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lockportlegend.com dining out
the lockport legend | April 25, 2019 | 21
The Dish
Texas de Brazil brings plethora of slow-roasted meats to Orland Park
Steakhouse picks
southwest suburbs
for third Chicagoarea
location
Thomas Czaja
Contributing Editor
The salad area at Texas de Brazil is included in the fixed
price of admission and has a wide array of offerings,
ranging from gourmet artisan breads to imported
cheeses, sushi and steamed asparagus.
A small, two-sided disc
on the table is flipped from
red to green. Suddenly, one
by one, a variety of meats
begin to arrive.
The gauchos, or servers,
bring the flame-roasted
meat selections tableside,
carving them off the
skewer for hungry guests,
who occasionally offer assistance
by using tongs to
help pry the succulent cuts
loose. When guests are
ready for a break from the
parade of meats, they simply
flip the disc back to red.
With this system in
place, Texas de Brazil allows
its guests to eat at
their own pace, making for
a quick or relaxed dining
experience.
The eatery, which
opened its third Chicagoarea
location April 5 in Orland
Square, is a churrascaria,
cooking meats in
a churrasco style, which
translates loosely into “barbecue”
from Portuguese.
The Brazilian steakhouse
brand was first started
in Texas. And its name
is a nod to idea of blending
Brazilian culture and cuisine
with a cordial Texan
and southern hospitality.
The Orland Park location
marks the chain’s 62nd
spot worldwide.
“We had a lot of feedback
from our guests that
were going to Schaumburg
and going to Chicago
requesting we come out
here,” said Carlos Restrepo,
corporate training
manager for Texas de Brazil.
“A lot of people live
closer to over here. That’s
where we are fortunate we
had a good following, so
when we opened the doors
people were excited for us
already.”
Those who visit Texas
de Brazil pay a fixed
price. Regular adult meals
with endless offerings of
meat and a chance to pick
from approximately 50
selections in a salad area
is $44.99, with a cost of
$29.99 for just the salad
area.
During lunch on the
weekends, diners also get
a dessert of their choice as
well as bottomless non-alcoholic
drinks included in
the regular price. Desserts
and drinks typically cost
extra.
Children ages 2 and
younger can eat for free,
with ages 3-5 costing $5
and ages 6-12 being 50
percent off an adult meal
price, all when a full-price
meal is purchased with
them.
When it comes to the
meats, there are notable favorites.
“By far, the flank steak
and the picanha are the
most popular,” Restrepo
Texas de Brazil
856 Orland Square
Drive, Unit H15B, in
Orland Park
Hours
• 5-9:30 p.m.
Mondays-Thursdays
• 5-10 p.m. Fridays
• Noon-3:30 p.m.
Saturdays-Sundays for
lunch
• 3:30-10 p.m.
Saturdays for dinner
• 3:30-9 p.m. Sundays
for dinner
For more information
Web: www.
texasdebrazil.com
Phone: (708) 998-
4800
said. “The picanha is the
top part of the sirloin.
That’s our house specialty.
It’s really tender and going
to have a little bit of a fat
cap around the edge. When
it’s sliced very thin, it’s
very, very good.”
Other meats include the
likes of Brazilian sausage,
chicken breast wrapped in
bacon, braised beef ribs,
filet mignon and alcatra,
another sirloin cut popular
in Brazil. Texas de Brazil
sources its meats from the
Midwest, seasons them in
Texas de Brazil gaucho Thiago Alves cuts picanha, the top part of the sirloin and a
house specialty, at the Brazilian steakhouse brand that recently opened in Orland
Square. Photos by Jacquelyn Schlabach/22nd Century Media
rock salt and cooks them
over an open flame using
charcoal.
“We let the meat speak
for itself,” Restrepo said.
“What brings a lot of flavor
to the meats is going to be
the charcoal itself, so we
are using hardwood charcoal
that imparts a lot of
the flavor.”
In addition to the buffet
of juicy and delectable
meat, the other main culinary
component is the salad
area. With salad dressings
of ranch, blue cheese,
balsamic and Brazilian vinaigrettes,
and options like
prosciutto, salami, smoked
salmon, sliced tomato, capers,
hearts of palm, spring
mix, couscous salad and
marinated artichoke hearts,
there is likely something
for everyone.
“There are tons of items
up there,” Restrepo said
of the salad area. “For me,
the first time, I would really
recommend trying the
lobster bisque soup that is
made fresh daily and is really,
really good.”
For those with a sweet
tooth, there is carrot cake,
Brazilian cheesecake, Key
lime pie and flan made in
house and available for
an extra charge. A seasonal
passionfruit mousse
($8.75) also available for
the next two-and-a-half
months, according to Restrepo.
“It is probably the lightest
dessert we have,” Restrepo
said of the mousse.
“It is blended together with
a condensed milk, and they
whip it into a light mousse
that is really tasty, and nice
and light.”
In terms of drinks, Restrepo
said there are approximately
150 wines on
the wine list, with 16-17 of
those available by the glass
and bottles going anywhere
in price from roughly $36-
$400. A collection from
South American and Californian
vineyards await the
palates of those looking to
try something new.
“If you are just starting
to learn about wine,
we’ll give you samples
of all wines by the glass,”
Restrepo noted. “We help
educate our customers on
wine. Wine is a great thing
to have with the meats to
make them a little bit better.”
Craft cocktails include
the caipirinha, Brazil’s national
cocktail made with
cachaca, sugar and lime.
It tastes like something
between a mojito and margarita.
One recommendation
Restrepo gives to new diners
is to go to the Texas de
Brazil website and sign-up
for the e-club, which he
said will give $20 off for a
first visit, as well as invitations
for special events and
dinners at the steakhouse.
Between prime cut meats,
a focus on top-notch customer
service and quality,
the corporate training manager
said Texas de Brazil’s
latest venture has been a
success so far.
“We’ve gotten a lot of
positive feedback,” Restrepo
said. “It’s just local here
now, and people don’t have
to drive as far. So, they are
really happy it is close to
home.”