Brazilian cowboys, massive knives, and unlimited gluttony! We must be talking
about a Brazilian steakhouse: Texas de Brazil, to be exact. Enjoy all you can eat,
but don’t expect a doggie bag. Prepare to gorge yourself in savory meats!
Obviously, when you think of a Brazilian steakhouse like Texas de Brazil,
you might assume that it was founded by someone from either
Texas or Brazil. But in actuality, the founder of the chain restaurant,
Salim Asrawi, immigrated to the United States from Lebanon, and his story is pretty inspiring.
According to D Magazine, Asrawi came to the United States in 1981,
along with 1 million others, as war raged on in his home country of Lebanon.
The war lasted from 1975 to 1990, and as he told D Magazine, quote, "War became part of my life."
So how does the chain manage to feature such delicious, authentic Brazilian cuisine? In 1997,
Asrawi and his business partner visited Brazil and ate at the
restaurant of chef Evandro Caregnato . They were obviously impressed with his skills,
and the fact that he was an actual gaucho was also appealing. Because of that,
the three worked together to open Texas de Brazil in the Dallas area, with one founding
principle: they wouldn't change the traditional preparation and serving of the Churrasco dinner.
But what exactly does that mean?
If you've never eaten at a Brazilian steakhouse,
then you might be a little confused as to what makes it so different from other steakhouses.
And honestly, the answer is everything. Eating at a Brazilian steakhouse
allows you to experience a true Brazilian dinner, something Texas de Brazil is definitely proud of.
Specifically, Texas de Brazil was inspired by a tradition from southern Brazil called "churrasco,"
in which local cowboys would cook large meals with slow-roasted meats cooked over the fire,
and a large array of seasonal vegetables as well as regional specialties. The meats were the main
star of the show, though, and today are brought to the table to be hand-carved in front of diners.
And that's basically what happens when you dine-in at a Texas de Brazil.
You are served a large array of meats right at your table, as well as a large salad bar
with seemingly endless toppings. It truly is an authentic Brazilian steakhouse experience.
After years of hard work, planning, and a strong desire to create an authentic Brazilian experience
in Texas, Asrawi and Caregnato opened the first location of Texas de Brazil in 1998 in Addison,
Texas. As Asrawi told D Magazine, it wasn't an easy process, but it was worth it.
"If you put in the time and effort, you will succeed
one way or another. [...] It required me to dig as deep as I've ever dug."
Opening a new restaurant is never an easy endeavor, but from their first location onward,
Asrawi never gave up. And with such an original concept and great team behind his back,
it's no wonder it became such a success.
Eating at Texas de Brazil is an experience unlike anything you've ever had before.
First, the dine-in menu isn't your typical menu where you decide on a single entree.
Texas de Brazil has a fixed-price menu that gives you access to a ton of food.
Then, you'll get your fill of the huge salad bar that's a step above your typical salad bar.
At Texas de Brazil, there are fresh vegetables, charcuterie items, and even smoked salmon and
homemade lobster bisque. You can go back to the salad bar as many times as you want, too,
so don't stress if you aren't able to try everything at once.
And you'll also be greeted by "gauchos" serving a variety of table-side meats.
The gauchos walk around the restaurant with different meats for you to choose
from - so try not to fill up on the salad bar, as hard as that might be.
Typically, when the economy struggles, so do restaurants. People stop eating out as much,
so it makes sense that restaurants would suffer the consequences. But for Texas de
Brazil, a bad economy can't stop them from expanding and opening even more locations.
According to Nation's Restaurant News, while many chain establishments struggled in 2013
and the years prior, Texas de Brazil wasn't one of them.
Their director of operations told the publication that the success of Texas
de Brazil was due in large part to the chain being strategic and smart in how they expanded.
"In this economy there are a lot of good deals to be had. People are willing to negotiate and
provide better terms for businesses. At the same time, a lot of restaurants are folding,
and there are spaces available. It's all a matter of taking advantage of the good deals."
In 2020, amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, Texas de Brazil responded by offering more to-go options
and taking reservations to keep indoor dining safe and responsible. That said, the chain has
had to close at least one location because of the pandemic, but it seems other locations have
remained open, which is pretty impressive. A struggling economy can't stop Texas de Brazil.
If you're looking for an economically friendly meal, then Texas de Brazil probably isn't for you.
Yes, it's a lot of food, but since your dine-in options are mostly eating from
the price-fixed menu, you'll be paying a premium price for all that food. Specifically,
depending on the location of the restaurant, one meal will cost anywhere from $42.99 to $48.99.
So, while Texas de Brazil is certainly a unique dining experience, it's also by no means a cheap
night out. And because of that, you won't find a Texas de Brazil in just any neighborhood. Malcolm
Knapp, president of a restaurant consulting firm, told Nation's Restaurant News, quote,
"[Texas de Brazil is] an upscale brand, so it can't go everywhere. It needs the right location."
Because Texas de Brazil is an upscale dining experience, there's no real kid's menu.
So it's understandable that you might assume it's not really a kid-friendly restaurant.
But there is a perk to bringing your kids as you don't have to pay full price for them.
Specifically, as long as you have one full-priced adult meal,
your kids can get a pretty great discount on their own Brazilian steakhouse experience.
