Wednesday, May 9, 2012

Samba Brazilian Grill

[Simple salad, curry chicken salad, sweet potato salad, rotini-feta pasta salad, roasted veggies, balsamic-glazed goat cheese, melon, & chimichurri]

I'm by no means trying to convert this into a food blog, gloatingly shove all my delicious adventures in your face, or take a noncommittal stance against anorexia (even though one should probably avoid that nonsense). But eating is such an integral part of my life, and I without a doubt daydream just as much about garlic aioli and banana wontons as I do Marchesa gowns and Current/Elliott jeans. Moreover, I really enjoy giving out advice on where to go, what to purchase, and what to cook, a big reason I started A Shoe or Two in the first place.
That said, this past weekend, I dined at Madison's very own Brazilian grill, Samba, with my family. Two things to know: 1) I sillily fear Brazilian cuisine ever since seeing Bridesmaids, and 2) I'm not a huge meat-eater. So a restaurant that boasts all you can eat steak, pork, and sausage-what-have-you isn't exactly the first place I'd go running to when my parents come to town for dinner. But Brazilian steakhouses are refreshingly different (and better) than your normal buffet-carnivore-haven in that they have amazing salad bars. Between the array of potato salads, the roasted cherry tomatoes and artichoke, and the mashed potatoes, I was already stuffed by the time the meat course started. Don't worry, though, I managed to fit in a little sausage and parmesan pork.

[Street view]

[Stick that indicates to the waiters whether or not the table is ready to be served more grilled goods]

[Garlic-spiced chicken]

[Uniquely un-American architecture & soft lights]

[Outdoor dining at Samba's downstairs cafe, appropriately named Cafe Samba]

[Arguably the best item from the rodizio: grilled pineapple dusted with cinnamon and sugar]

[Cheesy puff rolls]

[The (atypically extensive and delicious) salad bar]

xo Heidi

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