Texas de Brazil

America food culture since World War II has more often than not become a culture of gluttony. Perhaps this was an unseen effect of the rationing of the Depression and War with citizens and companies alike realizing the abundance of what the American farm could produce. Fast forward to 2012 and our consumption, food and consumer culture alike, is amongst the greatest in the world, resulting in warped perceptions of meals (fast food) and an ever expanding waste line that is kept in play not by a healthy diet and exercise but my a largely unregulated pharmaceutical industry. 

Yet, to embrace a large meal, one must look past anti-consumer culture advocates and realize that many cultures throughout the continents celebrate a special occasion with a grandiose meal. Comedian Jim Gaffigan said Thanksgiving seems pointless at times because it is a holiday where “we eat and drink to excess…don’t we do that every day?” Savor the fine times when you do, choose quality ingredients, a pleasurable dining experience, and plenty of water ahead of time to flush out that system in preparation of a food utopia. My friend Nick and I have thus christened those once or twice a year visits to a Brazilian steakhouse called Texas de Brazil as “Fat Fests”

I ate little on Tuesday in preparation for the meal at the Texas de Brazil location in Schaumburg, Illinois, located in Woodfield Mall. The occasion was for my Ally’s twenty-fifth birthday. Texas de Brazil rewards return customers to cash in, as we did, with buy one-get-one meals for birthdays and anniversaries, cutting a hundred dollar meal for two in half. Be kind and tip the extraordinary service by gauchos and waiters for in my five visits to Texas de Brazil (Schaumburg and the larger Chicago location) I hadn’t been wanting for much for long before the waiter brought what I needed by for a requested meat or glass of water with speed and professionalism. 

The gauchos patrol the restaurant, which to me looks like the interior of the Nautilus from 20,000 Leagues under the Sea. In their hands they hold over two foot long skewers of small portions of filet mignon, Parmesan chicken, beef ribs and Brazilian sausage which are dropped onto your plate by your request after they notice your token next to your plate has been flipped from red to green. On other delectable meats such as flank steak, leg of lamb, and the house special picanha you use small tongs to hold the meat in place as the gaucho slices it off for you to have a non-messy transfer to the plate. In truth, no good steak should need sauce, ketchup or a vinegar dip to supply unless it is made that way. Texas de Brazil’s meats are brimming with flavor in and out from hours of marinating and then cooking to medium rare (or other choice specifications of the customer) on the same skewers the gauchos serve. My one complaint is that I can tell the marinades for some of the meats have salt, which is then added to in the cooking process with more salt, thus at times producing meat that is over salted but still tasty. 

 Adding to my eyes-rolling-in-delight over the flank steak, beef ribs and bacon wrapped filet slices, a visit to Texas de Brazil without a stop or two or three to the salad bar is tragic. A salad bar at a restaurant tends to evoke images of mediocre assemblages of leafy greens. At Texas de Brazil, depending on size of location, will have an abundance of vegetables for salad and individual consumption (grease that chute people), Europeans cheeses and my all time favorite soup – the lobster bisque. Creamy, smooth, tangy and brimming with that buttery puree of lobster flavors, that bisque should be a special menu item to be served with unlimited bounties of cheese and bread. If you manage to find space in that crowded room that becomes your three pound heavier stomach, you won't regret a choice of desserts that range from creme brulee to my favorite, a slice of the bananas foster pie. The dessert is the only menu item that is allowed to be taken home.

Libations are in order at Texas de Brazil as evident by the wine racks that usually take up one of the walls. In Chicago they have a two and half story wine rack that has bottles fetched by a woman spinning on a trapeze. At times an after dinner aperitif such as limoncello is required. Though unlimited the food may be, you are going to thank those chemical components to break down that meat – trust me. 

Abundance is sometimes pleasure, as evident with Texas de Brazil. And as a last piece of advice, if you do not work or lift off that meal and give that protein a place to go, leave your next morning to either be a slow one or a day off – its gonna be a rough ride. 

 http://www.texasdebrazil.com/