Texas de Brazil

Overwhelmingly Good!

In celebrating my birthday last night at Texas de Brazil, I had a smorgasbord of meats and vegetables that more than satisfied my appetite. The dining experience is unique, for it's set up like a buffet but instead of serving yourself, it's a hybrid of self-service and table service.
When the diner is seated at a table, he/she gets the typical complimentary bread and water along with a chit that indicates when the patron is ready for the main course (the meats). The green side of the chit indicates that the diner is ready to be served and the red side means that the diner doesn't desire meat. Usually when I dine there, I start off with a plate of vegetables and hors d'œuvres that is served at the salad buffet counter in the middle of the restaurant (this is the only self-service component that the churrascaria engages in). It has items like goat cheese, prosciutto, sautéed squash and other delicacies not typically found in salads. Everything on the buffet is fresh, for quality is premium. The buffet counter alone can provide a better meal than many restaurants that I know of.
After I finish my plate of vegetables and hors d'œuvres, flip my chit over so I can dig in to the main course. The steaks and sides are brought to the table by a team of servers carrying skewers of meat such as sausages, lamb (rack and leg), flank steaks and filet mignon wrapped in bacon. In addition, mash potatoes and cinnamon-flavored bananas are served by the staff attending the customers. I must say, the amount of meat that is served can be overwhelming, but it's so good that I find hard to resist. Overall, the meats are well seasoned and tender, and with quality just below some of my other favorite restaurants (The Majestic Grille, Kooky Canuck). It's really good for a buffet and places like Piccadilly can't get close to the churrascaria's quality. The effort to churn out as much as it does and maintain good quality has to be commended. On a scale of 1 to 10, I will give the various steaks and other meats an eight and will rate the service a ten because of its attentiveness. For my birthday dinner, I give special kudos to the bartender who brought me my Guinness after I left the bar without finishing it. Overall, I really enjoyed my dinner and I plan to dine there often.
Although I enjoyed my dining experience, next year I will celebrate my birthday at a restaurant that isn't a buffet. (NOTE: since posting this, I dined there again the day after my next birthday, courtesy of a good friend). Although I really like Texas de Brazil, the only celebrating that I did after my over indulgence involved a bottle of Kaopectate. However, I don't regret dining there, and it is a restaurant that I highly recommend.

Website: www.TexasDeBrazil.com