Viela - Lincoln

annecater · Viela - Lincoln

Viela has recently been in the Top 100 Restaurants in The Independent newspaper and also mentioned in The Times so we decided that we just had to give it a go last night.

The blurb says:
Here at Viela we specialize in the famours Churrascaria (BBQ House) style of restaurant that is a favourite in Brazil for both Brazilians and visitors. The idea started in Rio Grande do Sul the southern cattle state of Brazil where the Gaucho cowboys live and work, for a celebration meal they would cook many different kinds of meat on large sword like skewers over an open fire, and then carve off the meat at the table for the people of the village. The Churrasco Gaucho (Gaucho's BBQ) is fast becoming something enjoyed across the world. Viela is the first restaurant of its kind in the East Midlands and only the fourth in England so relax and enoy the authentic taste of Brazil

There were 4 of us and we booked a table for 7.30pm. The building is beautiful, in the historic Cathedral quarter of Lincoln just at the bottom of Steep Hill. It is all flagstone floors and beamed ceilings.
We had a drink at the bar first and were then shown to our table upstairs.

It is £19.90 per head not including sweets, coffee or drinks.

First we were brought a basket of breads, including garlic bread, cheese bread, wheat free and normal, these came with ham pate and cream cheese and butter.

Then the starters were introduced. A plate of hot savoury finger food, including 2 different meatballs, prawn pastry and cheese and ham pastry. We were then told we could help ourselves to the salad bar which was really nice and included mixed olives, couscous, beetroot and lots of other stuff.

Sitting down again, they brought us bowls of white rice, hot beans and pork and black bean stew.

Then the fun began! The chefs come out of the kitchen and roam around the tables with enormous spears with BBQ'd meat, they carve it at the table and you all have your own individual tongs to get as much as you want. It just keeps coming and coming, just when you think there cant be anymore, another type of meat arrives! It is all cooked to perfection, so tender and with really tasty coatings. This is what we got:

Alcatra (Rump Steak)
Costela de Boi (Beef Ribs)
Frango com Bacon (Chicken in Bacon)
Cordeiro (Lamb)
Presunto e Abacaxi (Ham and Pineapple)
Linguica Calabresa (Brazilian Sausage)
Lombo de Porco (Loin of Pork)
Asa de Frango com Pimenta (Spicy Chicken Wings)

Oh and chips if you want them!

Needless to say, we were stuffed. We all said we would definitely go again, but next time hold up a bit on the starters and bread as we just didnt expect so much meat. It didnt come all at once, the chefs just appeared every now and again with a different skewer.

And you can have it all again if you want, they came back and asked us did we want any more?

We just didnt have room for sweets but the selection did sound wonderful.

The total bill was £106.70 - that was 4 x £19.90 then 2 alcoholic drinks each and four coffess which we thought was excellent value.

Website: www.viela.co.uk

dingsy

This sounds lovely, and quite unusual. I spent 6 months in Brazil, so would love to give this place a try-the method of eating there, was very novel, and took some getting used to (especially when the food was plonked directly onto the (very clean) tables, with no need for plates.
Great review!