats to sample.
The entire wait staff was very accommodating he entire evening. Hearing servers speak with their distinct accents among chattering patrons can be a hard when they swing by the table to offer up carvings. If you’re a meat lover, you probably won’t ask them to repeat themselves. After you’ve gazed upon a sizzling rack of pork ribs or cube steaks, you’ll be so tempted to try them, you’ll likely nod, ‘Yes!’ whether you know what it is or not. Around the restaurant you can see diners sinking their teeth into savory chunks of meat and practically hear a chorus of delightful sighs.
Fire-roasted meats are the anchor of Fogo’s menu and include guest favorites such as Ribeye, Lamb Chops and the house specialty, Picanha. The new restaurant will also offer a range of menu selections and prices to fit guests’ needs for lunch and dinner, including:
- Full Churrasco Experience – The signature prix fixe menu selection includes all premium and classic cuts, plus the fresh and seasonal Market Table & Feijoada Bar and authentic Brazilian side dishes.
- Indulgent Cuts – Guests can enhance their experience with a new 20 oz. Wagyu New York Strip that is carved tableside on a Himalayan salt block to complement the cut’s intense marbling and buttery texture. A decadent dry-aged 32 oz. long bone Tomahawk Ribeye is also available to order for the table.
- Select Cut ($32 – 35) – Guest chooses one selection of fire-roasted meat – Picanha, Fraldinha, Prime Lamb Steak, Pork Picanha or Chicken – that will be carved tableside and includes the restaurant’s Market Table & Feijoada Bar as well as Brazilian side dishes.
- Brazil Cuts ($52) – Continuous service of the most popular fire-roasted cuts of Brazil and the Market Table & Feijoada Bar.
In addition to these nightly dinner options, the menu also includes:
- Weekday Lunch (Starting at $15) – Includes the seasonal Market Table & Feijoada Bar, plus family-style service of Brazilian side dishes. Guests may choose to add a single selection of fire-roasted meat or have the Full Churrasco Experience.
- Weekend Brazilian Brunch – Includes the Full Churrasco Experience combined with the Market Table and special Brazilian-inspired breakfast items like Braised Beef Rib Hash along with made-to-order waffle and omelet stations.
- Bar Fogo – Offers an elevated experience at a contemporary bar with lounge seating and dedicated bar staff designed to allow each guest to both linger and discover something new with each visit. Guests can enjoy small plates like Braised Beef Rib Sliders, Churrasco meat boards or the house-ground Picanha Burger. Happy hour offers include $4 Brazilian bites and beers, $6 South American wines and $8 Brazilian-inspired craft cocktails in the bar and on the patio Monday – Friday from 4:30 – 6:30 p.m.
- Seafood – Brazilian-inspired seafood options are available a-la-carte, including shrimp and lobster appetizers, mango Chilean sea bass and a Seafood Tower.
- Group and Private Dining – Whether celebrating a special birthday or hosting a large corporate meeting, the Garden City location is suitable for groups of all sizes with customizable menus, beautiful private and semi-private dining spaces and complimentary A/V equipment.
The Garden City restaurant is quite large, seating approximately 300 guests. It features an open churrasco grill, white Carrera Market Table, soaring wine displays, a lively bar area complete with lounge seating and an open-air patio space with Bar Fogo menu offerings. Upon entering the restaurant’s expansive dining room, guests can expect to see elegant private dining spaces along with a signature bas-relief interpretation of Antonio Carigni’s O’Laçador statue, the embodiment of the gaucho culture.
The Garden City culinary team is led by General Manager Long Phu and Head Gaucho Chef Hugo Garcia-Rodriguez. Phu is an industry veteran with more than 14 years of experience with Fogo. Gaucho Chef Garcia-Rodriguez has been with Fogo since 2014, having risen through the ranks to also become a certified Sommelier.
A dining experience for all ages, children six and under enjoy complimentary dining at Fogo de Chão and ages seven – 12 dine at half price for the Full Churrasco Experience.
For more information call 516-588-7100.
- Photography by Willie Anderson