Picanha Churrascaria Brazilian Grill & Bar 
Bringing The Pampas of Brazil to Cathedral City With a Flair

Colorful gauchos serve you with sword in one hand, carving knife in the other.

 For as long as visitors have come to the desert, steakhouses have reigned supreme: from Sinatra’s martini-era to today’s carb-conscious dieter, steaks have been not just a staple food item, but also a luxury best enjoyed with friends. Enter, then, Picanha, the steakhouse that has introduced locals and tourists alike to the joys of churrascaria, the traditional Brazilian form of rotisserie grilling and tableside carving.

Decorated in soft earth tones and featuring an expansive bar that seems primed for the kind of après golf scene the desert is famous for, Picanha is an inviting destination for those wanting a romantic night out or for those wishing to indulge in the ultimate food celebration.

The hallmark of churrascaria dining is the sheer opulence of it all: instead of ordering just one item, at Picanha you are served a series of meats by waiters dressed in traditional gaucho-wear — right down to the boots — who arrive at your table with swords skewered full of steak, lamb, pork ribs, filet mignon, bacon-wrapped chicken, and a variety of other specialty meats. The waiters then skillfully carve out portions to your specifications using a knife roughly the size of Excalibur.

While this may all sound like the dreams of protein-diet impresario Dr. Atkins, you’ll have to cheat a little if you wish to indulge in the garlic mashed potatoes, grilled vegetables, and sumptuous salad bar that accompany the symphony of meat — or if you leave room for their trademark desserts (including a very substantial flan) made fresh on-site.

Like its original location in the heart of Burbank’s Media City, Picanha has turned casual-upscale dining into an evening destination, spinning an American classic — meat and potatoes — into an international affair.

SHOWN ABOVE: Picanha’s menu is filled with traditional Brazilian churrascaria fare, including Petite Filet Mignon, Top Sirloin, Tri-Tip, Pork Loin, Picanha Steak, Brazilian Sausage, Leg of Lamb, Pork Ribs, Lemon Steak, and BBQ Chicken Drumsticks. Pictured, clockwise from the left, the delicious Fire-Grilled Signature Picanha Steak, cut hot tableside; tender servings of Chicken Breast Wrapped in Bacon, Garlic Picanha Steak, BBQ Chicken, Brazilian & Polish sausages; Taboulleh Salad, antipasto salad with sun-dried tomatoes & feta cheese, eggplant, and zucchini; hearts of palm salad with garlic mashed potatoes; Opus One and Montevino Zinfandel and their Signature Capirinha, the Brazilian national cocktail.

“Picanha spins an American classic into an international affair.”

MENU HIGHLIGHTS

APPETIZERS
Variety of Meat Platters

ENTRÉES
Petite Filet Mignon
Lemon Steak
Picanha Steak
Leg of Lamb
Pork Ribs
BBQ Chicken Drumstick
Tri Tip Steak
Parmesan Crusted Pork Loin
Brazilian Sausage
Garlic Chicken
Polish Sausage
Garlic Picanha

DESSERTS
Brazilian Flan
White Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake
5 Layer Chocolate Cheesecake
Brazilian Peanut Chocolate Bar
Caramel Banana Crème

BEST OF THE CELLAR

RED WINES
Opus One, Napa Valley
Masi Amarone, Italy 1995
Achaval-Ferrer Meritage, Argentina

WHITE WINES
Ferrari-Carano Chardonnay
Wente, Riva Ranch Chardonnay
Mezzacorona, Pinot Grigio

BRAZILIAN DRINKS
Caipirinha — Lime wedges and sugar pummeled together, then shaken with Pitu Cachaca over ice.
Por Do Sol — Absolut Mandrin, Cointreau and Maracuja juice chilled martini-style.
Samba Azul — Skyy Vodka, DeKuyper Blue Curaçao and mango juice shaken over ice.
Brazilian Sunset — Cruzan Pineapple Rum, orange and pineapple juices, grenadine, orange and cherry garnish.
Caipiroska — Absolut Mandrin, lime and tangerine wedges pummeled together with sugar.

PICANHA CHURRASCARIA BRAZILIAN GRILL & BAR
68-510 HIGHWAY 111, (NEXT TO THE IMAX® THEATRE)
CATHEDRAL CITY, CALIFORNIA 92234
(760) 674-3434

More Information - Websites, Maps and Directions

269 EAST PALM AVENUE, BURBANK, CALIFORNIA 91502, (818) 972-2100

BY WENDY DUREN
FIRST PHOTOGRAPH: COURTESY OF PICANHA
FOOD PHOTOGRAPHY: ETHAN KAMINSKY