Meatapalooza

Home again, well rested and definitely well fed. A good thing too as this week started off with several swift kicks in the a$$. No matter, I've experienced the ecstasy of a churrascaria and nothing can steal the warm, beefy glow emanating from within. Well, maybe that was taking it a bit too far...

But seriously! Have you been to a Brazilian steakhouse? More pointedly, have you been to Texas de Brazil?

Jeffrey and I had one of the best meals and dates of my life on Saturday. Let me set the stage: you walk into a richly-hued, flower laden, sexy restaurant and are guided to a table set with crisp white linens. Your main server arrives (ours was Bianca, and she rocked) who will give you the 411: there are several cuts of beef, lamb, chicken and pork, all of which will be continuously brought around to your table for sampling by "gauchos." The majority of the meats are rubbed in salt and all are roasted over a fire. You're given a two-sided disk and it's very simple: red means stop feeding me, green says bring it on!

First, you are directed to the salad bar. It is teaming with quality items including smoked salmon, aged cheeses and a bajillion varieties of olive oil. There is also a hot bar containing rice, beans, lobster bisque and faroffa. I chose a small sampling of roasted red pepper, some chimichurri for my forthcoming meat, a few olives, two slices of delicious mortadella and some asparagus with strawberry sauce. At the table, J quickly sent back the cheesy bread (good job honey!) but we allowd the mashed potatoes and sauteed bananas to stay. A very conservative sampling of each was done mid-meal when our tongues wanted a distraction from the carnage.

Speaking of which: WOW! Almost every cut of beef was cooked rare and I loved it. The first meat to hit us was the flank steak (best I've ever had!) and bloody goodness dripped on the tablecloth as our gaucho sliced my portion. Next was filet mignon which also rocked my socks. Soon we were cutting in to bacon-wrapped chicken, picanha their signature steak, succulent beef ribs, frenched lamb chops, leg of lamb, more bacon wrapped around more filet mignon, Brazilian sausage...the list goes on!

It was SO MUCH FUN. We ate, every bite being something new and tasty. We talked, taking breaks between rounds of meat to enjoy the ambiance and one another. Our server made sure that we were offered everything promptly and to our fill. If you want the meat cooked differently or without salt they'll do that for you too. It was the perfect dining option for two food-lovin Paleo kids like us. Even better, you can register with TdB's e-club to receive coupons. My recent birthday netted me a BOGO dinner ticket, so not only was our meal fantastic, it was a steal. I'm already trying to scheme another trip to this meat haven, seriously good eats!!!