If your child is 2 or younger, they can eat for free, while children up to 5 years old are
only $5.00 for the authentic Brazilian meal, and kids up to 12 are half-off your regular
full-price dinner cost. So don't be afraid to bring your kids along to Texas de Brazil,
as they won't cost a ton and they'll definitely get full and have plenty to choose from.
Another huge thing that sets Texas de Brazil apart from other restaurant chains is that you don't get
to take any food home with you. It's the policy at Texas de Brazil to not allow customers to take
home to-go bags after dining in. According to the chain's website, they believe that
restaurant-goers pretty much already get their fair share of food while in the restaurant, saying
"Our continuous dining concept does not allow for to-go containers
or bags for uneaten portions of food from the salad area, meats and specialty or side items."
But, if you find yourself hungry for dessert, you can order that separately and take those home. It
makes sense that Texas de Brazil wouldn't allow leftovers, as the chain is basically an upscale
all-you-can-eat buffet. So don't be surprised when you don't get a to-go box at the end of your meal.
While Texas de Brazil might be pretty stringent about taking home leftovers after a delicious
meal, there is one way you can enjoy traditional Brazilian churrasco at home: ordering Texas de
Brazil to-go! Yes, it won't be the same as getting to eat at the actual restaurant,
but it's a pretty great deal if you want to stay home in your sweatpants and even save some cash.
As it turns out, Texas de Brazil's to-go family packs are a pretty good deal. As of November 2020,
the meal comes with two different types of meat, enough for four people, for $69. The meal
also comes with three sides that are super tasty, too: a green salad, fried plantains,
and potatoes au gratin. According to a review in The OC Register, the takeout from Texas de Brazil
is solid because the meats are sliced nicely and hold their flavor even after delivery.
Considering the cost of Texas de Brazil, it might not exactly be the kind of place you
just randomly decide to go to on a Tuesday night. But for the frugal minded who still
hunger for a unique dining experience, we have a life hack for you: the bar menu is cheaper!
From the bar menu, you can actually order quite a lot of food. There's lobster bisque,
an antipasto platter, chicken breast, garlic sirloin, sausage, and even filet with bacon.
It's not an endless array of roasted meats like you get in the restaurant proper,
but you can certainly get a full meal just at the bar at Texas de Brazil. So if you aren't
super hungry, don't care for the salad bar, or just want to save some money, then it might be
a smart idea to order from the bar menu so you can pick and choose what you want and pay less.
"Looks like meat's back on the menu, boys!"
Texas de Brazil isn't just a full-on Brazilian churrasco experience,
it's also an interactive restaurant where you really get to be pretty hands-on with your meal.
Obviously, you get to plate your own salad from the salad bar and pick and choose what you want to
eat, but that's not all. When you decide you're ready for meat to be brought to your table,
you'll flip over a disc on your table from red to green to indicate you're waiting for
the parade of meats to be brought to you. Then, when the gauchos, bring the meat,
you'll actually use your own tongs to grab the meat as they slice it and place it on your plate.
Basically, when you eat at Texas de Brazil, expect to do a little work yourself, though
it's all pretty fun and entertaining. Again, this is an authentic experience, so definitely
enjoy it and remember that it's not everyday you get to grab meat being served to you tableside.
There's one restaurant chain out there who claims to have the meats,
and surprisingly, it's not Texas de Brazil.
"Arby's: we have the meats!"
But there's meat, and then there's Texas de Brazil meat. So just how many meats,
exactly, can you expect to eat at Texas de Brazil, and what are they?
Well, it's important to note that not everything will be available at every Texas de Brazil,
but for the most part, here's what cuts of meat you can expect: pork loin, Brazilian sausage,
leg of lamb, bacon-wrapped chicken breast, lamb chops, bacon-wrapped filet mignon,
braised beef ribs, barbecued pork ribs, parmesan drumettes,
flank steak, and more. If you don't see the meat you want to eat being served,
you can definitely ask when it will be available and they'll do their best to get it to you.
Sorry Arby's. Someone took your meat!
Between all that meat and the salad bar, you're probably thinking you'd be
pretty full. But there's more! Texas de Brazil also serves table-side Brazilian cheese bread
and garlic mashed potatoes. So if you head in anytime soon, be sure to bring your appetite.
Clearly, Texas de Brazil knows a thing or two about running a successful business.
The chain restaurant has survived over 20 years in the industry, and has continued to expand and
open up new locations all over, despite so many other restaurants shutting down or stopping their
expansion. But even though Texas de Brazil brings in a lot of money, they're also very charitable.
For instance, in August 2021, Texas de Brazil announced that they had raised
$33,000 for the American Red Cross to help members of the military and their
families deal with all the challenges that come with military service. Asrawi said,
"We proudly support the American Red Cross programs serving our military veterans and
families and feel fortunate to have the ability to craft a campaign that provides our guests
with an opportunity to raise funds that go directly to those who protect our freedoms."
Texas de Brazil is also involved in other charities like St. Jude's
Children's Research Hospital and the Freedom Alliance.
"For every five dollars that you donate,
you're gonna get five dollars to use on the restaurant when you come back."
Clearly, giving back is just as important to them as providing succulent meat.
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