Queen Square, L1
Review by Liam Deveney
The South American eating experience is nothing new in Liverpool and meat lovers have been able to enjoy the rodizio (all-you-can-eat) service for some time.
The latest addition to this tasty genre is Copacabana, a Brazilian steakhouse set over two floors in the city’s popular Queen Square area.
The layout is simple, somehow giving each table plenty of room whilst feeling part of a shared experience, and bar manager Daniel’s warm greeting set the tone for a pleasant evening.
The menu is straightforward – my partner and I both struggle with choice. One price (£22.95pp) covers the meal which includes trips to the salad bar and as much meat as you can eat.
There is a cheaper lunchtime menu (£12.95) although not all meats are available and it might not be a good idea unless a siesta has been factored into your afternoon.
There is also a vegetarian option (£17.95) although it is hard to imagine anybody other than a true lover of meat booking a table.
We were invited to visit the salad bar before the first meats arrived and we stocked up on a range of salad, rice and vegetables. It was smaller than in similar restaurants but as my other half pointed out smaller salad bowls means fresher food as there’s “nowhere for the old salad to hide”.
A refreshing glass of Santa Alvara Sauvignon Blanc (£4.95) later and we were ready to go into battle.
The meat arrived courtesy of our ‘Passadore’ meat waiter and each offering was as delicious as the last. The chicken wrapped in bacon was “beautiful”, the pork with parmesan was given 10/10 by my plus one and both lamb servings were cooked to perfection.
But the undoubted star of the night was the (famous) rump steak which was worth the money on its own and was one of the finest meats we have ever tasted.
As is the norm, red and green cards on the table allow you to control when the meat is served – the waiter will only come to your table if the green side is showing – although the food was so good our cards stayed green side up all evening.
Finally, after an hour of sheer enjoyment, we had finished with the meats and sat back to catch our breath. It was impossible to find fault with any of them and at least three were utterly magnificent.
We had both somehow managed to keep a small space aside for dessert so I opted for the sticky toffee pudding and my partner chose crème brulee (both £4.95) – we weren’t disappointed. In fact, the only criticism I could muster – and it is a mute one – is the desserts were TOO big following an all-you-can-eat experience.
Overall, it had been a wonderful evening. Great food in lovely surroundings guarantees a good night out and Copacabana does just that. With another restaurant opening in Myrtle Street in the coming months, Liverpool’s culinary scene is receiving a fantastic double boost.
