Dinner & Dancing
With so many well-known restaurants and popular nightclubs on Avenue B, it was only a matter of time before the two concepts morphed under one roof. Carne Vale, the new Brazilian barbeque spot from the owners of Le Souk-the popular North African restaurant and late-night hookah hangout across the street-is an upscale dining establishment until 11 p.m. After that, bouncers and velvet ropes appear and meals are seasoned with more international techno than ever expected.
A $35 prix fixe dinner available daily from 6 to midnight is the only choice on the menu. The meal begins with a self-service appetizer table stocked with potato salad, pasta, roasted peppers and fruit salad. The spread is impressive, but leans more toward American than Brazilian barbeque.
Next, a large dish of rice, beans, farofa (fried yucca flour with bacon and spices), salsa and (mysteriously) mashed potatoes are brought to the table.
At this point, the carne takes center stage. An army of waiters circulate with large cuts of meat on skewers. While eating dinner in small sections can be frustrating, it's exciting to sample the different types of meat. The selection is varied, from tiny and tender chicken legs to top sirloin, filet mignon, chicken wrapped in turkey bacon and a most excellent prime rib. It's up to you to eat a bite or a boatload, and with a new cut coming by every few minutes, you can graze at your own pace. A coaster-sized card with a green side that reads "Mais Carne" and a red one, "Obrigato" allows diners to communicate to servers-as long as the green card is showing, the food flows.
Ten dollar cocktails, including tasty Brazilian sangria add an ethnic kick, while the wines range from $7 to $12 per glass.
The entertainment completes the Brazilian atmosphere. Unlike other South American spots in Alphabet City where weaving winos two-step out front, Carne Vale hires dancers to shimmy and shake throughout the restaurant every hour starting at 9.
As the sun sets, the music gets louder and louder. While diners may find talking nearly impossible, the people arriving for drinking and dancing seem to enjoy it just fine. The food stops circulating officially at midnight, but usually the tables have been pushed aside long before.
Despite the chaos, Carne Vale provides an appetizing and amusing dining experience. The space has a laid-back and jovial vibe, and definitely lives up to its festive name.
212-777-4686