Wash down your skewers of meat with a Grimpa mojito. Photo by Martin Morcillo

To most of us, the word rodizio means “come hungry.” The literal translation of the Brazilian word is continual service. But to those with a hearty appetite and a love of meat, come hungry is the better description.

A tasty example is Grimpa. This brand-new addition to the Mary Brickell Village area of Miami combines the Brazilian rodizio and the upscale steak house. The result: a sleek and stylish two-story restaurant with blond woods, walls of windows, handsome chandeliers, a crystal wine cellar that boasts more than 500 international labels and a glass staircase leading up past a Britto painting to a smaller dining area above. And more than 14 different cuts of beef, pork, chicken, lamb and fish.

Did you think come hungry was a come on? In a rodizio, servers walk the room, brandishing swords that skewer everything from prime rib to lamb chops. Your plate is empty? They slice off some meat for you. Your plate is full, they still slice off some meat for you. But I’m getting ahead of myself.

When you’re first seated at Grimpa, you’re brought a basket of tasty cheese bread while a skilled and schooled waiter explains the rodizio concept. The two-sided disk by your plate has a green side that means, “I want more” and a red side that means, “Stop. I need a break.” The servers totally disregard the disk, offering their selections as if they were working on commission. But they do ask before they slice you more rib eye.

Again, I’m ahead of myself. Because before the meat parade begins, you must first go to the salad bar and hot buffet. Central to the room, the salad bar is more than iceberg and garbanzos. Here you’ll find Caesar salads, Waldorf salads, three-bean salads, gravlax, pâté au poivre, hearts of palm, caprese, red and yellow peppers. The list goes on. Behind the salad bar is a hot buffet offering black bean soup, vegetable soup, white rice, gratinée vegetables and garlicky mashed potatoes. Be careful. These are just to pique your appetite for the meal to come (unless you want only a salad bar lunch or dinner for $19.50).

At this point the gaúchos, with their meat-skewered swords held high, begin their approach. It’s important to note that these men are not merely slice-and-servers. They describe the meats too, explaining the difference between tenderloin and rib eye. Although they slide most of the portions from the sword onto your plate for you, you will get to participate in taking some slices from larger cuts by grabbing the meat with the tongs provided beside your plate. It’s fun — kind of like food art. Kids will get a kick out of it (ages 6 to 12 are charged $18).

OK, so what does Grimpa serve? There’s prime rib three ways: as ancho steak, chorizo steak and ribs. Picanha is Brazil’s most noted barbecue cut. We call it prime sirloin. Top sirloin is roasted whole on a spit, tenderizing it. Flank steak is rich in flavor, as are the tenderloin and the boneless rib eye. Lamb chops and shank are spectacular. Meat is sliced from beef ribs at the table. Slabs of pork ribs are slow cooked. Grilled salmon is a healthy alternative and the boneless chicken is the tastiest we can remember. Every cut was rich, juicy and tender. All are simply prepared, seasoned with salt — although the salting was particularly heavy on a few of the cuts — and grilled over charcoal.

Servers without skewers also will visit your table. They have your side dishes: the OK french fries, terrific fried polenta, yucca flour (an acquired taste) and fabulous fried bananas. A steak house without a baked potato? Believe me, you won’t miss it.

Desserts are not included in the rodizio, but Grimpa has plenty to choose from. The Apple Crumb À La Mode ($10) with its diced apples and crisp topping was delicious. The Key Lime Pie ($8) was nicely tart. We’re hoping someone forgot to put the sugar in the Grimpa Special ($9) — a guava soufflé with catupiry cheese — because it was more of a punishment than a pleasure. But the Chocolate Petit Gâteau ($10) minicake with its creamy interior and chocolate ganache made up for it.

Many of the meat selections, as well as the fish and chicken, may be ordered as à la carte dinners. But that’s only if you didn’t believe my definition of rodizio: come hungry. After all, how can you say no to someone holding a sword?

Grimpa Steakhouse ADDRESS: 901 S. Miami Ave., Miami PHONE: 305-455-4757 HOURS: Lunch Monday through Friday 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.; dinner Monday through Thursday 5 p.m. to 11 p.m., Friday and Saturday to Midnight. Sunday lunch and dinner noon to 10 p.m. RESERVATIONS: Strongly suggested FOOD: Steak House SERVICE: Excellent PRICES: Rodizio $39.50 WINES: Impressive assortment of domestic and international labels ATMOSPHERE: Sleek and stylish CREDIT CARDS: All