Text: R.Collins
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pened in November 2018, Costela Brazilian Steak House brings an authentic churrascaria experience to Bay City, Michigan; the Tri-City area’s bay-side travel destination. The steakhouse is the first of its kind in the area, as its culinary practice is driven by the Churrasco tradition, which emerged in Brazil in the 18th century. The unique form of Brazilian barbeque was once the cuisine of Brazilian cowboys and has since, for centuries, evolved into an engrained piece of national and cultural identity that gradually made its way north, into the United States. In Bay City, the Costela Brazilian Steak House pays homage by utilizing key aspects of the traditional process, such as mesquite wood-fire grills—operated at a searing 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit—to slow cook premium cuts of meat and reveal their com-
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plex natural flavors. Costela’s 14 cuts of USDA-certified, authentic Brazilian meats pair with produce from its gourmet Brazilian Market Table and Feijoada Bar, as well as a full wine and cocktail bar specializing in Caipirinha, a national Brazilian cocktail mixed from Cachaca liquor and fresh lime. For this edition of The Golf Explorer: Michigan’s Journal to Incredible Golf, we explored Costela’s tribute to the increasingly popular Churrasco tradition in conversation with Executive Chef Ramiro Costilla. Besides a deep appreciation for Churrasco, Costilla brings a preference for clean labels, impactful f lavors, and minimalistic seasonings to the menu, along with an overall approach focused on letting the natural qualities of each ingredient express themselves.
Executive Chef
Ramiro Costilla Costela Brazilian Steak House 110 Uptown Dr., Bay City, MI 48708