Camacho Watcho

A few weeks ago, I visited Brasa, a new NE Minneapolis restaurant that specializes in rotisserie chicken, pulled pork and southern/caribbean sides and wrote a review. To sum it up…Brasa is fantastic.

Sooooo, why am I writing about this again? I’ll tell you why. Kyle and I went for a late dinner tonight and decided that Brasa, a fantastic near-standby was just the place. I was starving from after a long workout and Spanish class and Kyle was slightly tipsy from a happy hour; in short, we needed a solid meal that both of us would like.

We walked into the familiar restaurant and sat down, assuming we would put in our favorite order: quarter chicken, quarter pulled pork, one corn muffin and a side of yams with andouille sausage, but right away we noticed a change…a new menu. Actually, I was just coming back from Spanish class, so I pointed it out by saying “una carta nueva!” Regardless of the language, the format was changed. Okay, that’s cool, we thought.

But then, upon closer look we realized…there’s a new menu item, too. And not a run of the mill new side order menu item, rather they now have THREE main dishes instead of two. That’s right…they added braised beef to their menu that is so fantastic, I would consider going back and having another order right now if I didn’t realize how ridiculous of a notion that is! This beef is so tender, falling apart with the slightest touch of the fork, and the flavor is amazing. While the chicken is solid and the pork is not to be missed, the beef has a blend of sweet spice that is down right addicting.

I didn’t think Brasa could get any better…but it just did. Bravo!

Brasa has received a lot of ink (and keystrokes) recently, and deservedly so. From its organic ingredients and comfort food to its intimate seating, this Southern/Jamaican-hybrid restaurant keeps me coming back for more.

It’s simple really. Take a former gas station, paint it warm shades of brick red and mustard yellow, add good service and a savory menu and you’ve got Brasa. Pulled pork, rotisserie chicken and a variety of sides are the only menu items, but they are worth it. Although my favorite is the pork, both it and the chicken are tender and full of flavor. The sides are quite tasty too, although I am confused at to why the spinach with jalapenos and the cheese grits got so many great reviews. Sure, they were tasty, but I have to give my endorsement to the sweet potatoes with chorizo. This side dish of perfectly cooked sweet potato, not too mushy and not too hard, combined with the salty, slight-charred bites of chorizo is the perfect combination of flavors, savory and sweet. To top it all off, don’t forget the corn muffin – a requisite in my opinion.

While eating a freshly cooked meal at Brasa was a fine feast, we felt the only logical next step was to apply the Camacho rule to the leftovers. Growing up a Camacho, I learned that almost anything (particularly leftovers) goes perfect with tortillas. From leftover Thanksgiving dinner (turkey tacos with stuffing and mashed potatoes are my favorite) to macaroni and cheese (yes, I have seen my father eat this) we have tested this rule time and time again. Kyle and I put Brasa to this test and we were completely satisfied.

Bottom line, not only do I recommend Brasa for a night out, but I highly recommend over-ordering and bringing home some goodness to put in a tortilla. Top it with a little cheese and Louisana hot sauce and call it a meal. Perfection.