Chima Steakhouse

FOOD

Picanha is often the first consideration in Brazilian steakhouse dining. The signature top sirloin is seasoned, grilled, and carved from the skewer at your table, keeping a familiar Brazilian favorite at the heart of a very expansive meal. Its garlic-seasoned companion gives devoted sirloin people another reason to say yes. The Complete Rodizio menu ranges widely beyond it, with selections varying by location and season.

The beef selection then gets rather persuasive. Filet mignon comes with butter and herbs, with bacon-wrapped and teriyaki versions offering distinctly different treatments of the same cut. Cajun-spiced ribeye takes a bolder approach to seasoning. Rather than collecting every variation out of duty, ask for the one that interests you most, then return to a favorite. Unlimited dinner needn’t become an examination in steak identification.

Lamb chops bring their own character, prepared in Chima’s house marinade; lamb picanha extends the skewer selection beyond beef. The chicken has more personality than a token poultry offering, too: boneless thighs receive an aji marinade, while drumsticks are marinated with beer and spices. Brazilian sausage belongs in the mix, especially for anyone whose ideal cookout has never been satisfied with steak alone.

The grill also makes room for salmon and shrimp. Salmon is offered with passion fruit sauce or pesto, a departure from the garlic and spice treatments running through the meat selection. Shrimp is seasoned with herbs and spices before grilling. The full rodizio includes both.

Then there is the gourmet salad bar, which has a wonderfully loose interpretation of the word salad. Beef carpaccio, smoked salmon, and Prosciutto di Parma put a cold, savory opening course within reach. Parmigiano Reggiano and other cheeses join the charcuterie. A small plate here can be its own thoughtful beginning, before the first gaucho has even offered a slice.

The prepared salads deserve more than a passing glance between skewers. Orzo with pesto takes the pasta route; tabouleh and a quinoa medley keep company with street corn salad and oranges with beets. Kani and mango adds another fruit-and-savory combination. Roasted eggplant and cauliflower, marinated mushrooms, and artichokes make the vegetable selection interesting enough to tempt even someone who arrived with an entirely beef-shaped plan.

Warm dishes also belong to this bar: potatoes au gratin and black beans with pork sit alongside the cold selections. At lunch, filet mignon in gorgonzola sauce and cream of vegetable soup join the gourmet bar. Filet at the salad bar—yes, really. Those lunch additions help explain why a bar-only meal can feel quite complete, even with skewers circulating nearby.

The table sides include creamy mashed potatoes, fried polenta, and breaded, deep-fried banana. Meanwhile, Chima grills coalho cheese to give it a lightly crisp outside and a soft center. Cinnamon-dusted grilled pineapple provides the sweet skewer that can inspire a surprisingly firm attachment. Keep a little appetite for it. After all those earnest decisions about beef, lamb, and salmon, a pineapple requesting another place on the plate feels entirely reasonable.