And it comes by the name of Texas de Brazil. But there’s more than T-bone and New York Strip on the menu. And there’s no way — no way — you will leave this place hungry.
Texas de Brazil first arrived in the United States from South America in 1998 in Addison, Texas. Since then it has migrated to 12 other locations in six states and Aruba, with two in Virginia, including its latest move into western Henrico County. Three more locations are planned in other states for 2007.
From the giant flaming crucibles outside the main entrance, the blood red paint on the walls, the large gilt mirrors, the massive beam work and the exotic floral displays all around the place, you definitely get the impression that Texas de Brazil is geared to satisfy deep carnivorous needs.
The signature culinary element is churrasco, the Brazilian method of cooking meat rotisserie style on long swordlike skewers over an open flame. The tradition comes from the plains of southern Brazil where the gauchos, or South American cowboys, would create lavish feasts of the best meats culled from their herds for friends and family.
The open pit barbecue has been tamed behind a panel of windows, but the sparks and flames still soar and sizzle anywhere from 10 to 17 different cuts of various meats. And the gauchos here, who are all Brazilian and attired in customary blousy pants, boots, thick leather belts, rolled-up sleeves and neckerchiefs, meander with purpose around the dining room wielding sharp knives and long skewers pulled right from the flames and loaded with meat. And since Texas de Brazil runs on the Brazilian concept of rodizio, it’s all for you.
Rodizio is a dining concept most aptly described as pay one price, eat all you like, and features continuous service from the gauchos. How does it work? Well, it’s all in the card. After taking a lap around the 40-plus item salad bar, which really is more of a tapas/appetizer bar with small temptations such as seared tuna, goat cheese terrine with caramelized onions, papadew peppers, gorgonzola, and traditional Brazilian black beans and toasted yucca flour, you’ll return to your table to find garlic mashed potatoes, fried bananas and a small round card green on one side and red on the other. After nibbling through your appetizers, turn the red card over to green.
Out of nowhere a gaucho appears, with two 3-foot skewers loaded end-to-end with miniature filet mignon. He slides one off the skewer and onto the plate before taking off. Just as you dig in to the filet, another gaucho appears. “Flank steak,” he says and slices off a 6-inch length. And then another gaucho: linguica. And another and on and on: lamb chops, beef ribs, lamb shank, pork ribs, bacon-wrapped chicken, pork parmesan, picanha. At 10 items, you can no longer see the bottom of the plate and need to flip the card to red. After tasting through each of the meats, all of which are succulent and tender though the flank steak is the winner on flavor, you think about summoning another gaucho with a flash of the green card. But you simply cannot turn down the offer of dessert and cap off your night with traditional flan, which is perfect.
Eating at Texas de Brazil is an over-the-top thrill, but it’s not the kind of place you go every night. And it isn’t cheap.
A small dinner, which means only the appetizer/antipasti/tapas/salad bar, is $29.99.
The large dinner (which brings the parade of gauchos) is $42.99. And drinks are extra. But if you’ve grown bored with the big-hunk-of-meat-style steakhouse, take a trip to Texas de Brazil and hang out with the gauchos, amigo.
Texas de Brazil
Regency Square Shopping Center
1420 North Parham Road
(804) 750 - 2003
www.texasdebrazil.com
Lunch: Coming soon
Dinner:
5 – 10 p.m. (Monday – Thursday)
4 – 10:30 p.m. (Friday–Saturday)
4 – 9 p.m. (Sunday)
Cuisine:
Brazilian Churrasco
Atmosphere:
Upscale dining for carnivores
Cost Factor:
Rodizio (all you can eat)
Dinners $29.99 – $42.99
