Step inside this restored 1928 Spanish mission-style cottage, located on Riverside in Toluca Lake, and you might think you’ve been transported to somewhere in the exotic Spanish or Latin American countryside. D’Caché is a lively restaurant where they serve modern Latin-fusion cuisine, tapas and fine wines and great drinks. Try a fresh Columbian mojito made from Aguardiente and fresh mint or raspberry, melon and strawberry mojitos and margaritas.

The converted house has medium-sized dining rooms and secluded patios with comfy sofas to lounge on underneath white draperies. The back patio also has a pretty fountain. Out there, the two-seater tables are made from huge, polished discs of wood, hand-hewn from a large tree they had to lop down in the backyard. These beautiful tables are remarkable!

D’Caché also has a smoking patio and inside there is a small private room with a ‘U’ shaped couch and a TV. Perfect for a laid-back board meeting.

Before I get to the outstanding cuisine, one feature of the experience is the Rumba Gipsy and world music performances every night. The live entertainment starts at 7pm and goes until 9.30pm or so, Tuesday ’till Saturday evenings.

I went on a Wednesday evening and the musicians were incredible. Bandidos de Amor, a talented trio of flamenco-style guitarists and singers, sounded a lot like the Gipsy Kings and played plenty of boisterous music of that flavor.

So, to start with drinks, any Spanish restaurant worth their salt had better offer sangria. At D’Caché they concoct an exotic blend of three wines with gin and perfume it with cinnamon and brandy infused apples. Also their wine list is fairly extensive and features wine from Chile, Argentina and Spain as well as domestic varieties, all priced at around $8-9 per glass, bottles also available.

We started with the soupe du jour – wild mushroom soup ($9). This was unctuous and incredibly rich and delicious; a caramelized-sweet, smooth soup that was fragrant with truffle oil. Just fantastic!

With only twelve appetizers and eight entree dishes on the menu, you can tell the kitchen does it all well. We started with a serving of three large empanadas ($12) filled with slow-cooked shredded pork and dressed with a confetti of mango salsa. Lovely! Other appetizers to snack on include tapas such as Patacones con Cerviche – shrimp cocktail over fried plantains – or a variety of pizette.

Main courses include Spanish classics such as a smoky and seafood-packed Paella ($32) and Pollo Catalan. They also offer seared blue fin tuna with a cilantro crust and a warm salad of asparagus and greens.

Brazilian-style Lamb chops, crusted with pistachio pesto ($42), were perfectly cooked. The basil and truffle oils almost gild the lily, but the red wine reduction cuts through the rich sauce like Zorro!

Everything was very rich, so order wisely, but like a siren’s song, the best flavors of all Latin cultures at D’Caché will call you to return again and again.

Valet and street parking available.

D’Caché Restaurant, 10717 Riverside, Toluca Lake, between Lankershim and Cahuenga.
(818) 506 9600.
Open 5pm ’till midnight, Tues - Sat.
Sunday and Monday – only open for special events.

Cafe Brasil has been mentioned here before, but that was the location on Venice. A few nights ago we dropped in to the Washington location for dinner. We were glad we did.

Cafe Brasil is open and airy, and extremely clean. Normally, I wouldn’t mention cleanliness, but this place was spotless. The restrooms were nicely decorated and also insanely clean. That’s a good sign to start. I also liked the tables and chairs. Colorful wood and nice big pillows were scattered about. The menu is presented on a wide chalk board above the cash register.

The service is incredibly friendly and helpful. We ask for a few recommendations and get definitive answers. That also, is a good thing. I truly appreciate it when someone is willing to suggest one dish over another, “all of our dishes are good” does nothing for me.

We tried a few dishes. The Tropical Shrimp Plate was piled with plump crustaceans, bathed in a lovely Brazilian spiced sauce, along with fried plantains, rice and black beans. The rice was velvety, most likely laced with butter or some other magic to make it melt in our mouths.

