Food review: Carne & Caipirinha

Suburban spoils

SINGAPORE — The churrascaria, a Brazilian restaurant specialising in barbecued meats, is not uncommon in Singapore. And now, it has come to the heartlands by way of Carne & Caipirinha. Tucked away along Sunset Lane in Clementi, it is purportedly also the first charcoal-fired churrascaria on the island. It seems an unlikely but surprisingly workable location — under a block of residential flats — but only sheltered al fresco seating is available, which can make for a sultry affair in our tropical climate.

Like all churrascarias, this rodizio sees skewer-wielding waiters, or pasadors, circulating from table to table, plying diners with grilled meats carved on demand. Diners are given a disc that is red on one side and green on the other. Place it green side up and the pasador will slice slivers of meat onto your plate on each pass (which, when the joint is empty, is pretty often). Placing it red side up indicates that you have had enough.

It is a great way to indulge, and at S$49.90 per head, it is a great deal for meat lovers with large appetites. Better yet, at Happy Hour (between 5.30pm and 7pm from Mondays to Saturdays, and 5pm to 6pm on Sundays and public holidays) the price drops to S$39.90 per person.

Brazilian chef Noelio Scheibel produces a cavalcade of beef, lamb, pork, fish and pineapple, all simply marinated and still softly sizzling when the pasador holds them from their skewers above your plate. Save room for the chicken hearts, which are firm, tender and juicy with lovely deep flavours, as well as the beef hump, which has a rather strong gamey flavour, but is happily succulent. The hump is a boneless cut of meat that sits behind the zebus cattle’s head, right above its spine. What’s a zebus, you ask? It is the main breed of cattle raised for beef in Brazil. Unlike the Australian and American cows we are more accustomed to eating, the zebus has “drop ears” and the distinguishing hump on their backs. Typically grass fed, they are more gamey in flavour. Aside from the hump, Scheibel also serves the rump and rump cap, both of which are as full-flavoured, with a slightly stringier texture.

The chicken thighs had a complex spice seasoning but were a tad dry, while the pork belly, with glistening fat running delectably down the skewer, was let down by its chewy crackling. The pieces of butterfish were cooked beautifully, but were a tad too salty.

Grilled proteins aside, there is an unlimited buffet spread with a selection of salads and pastas and feijoada, which is the traditional Brazilian black bean stew. However, the most repeated orders from us were for the warm puffs of pao de quijo — chewy mini cheese puffs that were served deliciously warm. Be warned, though, they are made from tapioca starch and fill you up fast. ANNETTE TAN

Carne & Caipirinha

Where: Blk 106 Sunset Way, #01-50 Clementi Street 12. Telephone: 6464 0478. http://www.carne-caipirinha.sg

Opening hours: Mondays to Saturdays 5.30pm to 11pm, Sundays 5pm to 11pm

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