Handheld Bites

My Airbnb host, who had lived in California for some time and seemed well-traveled, recommended Mocellin Steak as his favorite spot for Brazilian barbecue in Rio de Janeiro. Since I already knew that hitting up a churrascaria and a rodízio (all-you-can-eat BBQ) was at the top of my list—after all, when in Rome!—I decided to take his advice.

I took an Uber there, and as soon as I arrived, I could tell the place was elegant and upscale. Once I was seated, I took in the atmosphere: the restaurant is dimly lit but perfectly bright over the tables, giving it a modern, classy steakhouse vibe.

I started off by ordering a salad and a side of onion rings to balance out the massive amount of meat I was about to consume. It was full table service, so the waiter brought everything out perfectly plated—no need to get up from the table.

When the servers started circulating with the skewers, I tried almost everything—skipping only the chicken so I could save room for the premium steak cuts. Even as I started to get full, I couldn’t stop; the quality of the grilled meats was just too good. And, of course, I made sure to wash every bite down with a cold Coca-Cola.

One of the standouts of the night was the deep-fried pork ribs. They were perfectly crispy on the outside and incredibly juicy on the inside. They were so good that I had to specifically ask the server for one more round before finally calling it quits.

Overall, it was a fantastic dinner, and I left feeling completely satisfied. Since I had already checked off one other churrascaria during my trip, I knew this was likely my last rodízio experience in Rio, so I made sure to make every bite count. I’ve had Brazilian rodízio back in the States, but having experienced two different spots here in Rio, I am incredibly glad I chose to include Mocellin Steak in my itinerary.