A Visit to a Meat Mecca

I don't usually frequent steakhouses, but I do make the trip every once in a while. Guri do Sul, a Brazilian Churrascaria and steakhouse in The Woodlands, offers a unique dining opportunity. This place is not like other steakhouses because of the method of meat preparation. Meats are cooked over an open flame and served by Guachos, or Brazilian cowboys. Boasting about 11 different varieties of meat, this a destination for all meat lovers. It is a place were you will most certainly eat too much and feel uncomfortably full when you leave, but it will be well worth it.

Don't think that this place doesn't cater to those who aren't that fond of meat. They had a salad bar that also features a variety of cheeses and vegetables. A word of warning, especially if you have never been to this type of place before. As tempting as the salad bar is, make sure you aren't filling up on that and not leaving room for the main event. I do, however, encourage indulging in the to die for cheese bread. It is gooey with cheese running throughout and baked to perfection with a crunchy outside.

Cheese Bread

When you sit down at the table, there are two additions to the setting. A pair of tongs and a card with a red and a green side. One might ask what these are used for. The green side of the card indicates to the Guachos that you are ready for more meat, while the red side indicates that you don't want any at the moment. The tongs are used to grab the piece of meat off the skewer. What's even better about this, is that you can still say how you would like the meat cooked, like medium or rare. As if you aren't getting enough food, they will bring out some side dishes. The sides are fried plantains, green beans with onions and mushrooms, mashed potatoes, and fried polenta. Honestly, I didn't eat much, but I did try them all. The fried plantains were a good change of taste from all the salty meat and the green beans were good, but the mushrooms were delicious. I was not really impressed with the polenta, as it was a bit on the flavorless side. However, the mashed potatoes were definitely not a disappointment, so I would stick to those.

They do serve dessert and it looked very sinful, but we were much too full to even consider it. This was definitely a place that I will be going back to even though it is a bit of a drive. If you have been there before, please feel free to comment on your experience or if you have any other suggestions for Brazilian steakhouses. Visit their website to make your reservation today and enjoy!