Meat.  I love it.  If you're a meat-lover, you'd probably enjoy Brazaviva.  Brazaviva is a Brazilian Churrascaria restaurant, featuring many kinds of delicious meats, brought to your table, and carved directly onto your plate.  So far, there are three locations of this restaurant, but the one I'm reviewing is at 7711  SW 40th Street, in Miami, Florida.  This is a large, beautiful restaurant with plenty of parking.  I've never had to wait to get in, even on a Saturday night.

Like other Brazillian barbecue restaurants, there is more than just meat on the menu.  Your meal will also include a wonderful buffet of salads, appetizers, and side dishes.  The buffet is not your typical salad bar, it's quite a bit more extensive, and features such delicacies as blocks of cheese, artichoke spread, shrimp, asparagus, prosciutto, salami, eggplant dishes, mushrooms, and olives.  There are also fresh bread, hot soups that change daily, and a few hot dishes, such as rice, beans, and one or two casseroles.  In addition to the buffet, a few items such as cheese bread, fried bananas and mashed potatoes are served at your table.

Every diner is given a card, that is used to control the meat service.  Turning the green side up means "bring it on".  Turning the red side up means "stay away".  So, whenever you're ready, turn the card to green, and servers will start appearing at your side.  Each will be carrying a large skewer and a knife.  They will ask if you'd like a piece of whatever they're serving.  If so, they'll carve directly into your plate.  They usually carve a few pieces at once, but you can ask them to stop after one, or to continue serving.  But don't feel you have to load up any one item.  The servers continuously circle the restaurant and will come back again, to offer more of their item, for as long as your card stays green. 

What kinds of meats are served?  Well, they list sixteen different kinds on their menu, but they don't have all of them, every single day.  Still, there will be at least a dozen different types of meat.  Various kinds of chicken, lamb, beef, and sausage will be offered.  My favorites are the filet mignon, the beef ribs, and the lamb chops.  Feel free, by the way, to request your meat done any way you like.  So if what's being offered on the skewer is too well done for your taste, tell the server and he'll come back with another sample of the same meat, cooked (hopefully) to your liking.  The servers are extremely willing to make your dining experience perfect, so for instance, you can tell the lamb server that you'd like him to send back the chicken server. 

The meats are absolutely delicious.  In fact, I would say that I've enjoyed some of the best beef dishes at this restaurant.  The meat is always tender, soft, and seasoned perfectly.  My husband and I tend to enjoy different types of meats, cooked completely differently, yet we both love our meals at this place. 

One minor complaint is that the meat servers come a bit too quickly.  You do not have time to enjoy what's on your plate without several servers approaching you.  So you're constantly saying "No, thank you" and waving them off.  You can control this problem by using your card throughout the meal.  Simply turn it to red while you're enjoying what you have, then flip it back to green when you're ready to try something else.  By using your card this way, the servers will be there only when you're truly ready for something else.

When you're all finished, you can enjoy a variety of Brazillian desserts, but I've always been way too stuffed to order any of them. 

Price:

$34.99 for dinner
$17.99 for lunch

If you're not a meat-eater, you can order just the buffet:

$19.99 for dinner
$12.99 for lunch


Of course, drinks and desserts are not included in these prices.  Is this a place I frequent?  Absolutely not.  But for an occasional treat, I recommend it.  Especially if, like me, you love meat!

Recommended: Yes

Notes, Tips or Menu Recommendations Eat slowly, and enjoy!