Fogo de Chao

Yesterday, my daughters and I had lunch at Fogo de Chao on International Drive.  Fogo de Chao is a Brazilian steakhouse that can be found in the United States, Puerto Rico, and Brazil.  You can view their restaurant locator here.  

I first learned about Fogo de Chao while I was using the Find Me Gluten Free App on I-4.  When I saw one of my college friends from Brazil raving about it on Facebook, I decided I had to give it a try.  My daughters and I had the full churrasco experience, which includes all the grilled meats, sides, and dishes on the market table for one price.  Desserts are purchased separately.  

When I mentioned to our server that I had celiac and could only eat gluten free items, she brought me this piece of paper that listed meats and salad items to avoid, and desserts that do not contain gluten.  

Our meal started off with a variety of side dishes that were brought to our table.  The Pao de Queijo, Brazilian cheese rolls, are made with yucca flour and Parmesan cheese, making them naturally gluten free.  My daughters and I really enjoyed them, and ended up eating two baskets of rolls between the three of us.

The garlic mashed potatoes with chives and a sprinkle of cheese were very good as well, but my favorite side dish was the polenta, which was crispy, and nicely complemented by a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese.  

I prefer plantains to the caramelized bananas that were served at Fogo de Chao, because plantains have a firmer texture, and they are not as sweet.  

We were all given a little round card that would let the servers know whether to bring meat to our table.  Fogo de Chao serves a variety of meats that are cooked over an open fire.  The only ones that are not gluten free are the chicken legs and the pork sausage.  

I tried so many cuts of meat, it was hard to keep track of them all.  Of the chicken, beef and lamb dishes I sampled, the lamb chop and sliced lamb were my favorites.  

Severs come to your table with large skewers of meat, and remove chunks of it, or cut slices of it at your requested temperature.  

I found most of the meats to be very flavorful, but I would have enjoyed them more with some dipping sauces.  

My daughters ate several dishes from the Market Table, which is a large buffet set up in the middle of the restaurant.  There was a variety of different vegetables, cheeses and salads I could have selected, but I was already full from all the side dishes and grilled meats I chose, so I didn't try anything from the Market Table.  

If you are looking for an all-you-care-to-eat dining experience outside of Disney with a large selection of gluten free dishes, you might want to check out Fogo to Chao.  You can view the pricing and hours of the Orlando restaurant here.

We had so many issues with the service at this location that we will probably not return.  From the hostess to the manager, I did not find anyone to be particularly friendly or welcoming.  I felt very uncomfortable when our waitress asked me what happens when I eat gluten.  She obviously knew nothing about celiac, and I don't mind educating people about it, but not in these circumstances when I want to go in a restaurant and enjoy a meal.  I asked to speak to the manager, because I wasn't very confident in our server's ability to keep my food safe.  He told me they had very few gluten free desserts, but there were six options listed on the piece of paper I was given, so I found his statement to be a little odd.  No one ever offered to give me a tour of the Market Table, so I asked if the dishes were labeled, which they were not, though that was rectified after I asked the question.  Some of the servers coming around with meat skipped my daughters who had their cards turned to green, and when I went to pay, one of the servers disappeared with my credit card for a pretty ridiculous period of time.  I was also surprised that they automatically included an 18% gratuity for a party of three people.  We ended up skipping dessert at Fogo de Chao and opting for ice cream at the Dairy Queen on International Drive.  

Overall, I liked my meal and did not feel that I got glutened, but we did not love it enough to go back, especially considering the price and poor service.  I would much rather go to Disney World, or Maggiano's Little Italy, which is right down the street.

Have you ever been to Fogo de Chao?  What are your favorite gluten free dishes?