Inspired by a friend's description of one of his favourite prepared meal options, I decided on Saturday morning that what I really wanted to cook for dinner that night was roast lamb and vegies. A quick trip to AC Butchery and Norton Street Grocer and I was set. Garlic and rosemary mini lamb roast? Check. Vegies for roasting? Check. Asparagus to serve steamed on the side? Check.
Two days later I still haven't had my roast. Abrogating all personal responsibility, I blame friends for my lack of lamb action. On Saturday G led me astray by suggesting a glass of wine (or three) mid-afternoon, after which I just couldn't be bothered cooking, and yesterday D dragged me off for lunch at Braza Brazilian Churrascaria in Leichhardt, http://www.braza.com.au/, a meal which had me craving salad for dinner like a dying man craves water in a desert.
I hadn't been to a churrascaria (steakhouse) before but the idea is that for a set price (in this case $38), staff will bring you a range of sides such as rice, potato salad, tomato salsa, fried bananas and cassava wedges, and as much meat as you can eat. The meat is cooked on large skewers which the waiters carry around the restaurant, carving portions onto plates as they go, a serving style which is apparently called rodizio. Braza serves 19 types of meat including lamb leg and rump; beef rump, rib and flank; chicken thigh, wings and hearts; pork neck, leg and ribs; chorizo; fish of the day and prawns. Somewhat hilariously, the "vegetarian options" listed in the menu are garlic bread, cheese (similar to haloumi) and pineapple!
As the first waiter approached bearing his skewer of beef rump proudly before him, I admit to feeling a little nervous. What was I supposed to do? Surely he wasn't going to give me all that meat, was he?
With two small slices of beef on my plate and the waiter moving off purposely, I started to feel a little better - yep, this was going to be manageable. And it was, sort of, except that the meat kept coming in carnivorous wave after carnivorous wave, and with a couple of exceptions, it all tasted pretty much the same - smokey, salty and barbecued. I love meat as much as the next person but the sheer volume was verging on ridiculous. As I tried to make a balanced meal out of the side dishes, I couldn't help but wonder what else there is to Brazilian cuisine.
Changing the topic of conversation from meat to the elusive idea that is going to make D and I dot-com squillionaires, it occurred to me that the profit margins for a restaurant like this must be fairly healthy. Sure, it's quite labour-intensive but the sides would cost next to nothing and neither of us ate anywhere near $38 worth of meat. Possibly this wouldn't have been as true of a table of boofy blokes with hollow legs but overall I think it must work in the restaurant's favour.
As always I am happy to have tried a new restaurant but I doubt I will be racing back to Braza anytime soon. D on the other hand has mentally filed it as a great place to entertain his predominantly male client-base. Viva a carne!
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