Thank you, Estancia Brazilian Steakhouse, for inviting me out to try your delicious brunch menu! While I did receive some complimentary treats (i.e. all you can eat meat!), all opinions are my own.
Estancia is an all you can eat Brazilian Steakhouse at Austin’s Arboretum – an experience unlike any other. They offer an incredible variety of sides then you choose which/how much meat you’d like as your main course. What’s amazing is the meat selection. It includes samples of sirloin, bacon wrapped filet mignon, prime rib, grilled shrimp, lamb, beef ribs, pork ribs, pork tenderloin, chicken, sausage… it goes on and on! Let me back up a little though.
Brian and I were there for their Sunday brunch and salad bar menu ($39 per person). I’m not totally sure how your experience would vary if you went for a dinner ($52 per person), as compared to our weekend brunch. The price difference is huge, so if you’re interested in going on a weeknight, I’d call ahead to see exactly what’s included. Our meal and experience were amazing though, so I’d suggest the weekend brunch if you can do it.
We started with appetizers and sides. We had rice, beans, mashed potatoes, crispy polenta and fried banana. Quite the selection! We also sampled their cheese bread, which is a MUST. They’re like little croissants with cheese inside! Delicious. They also have a new brunch item: bolo de fuba. It’s Brazilian corn bread with banana cream.
For brunch, there are two salad bars – one cold and one hot. The cold salad bar had lots of cheese choices, veggies, fruits, and various salads. The hot bar had different meats like bacon and sausage, along with soups.
The one drink you have to order is their lemonade. It’s made with condensed milk! Oh my gosh, is it delicious. It’s not overly tart or sweet. The milk really calms it down. There’s also a beautiful rolling bar cart, mixing drinks at your table.
Now for the main course – all you can eat MEAT! You’re given a card, green on one side, red on the other. You flip it over to green when you want meat, then get ready! Individual servers come around with bacon wrapped chicken breast, filet minion, sirloin, lamb. They are incredibly responsive. I had trouble getting pictures in time, they were so fast! I’d have to tell Brian to wait before he flipped his card over. I’d get my camera all set, then I’d tell him, “Ok, flip… now!” That’s how fast they are! It’s pretty awesome.
When you dine at Estancia, you are treated like royalty! They pull out your chair for you, unfold your napkin, and check on you every few minutes to make sure everything is the way you want it, down to the temperature of the meat. It’s definitely A+ service and it adds to the elegance and special feeling of the whole meal.
If you’re a normal person, you won’t have room for dessert after an all you can eat meat experience, but try to show restraint! Their dessert is pretty incredible as well. We sampled two: their papaya cream, which is delicious papaya blended with vanilla ice cream, topped with creme de cassis (a fruit liqueur). It’s optional, but YES, you want that added. We also tried their flan, a southern Brazilian pudding made with condensed milk, whole milk, and eggs, topped with caramel sauce. While the flan was good, the papaya cream was definitely my favorite. I’m not sure how much their desserts are, but both desserts were definitely a sharable size.
In my opinion, Estancia is a special occasion place. It’s not cheap, but it’s the experience you’re paying for. All of the food – from appetizers to the salad bar to all you can eat meat galore to drinks to desserts – is top notch. An incredible meal paired with some of the best restaurant service I’ve experienced adds up to a dining experience worth paying for.
Thanks again, Estancia, for arranging to have me out. We were treated SO well and will definitely be back.
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