Best of 2003: Best Fun Feed For Carnivores

Rei Do Gado Churrasceria
939 Fourth Avenue, Gaslamp
619-702-8464

The meats just keep coming at a Brazilian rodizio, skewer after skewer of churrasco (Brazilian barbecue). Sirloin shish kebab, skirt steak, top sirloin, tri-tip, linguiça, shrimp, turkey, filet mignon... The meats are seasoned simply, some wrapped in bacon, some rubbed with garlic, some merely salted. What makes it fun is the huge, ever-changing buffet of Brazilian side dishes, desserts and, yes, even entrées. There's always feijoada, of course (Brazil's national dish of stewed black beans), but you may also find beef stew with okra, oxtail stew with yucca, seafood stew in coconut milk -- and that's before you even address the huge array of salads, light desserts, and fresh fruit.