Food Therapy: Plataforma Churrascaria

I love meat.  I know that you're never supposed to say never, but I will never be a vegetarian.  It just ain't gonna happen.  Let me reiterate: I love meat.  And every so often, I get a HUGE hankering for lots and lots of meat.  When this happens, I head to Plataforma Churrascurria Rodizio (located at 316 W 49th St (b/w 8th & 9th Ave), NY, NY; there's also one located in Tribeca but it's not as good).  They serve different cuts of meat at your table Brazilian-style!  It's a prix-fixe:  $56.95 per person.

Don't make what Sunshine and I like to call "the amateur move."  There is a very tempting buffet in the middle of the restaurant filled with salad, so-so sushi, shrimp cocktail, etc (you get the idea).  Avoid the buffet at all cost!  Everything at the buffet is just filler!!

If you're at Plataforma, you're there for meat.  Just go for it!  Each person is given a paper coaster.  One side is red (which indicates that you don't want meat) and one side is green (which indicates that you do want meat).  Slap that little coaster on the table so that the green side is facing up.  You want meat.

Here are staple cuts/meats that you can expect:  (They will also bring out filler-meats such as chicken wrapped in bacon, sausage, fish, etc...don't get the fillers!!)

• Sirloin Steak:  This is my FAVORITE!!  It's tasty, tender and juicy.  It's best when you ask for it rare.  Go for medium rare if you can't stomach such redness.

• Flank Steak:  This is a tasty cut but not as tender as the sirloin.

• Prime Rib:  Sunshine loves this cut...maybe because you get bigger pieces?  It's good but after one slice, I go back to the sirloin.

• BBQ Pork Ribs:  These bbq ribs were surprisingly decent - not because they were smoked nicely but because they were tender and the bbq sauce is sweet-ish and sloppy.

• Dinosaur Beef Ribs:  Beef ribs are a favorite of mine (especially smoked beef ribs), but they're very had to do right.  And these were unfortunately not done right.  They were dry and tasteless.  So skip these...I know, they look impressive but they're not worth your stomach space.

They used to bring all the sides to your table but now you have to select your sides (there's no limit).  My favorite sides are mashed potatoes, fried bananas and this sauce to put on your meats:

Yummy-Yummy Tip:  They used to have asparagus risotto at the buffet (back when I was an amateur (gasp!), I would start with the buffet) but now they have sun-dried tomato risotto at the buffet.  The sun-dried tomato risotto is good but not as good as the asparagus risotto.  The former is much heavier (more cheese?) so it fills you up quickly.  Don't get hooked on it.  If you ask nicely, they will make the lighter asparagus risotto.

Dessert is NOT included in the prix-fixe price (nor are drinks).   But the dessert cart is truly scrumptious looking.  If you love sweets the way I do, you will end up getting dessert despite being full beyond belief.  We ended up getting this chocolate mousse cake to share:

It was okay.  The liquor mixed into the chocolate mousse was a surprise (an unwanted surprise).  I should have ordered the regular chocolate mousse or the creme brulee: