Chama Gaucha Brazilian Steakhouse Debuts in North Texas

Chama Gaucha, a San Antonio-based churrascaria, has opened its first location in North Texas. It's in Grapevine, west of DFW International Airport.

The restaurant serves churrasco (cuts of steak) in a traditional Brazilian way, carved tableside by gauchos from a large skewer onto the plate. Gaucha serves only USDA Prime meat and ages it for a minimum of 45 days before cooking.

Since 2008, Chama Gaucha has expanded from its original location in San Antonio to Chicago, Houston and Atlanta. The owner, João Carlos Ongaratto, has over 20 years of experience in the Brazilian steakhouses sector, including Fogo de Chão. So, he's back in North Texas to throw it down on his former employer's home turf. A Trip Advisor thread out of Houston, where both restaurants are on the same street, mostly notes that Chama is better than Fogo. The churrascaria battle is on. We love a good meat fight.

The 12,000-square-foot restaurant offers 12 types of meat. The house specialty, picanha, was first made popular in Brazil and later adopted by Portugal. In the U.S. it's referred to as top sirloin cap or rump cover. Also available is cordeiro, a leg or rack of lamb, that is seasoned and roasted over an open flame. Both are fan favorites. A large salad bar is complimentary.
Dinner with all the meat you can eat along with the salad bar is $60; just the salad bar is $37. Kids 3–6 years old pay $10, and for up to 11 year olds it's $30.

Chama Gaucha offers a full bar, including Brazilian specialty cocktails, and a global wine list. Highlight drinks (or ones we'd like to try) include Key lime pie martini, caipirinha (the signature drink of Brazil) and a frozen peach bellini. The dessert menu, which is rich, has a chocolate mousse cake, creme brulee and tres leches.

Chama Guacha, 4025 William D. Tate Ave., Grapevine. Monday – Thursday, 5–10 p.m.; Friday, 5–10:30 p.m.; Saturday, 3:30–10:30 p.m.; Sunday, from 12:30–8:30 p.m.