Press Release
For Immediate Release
Contact: Tom Walton, (510) 548-1097

Espetus Churrascaria Now Open in Downtown San Mateo
New Restaurant Showcases Unique Brazilian Style of Dining With a Focus on Meat

San Mateo, CA / November 14, 2008 – Espetus Churrascaria is now open in downtown San Mateo, provide the Peninsula with an intriguing new dining option created by veteran restaurateurs Paulo and Maris Klein, in partnership with Eli and Val Nascimento.

The word espetus is a stylized version of the Brazilian word for skewer, which is the implement at the heart of “rodizio” service, 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 grilled prawns. The menu is offered on a set-price basis ($49.95 for dinner, $23.95 for lunch Monday to Friday, $32.95 for lunch Saturday and Sunday) and includes a bountiful Brazilian-inspired salad and hot plate bar with rice, beans and a varied choice of fish, chicken, stroganoff, lasagna, sushi and other special dishes, plus many vegetarian selections. Dessert is served a la carte.

Espetus co-owner and Grill Master Paulo Klein and his wife Maris were culinary missionaries when they opened Espetus San Francisco in 2003. He is a native of the city of Novo Hamburgo in Brazil’s Pampas region. Now 38 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.

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.

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. In the lounge adjacent to the bar, an a la carte appetizer menu is offered.

The understated opulence of Espetus San Francisco is further heightened in the San Mateo location with highlights that include designer lighting. The heart of the restaurant is the “churrasqueira” where all meats are grilled. Through a large glass window fronting the kitchen, guests are able to view their favorite cuts of meats being grilled. In addition, the lounge and bar area is furnished with high-end Italian designer poltronas and lounge chairs which are ideal for a pre-dinner cocktail. The San Mateo location also has a private dining room which seats up to 60 people and has a glass wall behind which is stored the restaurant’s extensive wine selection.

Espetus Churrascaria is located at 710 South B Street, between 7th and 8th Streets, in San Mateo, California. 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. Free off-street parking is available. Visit Espetus on the Web at www.espetus.com. Reservations are recommended (required for 8 or more) and can be made through www.opentable.com or by calling (650) 342-8700.

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