Haute Dining: Texas de Brazil Serves a New Interpretation of Meat and Potatoes

When you’re hungry, really hungry, make a note to stop by Texas de Brazil for lunch or dinner. The Brazilian restaurant knows how to make sure you want to leave in a wheelbarrow. You can get very full without even trying.

Lunch starts with the salad bar area, which is much more than that. It’s almost like appetizers combined with the makings of a salad and soup smorgasbord to boot. More than 50 items pepper the bar, including cheeses and Italian salamis. Load up on veggies such as steamed asparagus with strawberry sauce or grilled Portobello mushrooms and then add some dollops of shrimp salad and pork black beans.

Be careful on your timing here. Soon you’ll get to the portion of lunch that you control — the meats. Flip a card to green and a bevy of gauchos will parade racks straight off the fire for slivers  of moist cuts sliced from massive skewers. Pork, lamb, sausage, chicken and beef, especially filet mignon, make an appearance, and if you really like a cut, that gaucho will circle like a vulture to ensure you get your fill. The meats are cooked over an open flame, a tradition learned from the gauchos of southern Brazil who prepared their meats the same way over a campfire.

Little sides of garlic mashed potatoes, sweet fried bananas and delicious Brazilian cheese bread accompany your meal. Flip your card to red when you want a break from the action.

If you have room, be sure to order the Bananas Foster Pie, a delicious rendition of the New Orleans favorite.

Just don’t expect to eat later in the day. You’ll be full for hours.

Texas de Brazil is located at Town Square, 6533 Las Vegas Blvd. S.; 702-614-0080.

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