A Churrasco Experience Near The Falls
Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada
Cuisine Style: Brazilian
Average Price: $$
Overall Rating: 3/5
Dined in: August 2011
By Sean Overpeck (CFE)
**A full article and index glossary of restaurants, wines, recipes and travel for
Wine Dine and Play are in the pages section above, or by following these links:
Executive Chef:
The Gaúchos
I open this review with a very compelling hook that is shocking, and that I did not expect to start with, but it fits the theme. This review is of the Brasa Brazilian Steakhouse inside the Hilton Hotel Niagara Falls, and not as a coincidence, but as I started writing this article, I was also reading news headlines from Bloomberg that Brazil is going through a crises where meat exporters have been bribing inspectors to approve tainted beef for sale in foreign steakhouses and Churrasco’s. Yikes!! Luckily I ate at Brasa many years ago, and am now just getting around to writing about older restaurant visits from my time prior to starting this restaurant review website.
Menu:
- Salads
- Beef
- Pork
- Chicken
- Lamb
- Desserts
One hundred years ago in the Southern pampas of Brazil and Argentine the "Gaúchos" which can be compared to American Cowboys, cultivating their land and tended to livestock. Each night massive bonfires were lit for warmth and cooking, and from these fires arose the traditions of the Churrasco or barbeque. The Gauchos mastered the art of slowly cooking savory cuts of beef, chicken, pork, and lamb on large skewers turned over the open flame. Today, young boys learn how to grill from their fathers, becoming the caretakers of a culinary tradition passed down from generation to generation for over three centuries. In the modern Brazilian Steakhouses across the world, the servers have taken the heritage of their culture and are referred to as Gaúchos not waiters.
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| The Gaúchos cut the meat to order |
Brasa opened at the Hilton Niagara in 2009. There are several other Brasa Restaurants around the United States from Raleigh, North Carolina to Cleveland, Ohio, though I’m not sure if it is the same group or not. They have a fully enclosed, two-story wine room containing a selection of world wines, focusing with South America, catering to their local area with Niagara Wines, along with American, Spanish, French, New Zealand, and Australian selections. Unfortunately, most of the wines on their list are mainstream versus boutique and cult wines, which I have found is very common in most restaurants. With the United States to the South for an example, you have the Finger Lakes Wine Region and other great regions, but instead of offering unique wineries, they have Kendall Jackson.
There are many Churrasco’s brand restaurants around the world, and from the ones I've dined at a two-sided coaster is on every table, where diners control the pace of their meal, instead of needing to call a server over or be disturbed by one during a conversation. The green side signals "More, please!" and the Gaúchos will bring skewers of fire-roasted meats to the table. The red side means "I've had enough, for now,” and you have reached a stopping or resting point.
Brasa offers seventy hot and cold buffet items including fresh vegetables, imported cheeses, salads, artisan pieces of bread, cured meats, and Brazilian side dishes such as fried bananas. From that point, the table-side service and carvery of meats begin until you turn the disk to the color red. Depending on the day the cost per person for the buffet and all the meat you can eat is between $45-$60 Canadian Dollars. The price for children is half that cost. On the weekends they offer live music and dancing.
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| Grilled Pineapple - Dessert before dessert |
Dessert:
If you have room for dessert, you will find that what they advertise online or in person is different from what you read. They say they offer traditional Brazilian desserts, yet I didn’t know that bourbon pecan pie, lemon drop cheesecakes, and apple pie were Brazilian in origin? They do have a good single malt scotch selection and coffees though.
Please see these guidelines for Tipping in Restaurants and on following proper etiquette, customs, cultures, and avoiding assumptions when you dine out.
Other Noteworthy Brazilian Churrasco or South American Articles and; Restaurants:
Fogo de Chão Upscale Brazilian chain with 49 locations. Review based in Buckhead, Atlanta, Georgia
Frevo Restaurant Authentic churrascaria-style dining at the Fairmont on Palm Island, Dubai, UAE
Pachanga Restaurant Blend of Argentinean & Brazilian cuisine at the Hilton Dubai Marina, UAE
Peruvian Cuisine Andes, Amazon, and Lima - A culinary tour with recipes and history
See the whole list by visiting “The Wine Dine and Play Article Glossary”
Other Ontario, Canada restaurants, and articles on Wine Dine and Play:
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Regional Canadian fare & view
Toronto, Canada
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Fine dining Italian classics
Niagara, Canada
|
Elegant seasonal Continental cuisine
Niagara, Canada
|
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French & Canadian cuisine
Niagara-on-the-Lake, Canada
|
See the whole list by visiting “The Wine Dine and Play Article Glossary by country”
Final notes, review basics, observations and more pictures:
Most reviews are subjective, depending on the writer; but they should also be responsible, and respectfully written, upholding the truth, and accurately conveying the experience to the best of the writer's knowledge, even if it includes metaphors the restaurant may not like to read about. My ratings are by the stars I award (from 0 to 5). The rating is calculated on a point accumulation of six separate factors based on individual experience. They include wine and other beverage selections, plate presentation, customer service, restaurant or café ambiance, food quality, and wow factor. To see more details of this rating list, read this article:
Overall from this experience, and the score factors outlined in the ‘about page’ section, based on my individual experience and rating, I give Brasa a 3 out of 5 stars, meaning that they exceeded my expectations and were far above the average dining experience of most restaurants.
