We Visited Carne & Caipirinha – Where Meat is Sliced Off the Skewer Onto Your Plate

A Little Piece of Brazil

On a little corner of Sunset Way off Clementi Road lies a street that looks almost like Clarke Quay. It’s one of the strangest and most happening streets this close to a HDB block, with each restaurant blasting their own music and waiters earnestly approaching passer-bys to patronise their eateries.

Today, we stopped at Carne & Caipirinha, a Brazilian churrascaria – where meat is sliced fresh off a skewer and onto your plate.

The atmosphere here is relaxed and laid-back. There were several Caucasians when we were there – many of them were Brazilians longing for a taste of home. That, to me, speaks volumes about the authenticity and quality of the food.

While they aren’t the first such Brazilian restaurant in Singapore, Carne & Caipirinha pride themselves on being the first to use charcoal in their cooking, while other similar eateries use gas. The meat is distinctly more smokey and juicy here at Carne & Caipirinha.

During happy hour, you can get all the meat, pineapple, and salad you can eat for just $39.90! We did our best to try everything, although we were running out of steam near the end. Here’s how it went.

Starters & Drinks

The salad bar is not strikingly impressive, but holds its own, with a decent variety of salads, carbos, and dressings. Do try the Feijoada – a stew of black beans with pork. It’s renowned as a national dish of Brazil and doesn’t taste at all like black bean soup – if that’s what you were expecting. Set some tummy space aside though – you’re not here for the greens!

We got into the mood with some Caipirinha too – Brazil’s national cocktail with a distinctly fruity infusion. The light-hearted combination of sugar cane and alcohol was certainly worth a go. The adventurous may want to try their red wine and Brazilian beer. 

MEAT!

When you take your seat, you’ll notice a coaster-like button on your table – that’s how you let the passadors (servers) know you want more, or if you’ve had enough for the moment. Red means ‘stop please’, and green means ‘full speed ahead’. There’re 13 meat dishes here including pork rib, beef hump, chicken thigh and beef rump cap. We won’t go through all of them but here’re some highlights you should try: 

The first meat served was chicken heart, something Singaporeans don’t get to try often. My previous experiences with chicken hearts did not leave a good impression – the meat often tasted undercooked, leaving a raw aftertaste. But it’s a different story here – the chicken heart was well cooked and seasoned. If we had to make a comparison, it was like a mix of sausage and liver without the bitterness. 

The beef hump, one of their specialties, was a very valuable cut of good quality. It tasted very different from the usual beef steaks – easy to chew, tender and richer than some rock-hard steaks I’ve had.

The pork belly is not one to be missed if you’re a pork lover – it’s akin to eating half a chocolate cake by yourself, sinful but worth every calorie. The juices are just dripping off the meat and it’s quite different from the sio bak you may have eaten at Chinese restaurants – the pork here is more plump and juicier. 

Have a good look at the mouth-watering beef rump cut before it slides off the skewer and onto your plate. The fat tastes as good as it looks, thus a gentle reminder to all – you will feel guilty after this.  

If you’re feeling really full or jelat, some roasted pineapple will do the trick. Like the rest of our meal, the pineapple was also carved off a skewer, and boy was it a refreshing break from the onslaught of meat. This is hardly the end of our meal though – it was just a pitstop to ready ourselves for more succulent goodness. Keep it coming!  

Verdict

Carne & Caipirinha serves quality meats that are typically only found at downtown steakhouses. Accompanied by a stellar supporting cast of pineapple, Brazilian cocktails and red wine, you’ll find Carne & Caipirinha a laid-back place for a family treat. It’s easily one of the best Brazilian churrascarias I’ve tried, and despite living in the northeast, I’m looking forward to coming back for more.

Rating: 8/10

Getting There

Address: #01-50, Sunset Way Residence, 106 Clementi Street 12, 120106
Opening hours: Mondays – Saturdays: 5.30pm – 11pm | Sundays & Public Holidays: 5pm – 11pm
Tel: 6464 0478 (Reservations available)

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This post was brought to you by Carne & Caipirinha.