Templo da Carne Marcos Bassi

I had been meaning to get to Templo da Carne Marcos Bassi for years. I will not wait that long again.

The room is exactly what you want it to be: Bixiga butcher shop turned dining altar. We were seated near the back, given menus we hardly needed, and brought a small bowl of olives without being asked.

We started with a half-dozen oysters from the raw bar, which set the tone — generous, unfussy, and confident enough not to crowd what was coming. With it we ordered an Argentine malbec the waiter chose for me, and were glad of both.

Then the main event: costela bassi, the dish that puts Templo da Carne Marcos Bassi on every short list. It was, frankly, the best version of this cut I have had this year. The signature touch — the slow-cooked beef rib, falling off the bone — is not a gimmick; it is the reason to come.

For sides we asked for buttered haricots verts and fried okra and a dab of remoulade. Both arrived hot, both arrived early, both were exactly large enough to overdo it. We overdid it.

Dessert was crème brûlée with a proper glass crust, mostly because the waiter raised an eyebrow when we hesitated. He was right to.

Some places earn their reputation. Templo da Carne Marcos Bassi earns it twice over.