As the nights get chillier, we decided to step into the warmth at Fazenda in Exchange Flags, Liverpool… oh and aren’t we glad we did! Fazenda, a South American Rodizio restaurant with a nicely articulated opulent yet rustic concept.
We were greeted by Joel, our waiter, who seated us near the window which had its own open fire (just what we needed to warm us up). He then explained the ‘Fazenda Unique Dining Experience’ to us. You begin with a visit to the gourmet side bar and once you are ready for the meats, you control the service with a small double-sided card placed on your table. The green side signals the chefs to bring our skewers of sizzling meats one by one, while the red side indicates a resting point. For lunch there are 8 cuts of meat (15 cuts for dinner) and the beauty is you can have them all.
Before we got stuck into the main event, we visited the salad bar which has a vast selection of gourmet sides. On offer were delicious salads, fresh cut vegetables, breads, cured meats, continental cheeses and hot dishes including the traditional Brazilian Feijoada (bean stew with meat) – which by the way is truly amazing.
We opted for the mango & chilli coleslaw, Ceviche (seafood mix with coconut & onion), Panzanilla, Roast vegetables with goat’s cheese and Pao de Quijo with Chimmichurri mayonnaise. These dishes were simply delicious. The mango & chilli coleslaw was refreshing and light with a subtle sweetness and the Panzilla (pesto, mozzarella and tomato) was awesome – juicy and flavoursome. We would definitely recommend the Ceviche, the coconut and citric flavours complemented the seafood brilliantly. We paired our starters with a Lorosco Sauvignon – which has aromas of grapefruit and lemon peel plus some herbal notes from a drop of Semillon in the blend – vibrant and well-rounded. After a rest, we turned our card to green – meaning we were ready to be served!
The chef arrived at our table with Picanha (cap of rump). We all opted to try this cut of meat. Well, what can we say… It was delicate, juicy, packed full of flavour and tender! For a relatively unknown cut it was just as lean as fillet. Next up was Alcatra (rump steak); a tender cut with a distinctive meaty taste… again, it was perfecto!
As we were onto our meat dishes, Joel recommended a Terrazas de Los Andes Malbec. A ripe but beautifully balanced Malbec which paired well with the Alcatra.
At this point, some of our party re-visited the salad bar to replenish their sides, ready for the next meat dishes coming our way, which included Cordeiro (minted lamb), Presunto Com Abacaxi (gammon with pineapple), Tri Tip (bottom sirloin), Barriga de Porco (pork belly) and Frango com Tocino (Chicken with Bacon). Fazenda really is a meat lover’s paradise – every cut was succulent, tasty and divine. Having tried out all of the 10 cuts and after a number of visits to the salad bar, we admitted defeat and turned our cards to red.
From the dessert menu, we ordered the Marquise de Chocolate and Caipirinha Cheesecake. Delicious. Two hours later and we were feeling warmed up and somewhat full – Fazenda is without doubt a unique dining experience – outstanding food, wines, social experience and traditional Brazilian environment.
Top marks.
Booking recommended. To book call: 0151 659 1183 or visit www.fazenda.co.uk/liverpool/
