One evening, about a year ago. I was checking out my new neighborhood and stumbled into downtown Brea. There was plenty of little shops to distract me, but something in the air was causing my nose to have a mind of it's own. The more I refused to follow, the more the intensity of the aromas grew. I could not help but to think about how much the smells reminded me of my grandmothers farm in Santa Caterina, Brazil. I looked to my left, across the street from the movie theatre and to my amazement I spotted it, "Carvao Grill". Was it a Brazilian restaurant so close to home? I was so excited and even though I had stuffed my face with a huge Coldstone ice cream I had to check this place out.
As soon as I walked in, I melted. The smell of the carvao was overpowering and so nostalgic. Carvao is the Portuguese word for charcoal and a method of cooking that is primarily used by the Gauchos of Southern Brazil and Argentina. Where the meat is slowly roasted over the fire for hours. MMMMM so good. I asked for the wine menu and was so excited to find that they carried Pascual Toso, Malbec, a delicious Argentine wine that I have only found in New York or Sao Paulo. I knew this was going to be good. The more I looked over the menu, the more I realised that this was not solely a Brazilian restaurant but a fusion of Gaucho styles of Brazil and Argentina.
When the Waiter came to the table, I noticed the accent and asked where he was from. He told me he was the owner and he is from Argentina but lived many years in Brazil. We instantly had thousands of things to say to each other. There is something absolutely beautiful when you meet others from South America. The glow in the eyes and a true feeling of welcome is amazing. Piaggio, as I would later find out was his name and he told me how he truly fell in love with Brazil, it's culture and mainly it's food.
After stuffing my face with empanadas and the Bahia Shrimp, I headed over to the bar of course. Where Piaggio made me one Caipirinha after another. Now for him being an Argentinian and making the best Caipirinhas I ever had was saying allot. Not to mention my most favorite cocktail that I have never seen in America, the Pisco Sour. A mixture of Pisco, a liquor distilled from grapes, lime juice, egg whites, simple syrup, bitters blended together to make heaven in a glass. The cocktails where reasonably priced and the plethora of Taxi Cabs outside made it even more enticing to spend away.
The staff was amazing, service was prompt and the food is excellent. To top it off, there was a live musician playing Bossa Nova making the dining experience even more enjoyable. The restaurant hosts many event including a monthly wine tasting, with an even more extensive wine menu. Live jazz Sunday Brunch and they also offer catering for every event.
This has become a regular hangout for me and my family. We go to the theatre and than cross the street for some delicious food and conversation. This is definitley a place to go if you love Steak, culture and just a feeling of calm and welcome.
Carvao Grill
210 W Birch St
Ste 102
Brea, CA 92821
(714) 990-9140
Posts
