Fogo de Chão opens in Manila

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WHILE it was announced that it was coming way back in 2022, it took a while before it came to pass — Fogo de Chão finally opened in Glorietta 4 on Aug. 18, with an opening ceremony on Aug. 28.

This marks the 45-year-old Brazilian brand’s first location in Asia, after expanding into the rest of the Americas. Barry McGowan, chief executive officer of Fogo de Chão, counts their locations currently at 110.

“We’re already an international brand, in a very diverse city — São Paulo. We’re growing in the US,” he said in a group interview before the opening ceremony.

Fogo de Chão specializes in churrasco — simplified, it’s Brazilian barbecue, with meats cooked over wood or charcoal-fired rotisseries. In practice, “We don’t grill meat; we slow-cook it,” said Mr. McGowan. “All our gaucho chefs are trained butchers. All they do is butcher all day. They focus on the meat, the way they handle it.”

The butcher-chefs also serve the meat, slicing it from the skewer and straight onto your plate. They know when to stop serving the meat by your coaster: flipping it red is a signal for them to stop; green means go on.

While their managers were trained in the US, the restaurant sent over trainers to prepare the Philippine staff for 30 days.

As for the ingredients, “The culinary art form’s the same; we buy all the meats locally. Whatever’s highest-quality available through the markets here is what we use,” said Mr. McGowan. Guia Abuel, chief operating officer of The Bistro Group (which brought Fogo de Chão here) said, “We use available raw materials that are similar to the US locations.” This means all the beef is American, and there are some local pork and chicken in the mix.

THE MEAT OF THE MATTER
����ý got a taste of what the Brazilian experience had to offer. The prices differ from weekdays to weekends, and from brunch to dinner (P3,200 for weekday lunch to up to P4,200 for dinner on weekends). There are about 16 cuts of meat available, complemented by the Market Table, with charcuterie, cheese, salads, carbs, and even a delightful Brazilian bean stew (though at those prices, why decrease your stomach’s real estate).

We flipped our coaster green, and we were immediately served the Picanha (top sirloin). It had a very forward beef flavor and just the right tenderness so you’ll know you’re having what was an excellent animal. The Lombo (porkloin) had a very mild flavor accented with Parmesan, while a steak wrapped in bacon gave a smoky flavor. We liked the lamb, which came with a mild gamey flavor, but was extra soft to suggest its origin. The filet mignon had a nice rustic taste; strange but welcome to find in a storied, fancy cut.

All our praise goes to the Alcatra, also taken from the sirloin: all-caps praise in our notes, an excellent ruby color, and a hint of smoky caramel in its aftertaste. Frankly, we’ve never had anything like this.

Is it worth it? The price means that you can just add a little bit more and find yourself in a nice buffet at a hotel, but we wouldn’t say no to impressing a date or throwing a birthday party here. The overall cheery atmosphere, despite the wood-paneled serious interiors, makes it perfect for such occasions.

MORE, MORE, MORE
“I go back to the culture of Manila: family,” said Mr. McGowan, about the reasons why they chose Manila as their first Asian location. “We found the best operator that matched our culture. What we want to do long-term… we’re not just trying to open a bunch of restaurants. We’re trying to be in the heart of this city.”

Ms. Abuel says that they look forward to opening more, with the first three locations in the city.

“We’d like to build five in all of the Philippines, over time. But for us… just one at a time,” said Mr. McGowan.

Fogo de Chão is located on the ground floor of Glorietta 4 in Makati, opening at 11 a.m. on weekdays and 10 a.m. on weekends. — Joseph L. Garcia