We also tried the chicken. It is a light grilled breast, also topped with secret Brazilian herbs and spices. My wife and I ended up splitting the chicken and shrimp. Surf and Fowl.

Our dining companions both opted for the fish. It must have been good, because it disappeared before I got a bite.

Now, here is where I learned what “spicy” means in Brazil. When we made our order, I asked about the black bean soup. “It’s Spicy” I was told. “It’s Spicy” I said as I coughed through the first bite. The spice was one of those punch-you-in-the-mouth-but-disappear-quickly types. Next thing I knew, I’m addicted, scarfing down the bowl, alternating spice and delight.

After the meal I was craving some coffee. Where better to get coffee than from a Brazilian? I order the coffee and ask if it’s just Brazilian beans, or if there is something more to it. “It’s Brazilian beans, but it’s strong. Like espresso.”

It was like espresso, but instead of a couple ounces of brew, it was a full cup. A full delicious cup. Yes, that is a rock candy stick in the picture. I put a little cream in it, and tossed in a few marshmallows. Yep, they have marshmallows and I can’t resist marshmallows. I really enjoyed the coffee, but having it after dinner may have been a mistake. I was flying high for the rest of the night and long after I should have been asleep.

Cafe Brasil is a great spot. Dishes run from $11-$16 each and the portion sizes are large, but not overwhelming. It’s a great place to meet friends for a little taste of South America.

Café Brasil
11736 West Washington Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90066
ph: 310.391.1216
fax: 310.636.1980

Yesterday, I was taken to Picanha, which I was told was one of the best churrascarias around. I was very optimistic upon entering and seeing the different meats rotating. I also enjoyed the natural brightness to the restaurant (thanks to their large windows). It’s a very comfortable environment, and the service was friendly from the moment you walk in.

As soon as we sat down, we immediately got back up to grab a plate at the buffet. My big weakness at the buffet table? The plantains. Picanha made them very well - nice and crispy on the outside, sweet taste, and maintaining the banana flavor. I must confess, I made a couple return trips for the plantains. One of my friends strongly recommended the Chicken Straggonoff, which I tried, but did not care too much for. The chicken was a bit tough and flavorless for my taste buds. Other things I enjoyed on my plate were the pesto rice, garlic mashed potatoes (with tons of garlic), and black beans and sausage. The mixed greens and romaine lettuce for the salad looked fresh, but there wasn’t an awful lot of variety for the toppings. I didn’t mind too much, as I was there for the meat anyway.

To get the ball rolling, you must turn this little wooden item that is on every table. For those who have never been to a churrascaria, there are 3 colors on the wooden piece - red, yellow, and green. To signal you want meats to be brought to your table, you must turn it upside down so that the colors are green, yellow, red. A nice assortment of various meats were soon brought to our table including: pork loin, parmasean chicken, barbeque chicken, carne asada, garlic beef, polish sausage, etc. I didn’t try them all, as they didn’t all look appealing to me. The garlic beef was a bit too dry for my liking. I think my favorites of the day were the barbeque chicken (which was nice and juicy on the inside and just slightly crispy on the outside) and the carne asada, which I believe is their signature dish. The meat itself is tender and flavorful, while the outside had a wonderful salty coating. All the other meats I tried were just average.

Try not to fill up too much - even though it’s an all you can eat and most people do max out in such situations. Why do you need to save room in your stomach? For the dessert! We sampled the cheesecake and the flan. The cheesecake was quite rich and enjoyable, but nothing special. The flan, on the other hand, was a genuine surprise! It didn’t look like much, very plain… then when I took my first bite, I was in heaven. The flan was very creamy and delightful. Let’s put it this way: one person at the table is on the Weight Watcher’s program. He saw my flan and was completely disinterested. He begrudgingly took a bite. Next thing I know, the plate was passed right in front of him, and he finished the whole thing.

