Espetus Churrascaria Substantially Expands Its Dining Room
Unique San Francisco Restaurant Doubles Available Seating

San Francisco, CA – Espetus, San Francisco’s acclaimed Brazilian churrascaria, has significantly expanded its dining room, now occupying the entire corner of Market and Gough Streets and doubling the number of seats available. Espetus introduced the churrascaria concept to the Bay Area and remains the area’s foremost such restaurant.

The word espetus is a stylized version of the Brazilian word for skewer, which is the implement at the heart of the “rodizio” service and the hallmark of a churrascaria. A churrascaria is a dining venue that serves meat spiced and cooked to perfection on skewers over an open fire, then immediately brought tableside and carved directly onto diners’ plates by trained carvers. The carvers continue to visit each table, offering a varied selection of grilled meats, until guests signal with a tabletop indicator that they are satisfied. At Espetus, 12 to 14 different types of meat are typically available nightly and they include filet mignon, top sirloin, top sirloin steak, garlic top sirloin, prime rib, roast beef, beef Parmesan, pork loin, pork loin with Parmesan cheese, herbed pork loin, chicken breast wrapped in bacon, chicken legs, chicken hearts, lamb, house-made sausage and shrimp. The menu is offered on a set-price basis ($49.95 for dinner and $23.95 for lunch) and includes a bountiful Brazilian-inspired salad and hot plate bar with rice, beans and a varied choice of fish, chicken, stroganoff, lasagna and other special dishes, plus many vegetarian selections. Dessert is served a la carte.

Espetus’ newly expanded dining room, designed by co-founder Maris Klein, is wrapped in glass on the corner of Market and Gough. The restaurant thus now boasts three distinct rooms, each decorated in marble, wood and exposed red brick respectively and all in earthy and warm tonalities. The ambiance is designed to recall the hearths and outdoor fires of Brazil’s Pampas region – the fertile lowlands that are home to the gaúchos, famed herders of cattle – the place where churrasco style meat was first grilled. The experience of a voyage to the Pampas is further amplified by the exquisite paintings depicting the world of the gaúchos on display throughout the restaurant. These fine works of art were custom painted for Espetus by renowned Brazilian artist Edgar Cliquet.

Espetus co-owner and Grill Master Paulo Klein and his wife Maris are visionary restaurateurs who have played the role of culinary missionaries. He is a native of the city of Novo Hamburgo in Brazil’s Pampas region. Now 37 years old, Klein’s professional experience has included working in most all aspects of kitchen and front of the house restaurant operations, as well as in food retailing and distribution. He has even time spent as a scuba instructor.

Working with Grill Master Klein at Espetus is Head Chef Robson Barreto, born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. From age 10, he helped prepare meals in his family’s restaurant. Chef Barreto subsequently studied culinary arts in various schools in Brazil specializing in Brazilian, Portuguese and Italian cooking and, after enjoying a diverse career at venues in Brazil and the East Coast of the United States, spent two years in Barcelona, Spain where he attended the Escuela de Artes Culinárias where he specialized in Mediterranean cuisine. He came to Espetus at the invitation of Paulo Klein, and this is his first foray into the West Coast culinary scene.

Ensuring that the entire Espetus dining experience is a good one is Master Carver Osny Galetti, also a native of Brazil. Osny has spent 33 years in the restaurant business in 49 countries on 5 continents and has worked every service position in a churrascaria. This includes time spent at two of the foremost such establishments in Rio de Janeiro, where he learned from the best in the business the optimal order of delivery and pacing of tableside service that is crucial to maximizing the dining experience.

The beverage list at Espetus includes a wide selection of local and imported wines, especially South American vintages from Chile and the Argentinean Malbec, all of which are available by the bottle or by the glass. The full bar serves a range of classic, contemporary and signature cocktails as well as sangria, caipirinha and non-alcoholic drinks.

Since it opened in November of 2003, Espetus has earned both critical and popular acclaim for its quality and authenticity. Publications such as the San Francisco Chronicle, San Francisco Magazine and the Bay Guardian have noted Espetus’ attributes.

Espetus Churrascaria is located at 1686 Market Street (at Gough) in San Francisco. The restaurant is open daily, for lunch on weekdays from 11:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. and on Saturday and Sunday from noon to 3:00 p.m. and for dinner Monday through Thursday from 5:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 5:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. and on Sunday from 4:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Visit Espetus on the Web at www.espetus.com. Reservations are recommended and can be made through www.opentable.com or by calling (415) 552-8792.