EL PASO, Texas (KFOX14/CBS4) — A new Brazilian-style steakhouse in El Paso is betting that diners who love ribeye and picanha will embrace an all-you-can-eat experience that blends Brazilian, Mexican, and American flavors.
Alex Danielli, one of the owners and the chief operating officer of Las Espadas & Co., said the concept grew out of a partnership with George, whose family is from Chihuahua and founded Las Espadas in Mexico. Danielli said the brand has eight locations in Mexico and three locations in Juarez.
Danielli said he met George and as they talked, he said George already had a project underway in El Paso. After visiting the city, Danielli said they decided to open here because El Paso didn’t have anything similar.
“We’ve been to many places in town; they have amazing steaks, but we have the all-you-can-eat steak,” Danielli said.
He said the Juarez locations offer “amazing food and amazing experience,” but crossing the border can be time-consuming, especially for people with limited time for lunch. “People have one hour for lunch, so they don’t have the time in El Paso to just cross to Juarez and have lunch and come back here,” he said.
Danielli said the El Paso restaurant couldn’t bring in every food item from Mexico because of laws, but the team was able to combine elements of Brazilian, Mexican and American cuisine. He said the restaurant is designed for diners who want variety, including different meats cooked to different temperatures.
“We offer all kinds of meat. You’re gonna be offered well done, you’re gonna be offered medium, you’re going to be offered medium-rare, all kinds of temperatures also,” Danieli said.
He said the restaurant serves “four animals,” including lamb, pork, chicken and beef, with a variety of cuts that can change rather than staying the same every day. He also said the salad bar includes 68 items and the meat selection includes “over 12, 13 different types of meat.”
One surprise since opening, Danielli said, has been demand for lamb. He said some vendors initially told him lamb wouldn’t sell in El Paso, but customers asked for it, particularly those familiar with Brazilian steakhouses elsewhere. He said another favorite has been picanha, which he described as a famous cut also known as “ramp rose or culotte,” served on skewers.
Las Espadas & Co. is also the first location in the group to feature an Ipanema bar, Danielli said.
He described it as a lounge where customers can wait for a table and order drinks, including caipirinhas, which he called a traditional Brazilian drink.
Danielli said the restaurant does not use a reservation system for parties of fewer than 15 people.
“Number one drink in the last two, three weeks that we have been open, it is the caipirinha,” he said.
Danielli also shared the origins of the rodizio style of service, tracing it to Brazil in the 1970s.
He said the concept began when a restaurant manager who handled tickets got sick, and staff began bringing skewered meats to tables instead.
“So they started the Rodizio concept. It’s the concept where you try a little bit of everything, and that was successful,” Danielli said.
He said the approach reflects Brazilian culture and hospitality, with servers frequently offering food throughout the meal.
“We love to serve you a lot of food. So when you come here, don’t be offended. We are gonna offer you food all the time we can,” Danielli said.
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Dining and Cooking