A good friend of mine from Rio de Janeiro took me here as a celebratory meal and I was absolutely amazed by the foods here. I had been to many Brazillian churrascarias in Houston but none truly compare to Nelore. Right off the bat, the fact that real Brazilians were recommending this restaurant was the ultimate clue that I was in for a treat. The service is impeccable and the meats are some of the best I've had around the city. Of course the pao de quejo (the cheese bread) that is served was wondeful, but perhaps the most out there thing that I've ever tried in my life, and which Nelore has, was the CHICKEN HEART.
First of all let me start by saying that the Chicken Heart was as good, if not better, than any of the other meats that this restaurant serves. Second of all, let me state that I can't believe how TINY chicken hearts are. The hearts are essentially skewered onto a metal stick and cooked in the same fashion that the meats are cooked. When they first come around, they look like tiny circular meats and you usually don't know what it is. But the waiter will not hesitate to tell you that it's Chicken Heart - nor will they hesitate in convincing you to eat it. I ate it. When it first goes in your mouth, you are bracing yourself. But it tastes nothing like what you would expect one of the bloodiest muscles in the body to taste like. It actually had as much flavor as the restaurant's meats. The texture was smooth yet the muscle was chewy - call me a chicken Hannibal Lector, or whatever you will, but if you are ever at Nelore and they have the chicken hearts coming around, don't pass it up - if anything just to say that you too ate chicken heart, and it was good!
Oh and a piece of advice -try the Guarana - made from a Brazillian fruit and infused into a soda, this is a great non-alcoholic drink that compliments every bite of every dish. Known for its clarity properties, it will also make you feel more awake.
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