The newest restaurant in Sioux Falls features fast-casual Brazilian barbecue with beef, chicken and shrimp and 14 side dishes to choose from.
Gaucho Flame Brazilian Restaurant opened Wednesday at 2312 W. 69th St. in the former Pita Pit space with a “huge line” at the door, said Marcelo Krunitzky, who owns the business with his wife, Micheli. The staff also includes their three daughters and a few others.
“Everything came (together) the way we envisioned,” said Krunitzky, who moved to Sioux Falls in 2005 after culinary school in Brazil and spent most of the years since then working at Carnaval Brazilian Steakhouse.
Diners order at Gaucho Flame’s counter, which is lined with the seven cold and seven hot side dishes, and they watch as the server removes the spit of meat from the grill and slices it.
“Here, we’re doing everything in front of the customers, and I think that’s unique because you can see the food being cooked,” Krunitzky said.
Meat options, which come as 8-ounce portions, include Brazil’s signature picanha, New York strip steak and chicken breast, and there’s also shrimp. When ordering beef, customers can choose everything from rare to well done.
The picanha is seasoned with sea salt rocks, the New York strip has a steak rub that’s made in-house, and the chicken and shrimp are prepared with a marinade that’s also made on-site, Krunitzky said…