Years from now, we’ll bounce the grandkids on our knees and regale them with what has to be the most puzzling food trend of the ought years: The “high-end” chain Brazilian steak house (if not the chain-ing of steak houses of any kind altogether). And while we cannot argue with seared beef of any kind — sorry vegans, we’ll hit you up with a post on Vrapple before the week is out — it does seem bizarre to us that a city with such a rich culinary past and present bows before the chains. But no matter: Move over Fogo de Chao, here comes Chima! This big-ticket expense-account burner is set to open at 19th and JFK on May 27, having already conquered Ft. Lauderdale, Vienna, VA, Atlanta and many, many cows and pigs. Meal style is trad. Brazilian: You pay one rate, and eat until you die. And while we want to hate, we have to say: We love big crazy meals like this. We just wish someone in Center City would do one that doesn’t violate our Olive Garden rule.
I love what they did with the nursery. Now where did the kids go?
Is this the first example of a restaurant just coming right out and saying “yeah, we’re cutting down the Brazilian rain forest so you can have cow on your plate”?