Scores are detailed in the factor chart below:
Formula Factor Conclusions and Overall Ratings
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Max Points Possible:
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Total Points Awarded:
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Total Points deducted:
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Ambiance
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9
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8
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0
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Food quality
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8.5
|
7
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0
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Plate presentation
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10
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6.5
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0
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Customer service
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10
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7.5
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0
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Alcohol and other beverages
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10
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8
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0
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Total regular points awarded
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47.5
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37
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0
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Total percentage — less the Bonus
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0.778947368421053
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“Wow” factor BONUS
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5
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2
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0
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Total bonus percentage
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0.0421052631578947
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Total percentage and bonus for a final star rating
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0.821052631578947
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Stars Awarded (see chart below)
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0 - 5
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3
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**A full break down and explanation of the observations and point disbursement is available in the linked article above. To receive a detailed copy of your score, feel free to contact me at any time and I will provide it to you.**
***
Overall Star Rating:
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3 of 5 Stars:
80% Rating with a 2 point “wow” bonus
Exceeded All My Expectations for a Dining Experience
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Wine List:
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Corkage fee’s:
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This Restaurant does not list any corkage fee’s however, most American restaurants charge
$25.00 per bottle
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Restaurant style:
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Casual dining
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Cuisine style:
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Brazilian, Latin
Allergen or dietary accommodations:
Grass Fed, Halal, Low Carb, Pescatarian, Vegetarian
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Reservations:
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Not Required, But Recommended
Walk-Ins:
Accepted, but not guaranteed
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Dress code:
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Casual or Conservative attire
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Child policy:
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The Restaurants reviewed on this site may have a kids menu or cater to them; however, for full enjoyment of food and wine, it is recommended that kids not to be in attendance, unless they have been trained in proper etiquette.
If not then:
Hire a Babysitter!
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Experiences:
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Place for foodies, Modern, Trendy, Business parties, Hotspot, Great outdoor dining, Scenic views, Classy, Upscale, Tourist grabber, and a Neighborhood Gem.
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Payments:
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Cash, Visa, MasterCard, Discover, American Express
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Parking:
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Private lot
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Wifi
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The restaurants reviewed on this site may have Wi-Fi, but do not require you to go online, because the excitement of the food and wine alone will keep you too entertained instead of checking your social media and emails.
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Noise level:
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Medium to Loud
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Smoking:
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Nonsmoking restaurant, and nonsmoking patio
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Patio or terrace:
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Yes
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Food Prices
(excludes, alcohol, taxes & 20% gratuity’s)
$£€¥ - Under 50.00 (inexpensive)
$£€¥ x 2 - 51.00- 99.00 (moderate)
$£€¥ x 3 - Over 100.00 (pricy)
$£€¥ x 4 - Over 200.00 (expensive)
$£€¥ x 5 - Over 400.00 (very expensive)
**Currencies reflect the world’s major travelers, restaurant, or wine connoisseur’s**
Currency:
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Price
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Canadian Dollar (CAN)
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$$
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United States Dollar (USD)
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$$
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Great Britain Pound Sterling (GBP)
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£
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Chinese Yuan (CNY)
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¥¥¥¥
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European Union (EUR)
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€€
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Alcohol prices:
$ 50.00 USD
Brasa Brazilian Steakhouse:
6361 Fallsview Boulevard
Niagara Falls, Ontario
Contact Information:
Restaurant website:
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Maître d or host:
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+1 905-353-7187
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Online reservations
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Email Contact:
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Serving hours:
Eastern Standard Time
(GMT, Zulu, or UTC - 5:00)
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Dinner:
Sun-Thur:
5:00 pm - 10:00 pm
Friday: 5:00 pm - 11:00 pm
Sat: 4:30 pm - 11:00 pm
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Social Media
&
Accolades:
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****
The worlds best restaurants is a subjective list of who is writing it and changes on a regular basis. The Wine Dine and Play best experiences are based on my highest rated stared restaurants, meaning that the visit was an outstanding or extraordinary experience. From cafés, chains, mom + pops, hole in the walls, to fine dining including a few Michelin spots. Visit the Top 100 page to see the entire list.
A few to tease you with…
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Modern Australian haute cuisine
Sydney, Australia
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Charming French Bistro with movie filmed terrace
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
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Authentic churrascaria-style dining
Palm Island, Dubai, UAE
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Other Pictures:
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| Tenderloin |
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| Chicken |
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| Shank |
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| Pork |
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| Sirloin |
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| Ribeye |
“Culinary perfection consists not in doing extraordinary things,
But in doing ordinary things extraordinarily well.”
-Angelique Arnauld (1591-1661)
Who is John Galt?
TTFN
