Churrascarria in Fresno!

I am so excited!! We have finally gotten a Brazilian Churrascaria in Fresno! I am going on my birthday in a couple of weeks.. I'll let you all know how it is..

Churrascarria for those who don't know is a place where you pay one price and they keep bringing you a variety of meats on skewers and slicing it off for you at your table.. they do this till you ask them to stop... not to mention a salad bar and hot brazilian dishes as well.. YUM!

Jennifer there is a thread buried somewhere here about those restaurants. I will be interested to read your review of the new one in Raisin Country.

I have eaten at several in Brazil, the best one being in Belo Horizonte which had at least 8 different cuts of beef, including beef "hump" which seems to be a cut off of the back of the neck. In addition to the beef (which was divine) there was chicken, chicken hearts, chicken gizzards, pork, sausages and lamb. In addition to the numerous salads (fresh hearts of palm my favorite) there was feijoada, the Brazilian national dish, fried yucca,farofa and all kinds of rice and vegetables. Wash all that down with a cocktail called caipirinha (made with cachaca) and the Churrascaria will become your favorite restaurant!

What is the name of this Brazilian restaurant?

My only experience was with Texas de Brazil in Orlando ... it was "scary" salty.

I'll never go back there ... I'm hoping tohear a positive report so I don't condem the genre.

quote:

Originally posted by marxbro

What is the name of this Brazilian restaurant?

Samba Brazilian Steakhouse... I've found others with that name.. but not sure if this is part of a chain..

quote:

Originally posted by wheregreggeats.com

My only experience was with Texas de Brazil in Orlando ... it was "scary" salty.

I'll never go back there ... I'm hoping tohear a positive report so I don't condem the genre.

I had a "salty" experience in Boston but the food in Brazil was seasoned/salted perfectly.

In Newark NJ Ironbound district is a place called Iberian peninsula, this spot serves rodizio but it sounds like the same thing you guys are describing. I have been there a few times and only bad thing was I had to buy a new belt after each visit

Jennifer,
Churrascarias are lots of fun....make sure everyone is very hungry! We have several good ones to the south of you. My favorites are Greenfield's in Long Beach and amazon in Fullerton. My suggestions-----go very light on the salad bar and sides, but definitely have some beans. Try just one portion of each at first--------it seems they always slip in new items and it's a shame to be full the first time they bring around the filet! If they have some unusual items like duck----those are often the best to try. Skirt steak is usually awesome. Yes, some places are saltier then others----hopefully your place won't be. Make sure you try the sausages as well----yum!
And from one July birthday person to another----Happy Birthday!
Ed

Jennifer... Report...Report... Photos????
We are awaiting your feedback (no pun!)
AL

Thanks for the birthday wishes Ed.... I have a report Mr Mayor...alas no photos! But here it is in a nutshell...

The service was very eager to please..explaining items and even how and when to use the little tongs they set at each place (to grab the hot meat as it's being sliced off the skewers)..
The atmosphere was forgettable.. semi dark, semi modern, no real thought to detail.. but that didn't bother me..
On to the side dishes that come with every meal... with the exception of what THEY called "feijoado" (which WASN'T that authentic brazilian dish but had a good flavor anyhow) the side dishes were an embarrassment.. especially coming from the kitchen of a celebrated local chef.. they either suffered from being cold or lukewarm when they should have been hot, or no flavor whatsoever.. a side of broiled fish was dry, cold, and flavorless, and they had the cojones to serve canned mixed veggies with no seasoning, along with cold, hard fried polenta cubes, and boring cheese buns...
But the meat .....oh...the meat made up for everything else... we got drunk on meat that night..
We had garlic steak, chicken, lamb, pork loin roast, bacon wrapped turkey (best bacon I've ever eaten), tri-tip, little tiny linguicas, pepper steak, all of which were out of this world...well seasoned...done to a turn.. but the absolute was what they called "Brazilian Steak".. I don't know what made it "Brazilian", but it was the single best piece of meat I've ever eaten..and the best part was the crispy fat bits.. they melted in your mouth.. my husband who hates fat on a steak loved this best!
Oops! I almost forgot the 2 awesome dipping sauces.. a minty applesauce and a tomato garlic salsa.. good on everything!
Despite the fact that I had no room for dessert.. I had some anyhow.. I never pass up desserts when there is something unusual on the menu.. and since I'd never had passion fruit mousse... I couldn't turn it down..and was well rewarded with a slightly sweet, slightly tangy, light dessert.
My carnivorous cravings have been satiated for a good long time..

Anyhow this meat feast runs 24.95 per person not including drinks, tax, or tips. Desserts are 3.50.

Jennifer, where in Fresburg is this new place? Shaw and what???

MikeS.

I want to know too. I'll be heading up to Sanger again for a month or so. Jennifer, where is it, Blackstone and what?

Samba is on the southwest corner of Shaw and Palm and it is a little hidden. We ate there for the first time the other night and the meat started out fabulous and ended up being a bit dry. It was also a little salty for my taste. I didn't have room for anything but the meat so I can make no comments on the sides, the dessert, or the drinks. Does anyone know of ANYthing Argentinian in the Fresno area as my wife is dying for something from home.
Thanks

Just a little note....Samba is actually on the southwest corner of Herndon and Palm, not Shaw and Palm...all you will find on the SW corner of Shaw and Palm is a bank=)

I liked Samba a lot...it was fun and the restaurant, although a bit dark, is colorful with their linens. I didn't get the big draw that everyone had to the Brazilian Steak, but I will try it again in a few weeks when we go there with out of town (actually out of country) friends who will be visiting. My two favorites were the itty bitty chicken wings and the pineapple that they peeled and glazed with brown sugar and rum and bar-b-qued. It was to die for!!

i went to samba's with my family and was sadly disappointed. i had fun, nothing like being brought sword after sword of meat, but not enough fun to pay the price. we found the sides to be as jennifer described them, but our meat was cold and salty. plus, when my dad ordered a martini, they brought him a vodka martini. when he pointed out that he had ordered a regular (gin) martini, they nicely took his glass back and brought him another. unfortunately, they brought him another vodka martini.

Looks like the entertainment is the highlight of the place/
http://www.sambafresno.com/