Cleo’s Brazilian Steakhouse
451 El Camino Real
San Bruno, CA 94096
(650) 615-9120
www.cleossteakhouse.com

When I first visited the Cleo’s website, my palate began to salivate from the seductive grilled meets. Like an attractive photo from an online dating site, when I met reality, it was a big deception.

Hopping along the car congested street of El Camino Real, Cleo’s stood alone on its seedy foundation. Expecting an elegant facade, I was surprised by the lack of attention to detail to the exterior. Instead, unflattering food pictures hung on the window side. With the dilapidate building on El Camino, I was anticipating a brief escape to Brazil.

Where was the upbeat music?
Vibrant smiles?

Once I glanced at the exterior, I immediate reached for my belt, let it loose and prepared for my meat orgy. Do keep in mind, my previous Brazilian all you can eat excursion was at the elegant and charming Espetus Churrascaria in San Francisco.

Surely, the old adage of “we get what we pay for” can’t be more true. Each patron can expect to spend around $25 while Espetus is about double in cost. Yet, a few notes from an observant resultant consultant made my visit very memorable, in a nightmare way.

First, the clamoring of plates decreased my dining experience making it hard for casual conversation. One reason is that the restaurateur did not use rugs but opted for tile floors. Rugs are expensive but absorb sound. The restaurant flow was also horrible. As patrons lined up for the salad bar in the back wall, this caused congestion worst than 101 on a Friday afternoon bumping into the meat servers dashing to the meat grill. For those who have dined at Espetus, the restaurant flow is harmonious as patrons can revolve around the salad bar.

The salad bar was sub par. (no rhyme intended) Fruits lacked crunch since it was very obvious it came from the can. The beans and rice lacked aroma. With sauces often food spilling over the steam pans, lack of detail was clearly noted.

As for the grilled meats, there were a few honorable mentions along with sure misfires.
Stealing the show, the bacon wrapped chicken displayed the contrast of tender meat amplified with savory notes from the bacon. As the most expensive meat, I was disappointed to only taste one round of the herb marinated lamb during the course. Skip the trip tip with garlic, which is over cooked with grainy texture.

A prized meat is the top sirloin. With slight hints of fat for flavor, the meat is tender but make sure to ask for medium rare for the perfect blushing pink color. For thrill seekers, the chicken hearts are crunchy but leave the palate with a gamey after taste. With a slight snap from the casing, one bite into the pork sausage leeks the aromatic flavors to the palate.

Greeted with fried bananas, the fruit pieces sweeten the palate helping to sustain the appetite in the meat adventure.

Dressed in white shirts and black pants, the meat servers were polite and attentive.

Restaurant Consultant.
In this economy, restaurant owners must put attention to detail in order to generate a positive word of mouth advertising. I would rather skip this $25 meal and save up for one great memorable dining experience at Espetus. In a hectic world, patrons who spend over $15 are looking for a restaurant that delivers

(service) + (ambiance) + (great food)

3 Ways to Improve Dining Experience
1) When serving fruits at the salad bar, add some garnishes such as mint leaves. This enhances the presentation of the canned food.
2) Have the servers make an introduction.
“Welcome to Cleo’s. My name is Pablo. You will be enjoying a few cuts of fine meats today. If you need any meats on request, allow me to serve you.”
May your customer feel like a King.
3) Play some Brazilian music and this simply enhances the environment.

Remember.
Guys go to Hooters not for the food, but for the EXPERIENCE.