Ipanema Brazilian Grill, a 2-month-old South American smorgasbord that’s revived the colorful space abandoned by Wolfgang Puck Café in Seattle’s Harbor Steps development, is doing something I wish other restaurants would copy.
Ipanema has realized that its audience doesn’t entirely understand or enjoy everything it serves. So Ipanema is killing part of its menu.
Initially, I wasn’t happy to hear this. I’d been sampling Ipanema’s bar menu since it opened. I’d enjoyed a few items, especially things such as risoles, deep-fried crab-meat fritters served with pineapple sauce, fiery, coconut-crusted shrimp and tender garlic steak topped with fried bananas and mango salsa on a bed of shredded collard greens.
Apparently, Seattle diners, especially lunch diners, don’t know what to make of these traditional Brazilian bar snacks. So beginning sometime this month, Ipanema’s owners, the same folks behind the nearby Buenos Aires Grill, will roll out some new menu items. Whatever Brazilian pineapple pizza is, expect one soon, along with more sandwiches.
Not going away is the Baruru sandwich ($5.95), a rare, grilled tenderloin topped with mango salsa and coconut mayonnaise on a warm ciabatta bun. As steak sandwiches go, it rivals the melts-like-butter, steak-and-fried-egg Lomito sandwich at Buenos Aires Grill. It’s especially tasty at happy hour, when it’s half-price. It’s served with fries; mine were soggy.
Meanwhile, Ipanema’s main concept – Brazil’s endless buffet known as churrascaria rodizio – is sword-wielding dinner theater meets all-you-can eat grilled meat grazing ($35 per person).
One at a time, a dozen grilled meats are brought to diners’ tables on forged metal skewers. Servers, or passadores as they’re called in this concept, slice portions in each pass. You can eat all you want, but each cut of meat is doled out about 2 ounces at a time. If and when you’ve had your fill, just turn over a cardboard coaster from its green side its red side to signal that you’re sated.
Ipanema is a fun concept, especially if you’re dining with a party of people who enjoy commenting on dinner-theater-in-progress. But once you’ve done it, you’ve done it. I can see why the churrascaria rodizio has received lukewarm receptions in other cities.
In my one all-I-could-eat visit, I sampled ruby-centered top sirloin, crusty pork loin, garlic-infused filet mignon, bacon-wrapped turkey breast and lamb marinated in yogurt-mint sauce. All were flavorful. Most were dry. I’d suspect that’s because the meats are continually cooked: Once the passadores slice portions tableside, the skewers go back to the rotisserie. Mahi-mahi, however, was velvety and creamy.
A cold bar of always-changing cured meats, fruit, shellfish and salads, and an assortment of traditional Brazilian side dishes (farofa – a dry blend of cassava, yucca flour, eggs and onions – is puzzlement in a bowl) round out the churrascaria rodizio experience.
There’s a full bar with an interesting lineup of cocktails made with cachaca, the Brazilain sugar cane liqueur, and caju, a Brazilian fruit juice.
Ipanema Brazilian Grill (2 stars)
1225 First Ave., Seattle 206-957-8444
CUISINE: Brazilian barbecue and salad bar
ATMOSPHERE: Colorful and comfortable
HOURS: 11:30 a.m.-2 p.m. and 5-10 p.m. Mondays-Thursdays; 11:30 a.m.-2p.m. and 5-11 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays; 5-10 p.m. Sundays. Happy hours: 4 p.m.-7 p.m. and 10 p.m.-closing.
PRICES: $35 all-you-can-eat; $-$$ for bar menu items
SERVICE: Fair
BATHROOMS: Decent
NOISE LEVEL: Moderate
FULL BAR: Yes
SMOKING: Yes
Ed Murrieta: 253-597-8678
ed.murrieta@thenewstribune.com
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