Rodizio Rico

It’s true, not just an off-the-cuff statement or a great marketing ploy. When the restaurant Rodizio Rico claims, “no craving is too large” they mean it. On my visit, I don’t think I’ve been offered, or eaten, so much meat before in my life. And, surprisingly I discovered my inner cavewoman a lot more easily than I thought. I had the chicken hearts, more fillet than I could shake an industrial skewer at and still kept the meat arriving at my table. It was the food fiesta that just kept on giving.

The idea behind this Brazilian chain is to give London diners an authentic Brazilian “churrascaria de rodizio”. Not having been to South America I can’t say whether they’ve ticked that box in terms of authenticity, however, for a truly unique dining experience they seem to have cracked it.

Different types of meat are cooked in a Josper Grill on girder-like skewers. These are then taken by passadors (meat carvers) from table-to-table. They slice the meat onto your plate – the only thing you have to do is hold a set of tongs to catch what falls and a knife and fork to eat it. Choose from lamb, beef, pork, chicken, and the speciality … wait for it, chicken hearts. Cooked just how you like it from the cuts that have just finished moo-ing to those who like their’s well done.

Each diner is given a drinks mat-sized disc one side red (for stop) the other green (for go). The idea is you spin the disc to reveal whether you want to eat more or less. I don’t think at any point my disc showed red. I ate everything that came to the table, paused for no one and watched as my hosts and fellow diners jaws hit the table.

If you’ve got room, there’s also a salad bar, lots of grated vegetables, bread, chilli-laden dressings and, what must be a Brazilian delicacy, hard-boiled eggs.

Now, I’m not quite sure where I found my appetite, the energy or the barefaced cheek to keep going, but I did.

This is a great place to meet a bunch of friends, you can eat-all-you-like for what I think is a bargain £23.50, vegetarians are catered for but to be totally honest with you I think they’d have a lousy time. This is for the pure carnivore.

They also know how to mix a mean drink. A Strawberry Caipirinha (£6.80) and the Brazilian national Cocktail the Caipirinha (£6.00) I tried did not skimp on the booze and were reasonably priced.

I think I forgot to mention the caramelised pineapple – my goodness – it was delicious – no need for the ice cream, the sugar brought to the perfect temperature in the grill made for a terrible naughty but welcome palate cleanser.

I decided against the puddings – thank the Lord I started to actually feel incapable of walking to the tube I was so full – although the condensed milk crème caramel looked like a wobbly bowl of gorgeousness (£4.80).

You can find Rodizio Rico at Fulham Broadway, the O2, Islington and Westbourne Grove.

I went to the Fulham Broadway branch – nearest tube Fulham Broadway

11 Jerdan Place, Fulham Broadway, London SW6 1BE
T: 020 7183 6085