Picanha Churrascaria
269 E Palm Ave
Burbank, CA 91502
(818) 972-2100

Hours:
· Daily 11am-12am
· Bar 11am-2am

Tips:
· One word of advice - the cheese bread/rolls are highly addictive, especially when they come straight from the oven. They bring you a basket full of these harmless looking things. As good as they are, don’t fill up on them!
· There is limited street parking. Don’t waste time stressing about finding a spot. There is a parking lot right next to Picanha’s that’s free parking for 2 hours.

During one afternoon, we were having some idle chit chat and I asked her if there were places in Los Angeles she likes to go for the Brazilian flavor.

She immediately mentioned Fogo De Chao but just as quickly added it was very expensive! She then mentioned Bossa Nova.

I went there the other night and I can see why she likes it! It was terrific.

In brief, the food is great. The place is alive with lots of happy diners from couples having a night out to groups having a hearty get-together. The servers are moving about swiftly but with a sunny disposition. The prices quite reasonable.

You can see the kitchen busy at work fulfilling orders for delivery, take-out and in-restaurant dining.

It is a very busy place indicating more than just my co-worker thinks the place is worth it. Since I dined alone, a small table was found immediately for me. A few larger parties had to wait a few minutes outside before they got seated but they all seemed quite happy to wait outside in the early evening air of Los Angeles in the Summer.

Seating is available both inside and outside the restaurant. I was quickly given some soft warm bread and my order of iced tea. When it came time to order, I had to say, bring on the beef!

The steak was 10 oz. and comes with an ample portion of rice and sides of beans, salsa, fried plantains and yuccas flour. All for just $15.99.

The server also left me a bottle of A1 Steak sauce with my meal.

One bite of the steak and I knew: won’t be needing any of that A1!

They do also serve various pastas, pizzas, sandwiches and salads like any typical restaurant but I’ll be back when I need my beef craving sated.

Parking in the area is the usual Hollywood area dreadful but they do have a attendant who parks your car in their small lot in stacked fashion for $4.50.

Don’t be put off by the rather garish looking neon lit strip club the Seventh Veil directly across from Bossa Nova.

So with apologies to Petula Clark:

Maybe you know
Some little places to go to
Where they close late around town
Just listen to the rhythm of Sunset’s Bossa Nova
You’ll be eating with ‘em, too, before the night is over
Happy again
The lights are not as garish there
You can forget all your troubles, forget all your cares and go …

Bossa Nova
7181 W Sunset Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90046-4417
(866) 299-5326

For a delightful vegan retreat, Fogo De Chao is a radiant womb that offers a serene space to enjoy a natural meal with your life mates from pilates class. Sun dappled vines caress the terra cota patio, which creates a Zen bubble, fading the rigors of everyday city life into the misty fog of memory.

Fogo De Chao is a spiritual temple offering a cornucopia of fresh organic dishes and light synthetic molded vegetable protein in the form of Chinese Power ideograms. The flowing waterfalls create a backdrop for the variety of smart drinks, each one a non alcoholic herbal enhanced shake to compliment this delicious space.

Of course, I’m lying.

The Slaughterhouse Rules

If bestial necrophilia wasn’t illegal in almost every country -including some counties in Texas- I would suggest you screw the meat before eating it, it is that good. Fogo De Chao is a war zone, a factory for rending animals, billowing smoke, and charred bones. The Brazilian churrascaria boasts a prominently lit spectacle to compete with the glitz of La Cienega’s restaurant row.

Matsuhisa, the progenitor of modern sushi, looks like a benign tumor tacked to the back end of Fogo De Chao’s loading dock, it’s tiny edifice resembling a caboose.

We followed the line of Mercedes and Lexuses into the parking lot, like a restless funeral procession waiting bury the carcass and get to the reception.

The interior space is an inviting mix of earth tones and mica chandeliers. The crowd vibe was a mix of Westside neo-hip mingling with visiting dignitaries and tourists, which pretty much describes the scene at most of the restaurants on this short stretch of La Cienega: bright hair, D&G handbags, Versace sunglasses.

