Casa Brasil director says business has 'never been scarier'

David Hall opened the first Casa Brasil restaurant on Oxford Street in 2013, having decades of experience as a chef in five-star hotels in London and opening Italian restaurants Waterside throughout the 2000s.

But the all-you-can-eat restaurant made a seemingly sudden move out of Westquay South to a new location at Ironside House in Ocean Village.

David explained that with utility bills rising, Casa Brasil had to stomach a lot of extra costs to keep prices low.

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“If I was going to keep the same prices as I did in 2016 with our costs, it would cost £50 per person, but we’ve tried to keep it at £37," he said.

David explained that electricity bills alone have tripled - what once was £2,500 a month rose to £7,500 in the Westquay unit.

“If your bills are going up at home, imagine what they’re doing in commercial premises,” he said.

“The Ukraine war, as just one example, was the fact that a box of pasta went from £18 a case to £54 a case, that’s three times the price."

Some of the all-you-can-eat meat available at Casa Brasil. (Image: Newsquest) All meat that Casa Brasil uses is 100% British or Irish produce, with their pork and poultry coming from Owton’s Butchers in Botley.

David would never want to cut corners on meat, he says, or use anything imported and frozen.

“You live and die on the quality of your meat,” the restauranteur said.

“If you come round and it’s all-you-can-eat and the meat is tough or your pork is dry, you’re not going to have customers very long. Me being a chef, quality is quality.”

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A forfeiture notice was seen on the old Westquay unit's door, but David said the move has been planned for a while.

The new Casa Brasil restaurant in Ocean Village. (Image: Newsquest) “To get out of a 20 year lease, you’ve got a commitment for £3.6m, it’s not something you can easily do," he said.

“Because of Covid, landlords took away certain break clauses for a reduced rent in Covid. So then we really had our backs up against the wall.

“In everything we do, the small guy, independent restaurateur like me, hasn’t really got a chance to win against a multi-national conglomerate."

All 75 members of staff have joined David at the new location, including fan favourite manager Paulo Estivera.

Casa Brasil in Westquay closed on January 5 and reopened in Ocean Village on January 22 – just two weeks later.