Picanha is bland compared to what we have, says Salt Bae, chef of the gold-plated meat

Mexicans are the main audience at Nusr-Et, a steakhouse owned by Turkish chef Nusret Gökçe, known worldwide as Salt Bae for the unusual way he pours salt on the meat. Brazilians are in second place — and they don’t go unnoticed when they show up at any of its 32 restaurants.

But often they arrive with expectations that will be dashed. “Brazilians normally go after picanha,” said chef Salt Bae, on a crowded afternoon at the branch in Doha, the capital of Qatar, which hosts the World Cup. But the place, which only has prime meats, doesn’t offer the beloved barbecue cut among friends.

He says that, in fact, its variety of cuts is such that it leaves the sirloin bland compared to what it offers.

“Brazilians usually only know picanha and ignore the other cuts. The people who come here know that they will find good quality meat. Here, it is not the place where they will find picanha”, said the chef.

But the lack of the cut doesn’t seem to be a problem. Fans of all nationalities join long queues not only to secure a table but to take a “selfie” with the chef, who stops by the hall frequently to attend to numerous requests.

Salt Bae was also the star of the Brazilian national team’s break, last Tuesday (29), when players went to the restaurant to order the most expensive dish on the menu, a large cut of rib-eye covered in 24-karat gold, which costs approximately Rs. $3,300.

Ronaldo Fenômeno, champion of the 2002 World Cup, was also there. And he recorded the moment on his social networks. The chef personally welcomed them and said they were “very excited” and with a lot of appetite. “Even danced.”

The Spanish national team was also present at the steakhouse and was received by the Turkish team.

The space is located in the luxury resort Sheraton Grand Doha and has tables overlooking the sea. For the chef, however, the best ones are at the entrance. There, the view is to the kitchen with an open concept, and to the glass refrigerators with showy and organized vegetables, in addition to different cuts of raw meat.

The restaurant serves as a stage for Salt Bae, who performs as he cuts the piece and throws in the salt to finish it off. Some even get a piece in their mouth, right off the tip of their knife.

The display is mainly for those who buy the larger pieces. The cheapest cut at the Doha branch costs around R$270 and serves one person. But there are slightly more affordable options, such as the hamburger with fries, which is around R$215.

The most expensive, however, was the choice of selection – which, despite the price, is popular and comes out often.

“Everything is tasty, I always recommend the best taking into account the price, of course. People can pay different things”, he said.

Those willing to face queues, which can reach three hours for a table at the restaurant, have an hour to eat. Once the meal is over, the waiters are quick to provide the bill and invite people to leave. The price is steep, and the time is short – at least the food is good.