There was a short wait while they turned the tables over. We sauntered over to the bar, which was a good idea since I’m not complete without my second favorite appendage, the martini glass. We were sat a few minutes later, the pager blew up, and we got our table…which was a testament to their efficiency.

Fogo De Chao operates the same as any other Gaucho meat factories. You get a coaster which is red on one side and green on the other. Gauchos, in full pantalones regalia, circulate around the room and bring broadswords impaled with charred meat to your table, and carve off an outside piece for you. When you have had enough, just flip it over to red. It’s that simple.

We got those instructions from our head Gaucho, who then invited us to take advantage of the preliminary salad bar. Now, for those of you who aren’t familiar with all you can eat places -and this is just a gussied up one- there are tactically deployed delicious fillers to load you up and cut down on your primary profit center consumption, in this case, thirteen types of meat. Seafood huts are notorius for giving you hush puppies, and all you can eat stuffed potato skin assemblages. They are very calculated in the way they huck pyramids of filler crap onto your table.

Fogo is more elegant and subtle about it, they casually motion to the island and take your drink order. I walked over and found a mostly upscale presentation: hearts of palm, caeser salad, sun dried tomatoes, assortment of cheeses…but most of it I would forgo in the glowing promise of endless charred flesh, delivered tableside. I scooped up a couple chunks of parmesan and prosciutto, and finished my small plate with incredibly tender, smoky salmon.

The meal starts innocently enough. I’m with my friends, nibbling on the subtle items from the salad bar. The waiter comes over and drops a basket of fry bread. Nice, but I’ll pass. And yet. But, they smell good. But I don’t want to fill up, because they’ll make me wait a few minutes before serving us.

A waiter drops off ceramic ramekins of mashed potatoes, fried bananas and crispy polenta topped with a dusting of parmesan. More distractions. Bring on the meat!

It’s a cliché, but be careful what you wish for. It wasn’t long after picking through some mashed potato and a polenta wedge that our first Gaucho swooped by and offered us some sea salt sirloin. Mmm Mmm, slice me off some of that! Oh, this is the best, they carve delicate strips from the outside of the meat where all the flavor is, it lands in a wet plop on my plate. So inviting. So delicious.

And it was! A burst of salt flavor brought the meat to life. Halfway through my piece, another Gaucho showed up, sword clinking on his juice tray, with some hefty pieces of perfectly charred garlic beef. He grappled a garlicky hunk and slid it down the sword. It tasted like victory, serving the dead right from the valiant swords of the conquerors. The overwhelming torrent of garlic punctuated the char of the beef, it was fantastic.

And they managed to always serve us a charred slice from the outside, unless we requested otherwise. I chalked it up to either magic, or they keep taking the sword back in for more charring. In any case, they understand that this is the part of the meat that tastes the best.

As we were analyzing the beauty of the garlic beef, another Gaucho snuck up behind us and asked in a broken Argentinean accent “Would joo like zome blah bla blah?� as he gracefully arcs the swords toward us.� What did you say?�

“I zaid, bacon wrapped chicken and sausage.�

Well, who wouldn’t? Do you have to ask? Plop, a dry bacon wrapped chicken chunk bounced onto my plate. Scraaaape off a sausage from the scimitar. While the chicken was good, it had a great smoky bacon infusion, but it was a tad dry. The sausage was the weakest part of the entire meal. It tasted like breakfast sausage, not a hearty spicy sausage. No matter.

Hmm, is it me, or is it getting a bit hot in here. Ahh well, I’m not slowing yet, and, oh, you must have read my mind. What is that? Bacon wrapped tenderloin? It was tender and smoky, everything you expect from a juicy cut of tenderloin. How can I refuse.

Indeed. How can you refuse? I mean, you paid over $50 per person right?

It slowly dawned on me that this was the exact opposite of a buffet. In a Vegas buffet, it is up to the person to get up out of his seat, and ritualistically destroy his body with abject gluttony and the desperate attempt to get his money’s worth. Oh, how we devolve into feral creatures when the value of our meal is a proportionate formula based on the amount paid vs. amount ate. I call this human behavior “All You Can Waste.�

Only here, they bring it to you.

