OZO’s Brazilian churrasco brunch, an outstanding deal!

Text and pix by Shiran Illanperuma

Colombo’s food scene features a number of tried and tested gimmicks. From seafood buffets to high teas, discerning foodies have, for the most part, contended with the same palette of experiences packaged and repackaged by familiar brand names.

In this dearth of creativity, OZO’s recently-introduced churrasco (or, Brazilian brunch) comes as a breath of fresh air. Featuring a wide range of unique and surprising dishes, high quality meats and relatively affordable booze, OZO has sought to bring something new, if imperfect, to the table.

Walk into OZO’s EAT restaurant on a Sunday morning and you’ll be greeted with a serene view of the Indian Ocean, the perfect setting for a Sunday brunch. As the courteous staff guide you to your seat you’ll note the bartender busy fixing you a ‘Caipirinha’ – a Brazilian national cocktail made with a sugarcane-based spirit called Cachaca (which OZO has dutifully imported for maximum authenticity) along with sugar and lime. 

OZO’s take on this classic cocktail hits the spot, with its sharp taste and zesty notes. However, those who didn’t drink (or do and find the caipirinha to be too strong) may partake in a sweet ‘virgin’ version featuring ‘narang’.

With drinks out of the way, diners will set their sights on the great variety of salads on offer. The pre-made seafood, potato and pasta salads are all noteworthy, being delicately seasoned and cooked to perfection. However, indulging in these seems a distraction given the bevy of meat that is the star of the show. What is noteworthy however, is the do-it-yourself salad station, which features impeccably fresh and crunchy vegetables alongside a selection of staple dressings.

Enter: the meat. To be perfectly clear, this is what pushes EAT’s churrasco from ‘average’ to ‘good’. As you finish up your salads, the waiters will begin parading a range of meats (chicken, pork, beef and mutton) fresh off the grill and still smoking on their skewers. For the most part all of the meats were perfectly cooked, with crispy charred edges giving shape and texture to tender and succulent meat. The beef was the stand out of the lot, thanks to the slight pinkness revealed when cutting through this medium-done dish. 

While it would have been easy to cook the meat to death and back (as is often common in Sri Lankan cooking), EAT’s delicate treatment of the beef brings out the best of its flavours. Just as good were the chicken and mutton, each complementing the other despite having bold and distinct flavours. 

The only disappointment was the pork, which was, relatively speaking, much tougher than the rest of the fare. The chicken sausages proved to be hit-or-miss. Oozing with grease and fat, they pack a powerful flavour though they may not be for the faint of heart (quite literally).

To accompany these mostly-excellent meats EAT also offers a range of traditionally-prepared Brazilian vegetarian dishes as well as condiments delicious enough to keep you going for a second round of meat. 

The selection of grilled veggies including potato, eggplant, pumpkin, manioc, green beans, zucchini and mushroom, to name a few, all help to balance out a hearty protein-rich meal with some healthy variety. Resisting the urge to Sri Lankan-ise Brazilian classics, all of the dishes are seasoned with restraint, allowing the natural flavours to dominate thanks to a minimalist use of herbs and spices.

Sadly, desserts are where the OZO’s brunch begins to falter. It’s not that the selection on offer in generic, in fact there are quite a few surprising choices from the banana fritters to the passion fruit mousse or the avocado and coconut panna cotta. The fault lies in the execution, with most dishes feeling like an anti-climactic afterthought to an otherwise great meal. OZO’s churrasco brunch is an outstanding deal; an all-you-can-eat, meat-heavy buffet with a complimentary cocktail for the price of Rs. 2,750 is undeniable value in a city that increasingly demands stiff investments for a high-end dining experience; and that’s not even taking into consideration the cost of alcohol. 

While EAT’s churrasco fare won’t necessarily rewrite the rulebook, it is a welcome change with a comparatively accessible price tag.