Fogo de Chão in El Segundo – Two restaurants in one
At fine tables in the 1800s, there were two competing models of how to make a meal special: Service Francais, where a table is set with all the ornamentally prepared dishes of a meal arranged so diners could admire them, and Service Russe, where servers bring each dish from the kitchen individually portioned for one person. Fans of the former praised the joy of seeing all the dishes presented so they could decide how much of each they wanted, and complained that waiters bringing individual plates was cheaply theatrical, a way of showing off how many servants you have. Those who preferred Service Russe pointed out that dishes delivered straight from the kitchen arrived hotter, and there was no jostling as diners tried to get items they liked that had not been placed close to where they were seated. We all know which style became dominant, though Service Francais continued at formal banquets into the 1920s. Elaborate buffets survive aboard cruise ships, at weddings, and hotel brunches, but this style of dining is usually relegated to more downscale affairs. There is one place in the South Bay that offers both types of service with high style: the newly opened Fogo de Chão. Though…
Read this story on easyreadernews.com