If the disk of one person is on green, it overrides the two other red ones, so the meat keeps marching down the well trodden corridors into the valley of steel. And onto our plate.

I suddenly lost my focus…everything became a blur. I would finish up one piece of meat, still have three different piles sitting there, and the Gaucho –now rapidly becoming my tormentor- would bring up another blade of perfectly cooked meat.

Wave after wave of Gauchos relentlessly invaded our tables and mercilessly pushed meat swords in our face. As the evening wore on, each piece of meat became indistinguishable from the last…yet every one delicious and irresistible. Nobody could resist eating.

It was a fearful look into Hell.

To prepare for that night –and every night’s carnage- they had to slaughter a zooful of animals. I had a nightmare that thousands of animals were piled onto a conveyor belt, delivered to a huge rending machine that ground them up, skewered the meat marinated them overnight, and incinerated the pieces. If I didn’t love burnt animals so much, I would have been disconsolate with shame.

The clockwork procession of Gauchos collapsed into a frenzied dervish of char, as every crusty strip passed our stained lips. I had regressed into an unrefined simian. We were trapped in a rapturous and dizzying hurricane of lamb rib chops, bacon wrapped chicken, sausage, tenderloin, bacon wrapped tenderloin, beef rib meat, garlic beef, mashed potatoes, polenta strips, fry bread and leg of lamb. Evidently, I committed a faux pas by heralding it as “The Lamb of God�…I still have to look that one up.

Delicious and incomprehensibly addictive, red meat turns normal people into pirhannas. Eventually, every chip was on red, the feeding-orgy climax achieved, and now we were settling down and getting a grip on our humanity once again.

As a cruel joke, or because it was the end of the night, the Gauchos still came up and offered us what was left on their weapons. In fact, it wasn’t until this moment that they offered us our fist strip of beef tenderloin and leg of lamb.

I brooded over my plate of grim destruction, then yelled at the guy “Where were you an hour ago, before I had meat piled up to the top of my esophagus?�

Nevertheless, we couldn’t pass it up. As Heidi Fleiss once said, there’s always room for more meat.

Fogo De Chao
133 N. La Cienega
Beverly Hills
Fixed Price of $50 a person for all you can eat salad bar and, oh yeah, meat.

This time, I took pictures of the vibrant bowls of oranges that sat with you on the cozy tables inside or outside on the green terrace.

The same great Guarana 2.50 Brazilian sodas complimented our lunches full of flavor. I got the original, but this time MS ordered the Diet version. So instead of getting what we ordered the first time we came here, we dared to be a little different. MS with the Picante Cat Fish that was marinated with Brazilian spices with the standard fare of white rice, black beans, salsa, fried plantains and salad for 13.95. His dish was absolutely delicious! Tender and moist, with just enough spice to “kick it up a notch!”

I, however, was intrigued by the Traditional Feijoada or “pork stew” that’s only served on Saturday and Sundays only. Cooked overnight and served with black beans, rice farofa, collard greens, and an orange slice - this special menu item is yours for 14.95. I wasn’t too impressed with this dish, but then again, I’m not a huge fan of black beans either.

After doing some research, I learned that it’s a mix of beans and all parts of pork or beef (including ear, tail, snout). Served during lunch, it’s usually known as “O Prato do Dia” or the day’s special. According to general belief, this dish was introduced to Brazil as early as the 16th century by black slaves, and is quite a traditional dish in Brazil. It’s also only served during the lunch hour because it’s a pretty heavy dish. Little did I know that you’re really supposed to eat it with a Caipirinha - a strong sweet Brazilian cocktail that’s like a margarita. And that you’re supposed to NAP after such an extravagant meal.

