Copacabana Restaurant is one restaurant that never disappoints us when we take guests visiting Charlottesville. The guests may be picky eaters, not into international cuisine, but the food at Copacabana pleases all.
As my husband told our guests "It is a simple restaurant" decorated with beautiful posters of Brazil on the walls, clean linens, and simple flowers. The tables are arranged for two, four and six. My friend, who didn't speak English well, asked my assistance in choosing what to eat. I suggested her chicken breast and shrimp in spicy Brazilian sauce served with angel hair pasta and vegetables ($14.95), which I learned at a previous visit to be a customer favorite. I ordered Chicken breast stuffed with crabmeat in basil cream sauce served with potatoes and vegetables ($16.95). My husband ordered the special of the day: shrimp and lobster tail with pasta and vegetables . Our other guest wanted to eat what he ate before at another Brazilian restaurant (I guess he didn't want to take a chance) and ordered grilled Copacabana combo on skewer: New York sirloin, chicken, and pork served with rice, black beans, and collard greens ($17.95). He asked for the chef to substitute pork with chicken and after inquiring about it our waiter said it would be no problem.
Our entrees came with salad. Three of us chose house dressing made with avocado vinaigrette, while my husband who doesn't like the garlicky taste of the house dressing ordered his salad with blue cheese dressing. We were served hot bread with butter while we were waiting for our salad. The bread as usual was crunchy and hot. I used some of the slices to dip into the salad dressing, as the dressing was so heavenly. When our entrees arrived, I was disappointed with my choice. I didn't like the basil cream sauce and the crab was too salty for my taste (crab is naturally salty). I wished I ordered veal medallions and scallops in Dijon mustard and white wine cream sauce served with orzo pasta and vegetables, which I loved because of the white wine cream sauce. The steamed vegetables were good. My husband loved his shrimp, pasta and vegetables but found the lobster tail to be too banal. Our guests both loved their entrees although the one who ordered the skewer combo only ate his meat but did not touch his collard greens, black beans or rice (I have to inform you that he is on a carbohydrate diet). I felt bad that those awesome collard greens were to be thrown away. At the end of dinner, he told us that we were lucky to live in Charlottesville and have such great places to eat.
We were all too full, so we skipped the desert as usual. Maybe I will go there just to eat their deserts next time!