Grimpa Brazilian Steakhouse

We arrived too late for lunch and too early for dinner, yet we still had a great time. My wife and her parents had just arrived from Costa Rica, and after picking them up at the airport, we decide to drive out to Mary Brickell Village, in the heart of Miami’s financial district, for a quick bite and cocktails. Mary Brickell Village is a pleasant upscale shopping plaza with plenty of good restaurants and shops. One of the best restaurants there is Grimpa, a contemporary Brazilian steakhouse specializing in some of the finest cuts of meat outside of Brazil.

It was around 3:00 in the afternoon, so we sat at one of the shaded tables lining one of restaurant’s external walls; if there’s one good thing about getting there at that time, is that there’s no waiting for a great table. We ordered wine and caipirinhas. The caipirinha is known as Brazil’s national drink, and is made with cachaça (traditional Brazilian spirits), lime juice and sugar, served on the rocks; this sweet-n-tart cocktail is delicious any time of the day. I had the Caipirinha de Maracuja (with added passion fruit), and the wife had the Caipirinha de Morango (with strawberries). Now, I’ve had a good share of caipirinhas, both in Brazil and the U.S. (I make a wicked caipirinha at home too), but few are as good as these – I definitely recommend having at least one, to any one who visits Grimpa.

Since we weren’t very hungry, we decided to go with a couple of appetizers. We started with a platter of picanha and sausages. Picanha (Tri-Tip Sirloin) is the most popular cut of beef in Brazilian steakhouses, and these did not disappoint. They were cooked medium well, and were served juicy and tender, with just a hint of salt. We also had a platter of cheeses, which included Brie, Parmigiano-Reggiano, and Swiss. Our server added a basket of freshly baked rolls and a basket of hot and delicious pão de queijo (Brazilian cheese bread) rolls.

We sat for a good while enjoying a couple more orders of caipirinhas and wine. We talked, laughed, and enjoyed the type of cool late afternoon breeze that can only be experienced this time of year in Miami. The service was to the expected standards of a high-end restaurant, with premium prices to match. The check for the 2 appetizer platters, 8 cocktails, a glass of house wine, and the basket of pão de queijo, easily exceeded $250. I still had a very enjoyable time, and I’d happily spend another afternoon the same way again.

Grimpa Steakhouse
901 Brickell Plaza
Miami, Florida 33131
305-455-4757