Lucky for me, I didn’t find any distinguishable body parts in my pork bean stew. Just a couple pieces of meat on bone and pieces of sausage were picked out of the black bean mixture. And lucky for me, I got to trade with MS for some of his well seasoned catfish that we lathered with their house salsa.

Note to self: If ever I get the Feijoada again, take an afternoon siesta!

Cafe Brasil
street: 10831 venice boulevard, los angeles 90034
t: 310.837.8957
open every day 11a-10p / take out available
parking: lot behind restaurant or street

Cultures and languages of the world come together here in the city, and to me, this fusion is the very essence of what it means to be an Angeleno.

As you drive along Venice Boulevard, you’ll find a number of different eateries - Thai, Cuban, Mexican, Japanese, Italian cuisines to name just a few. And on the corner of Venice and Westwood Boulevards, there is a small Brazilian restaurant you may miss if you drive too quickly. With a number of potted greeneries and tables with yellow and green umbrellas, you may not even see their green canopy sign that reads “Cafe Brazil.”

My epicurean partner in crime recommended this family-owned/run restaurant, and it was the perfect spot to enjoy dinner on a summer evening out in the city. The restaurant had an airy and comfortable atmosphere with a patio lined with wooden tables and cushioned chairs.

As we stood in line at the deli/register counter to place our order, I watched other diners pick up their colorful plates of food. I looked at the menu and asked the man behind the counter what he would recommend to someone who has never had Brazilian food before. He was very patient with me as he shared the different flavors of each dish, and made several suggestions. [I later discovered that he was one of the owners.]

MS ordered the steak dish on the specials menu; while I chose the grilled chicken dish marinated in Brazilian spices. Dishes came with a homemade salsa with fresh tomatoes, cilantro, parsley, and onions; white rice; black beans; two fried plaintains; and either a side of salad or soup. We also had a couple Guarana Classic “Brazilian Sodas” which reminded me of ginger ale and cream soda.

Delicious authentic cuisine, friendly and prompt service, casual and cozy atmosphere, reasonable prices, and great company all add up to what I love about living in the city. This is something I missed when I lived out in the Midwest. This is LA. This is home.

Cafe Brasil
Street: 10831 Venice Boulevard (just West of Overland)
T: 310.837.8957

Jonah has already la.foodblogged about Happy Hour at the Border Grill in Santa Monica so I’ll make this quick. By just a hair, we missed Happy Hour at Ciudad, the Two Hot Tamales‘ (Chefs Mary Sue Milliken and Susan Feniger) Latin cuisine joint downtown. Despite the prices, I drank a capirinhia that made me woozy and a mojito with a kick. The seasoned crackers were a bit stale but the tapenades were solid. We watched the sun go down on another work day as L.A.’s downtown skyline lit up.

Ciudad
445 S. Figueroa Street
Los Angeles, CA 90071
213.486.5171

I’ve wanted to tackle a few of the cocktails in “Squeezed, Then Stirred,” since I received the June issue of Gourmet in the mail last week. My first picks were the Black-Currant Diablo and the Passion-Fruit Caiprinha. Both have somewhat elusive ingredients. I was able to find Looza, the Belgian line of bottled juices, in passion fruit but not black currant at Whole Foods in Glendale. I also visited a few liquor stores before tracking down a bottle of Brazilian cachaca — ultimately at a store called ‘Liquor Store,’ on Hillhurst, for $29.99 (!*%).

Add lime wedges and sugar to a short 8-ounce glass and mash by pounding and pressing with a wooden spoon until the sugar is dissolved. Fill glass to the top with small cubes of ice and add passion-fruit juice and cachaca, then stir well. The passion-fruit juice is tangy and tropical, the fresh lime imbues a sparkling tartness, while the cachaca lingers in the background.

It’s better to make the drinks one at a time, I think. If you’ve ever had a lousy Caipirinha at a bar, you know what I mean. And if you’ve seen “City of God,” drinking one of these after a hot day at work, is like paddling around beside a moon-lit beach with Rocket, Benny and Angelique — back before things got crazy.