Of the seven venial sins, one of the more pernicious is gluttony, since our society (at least the advertising portion) encourages this vice without compunction. We eat and drink for the mere pleasure of eating and drinking. We eat large — super-sized, in fact. We drink large, from 64 ounce cups, the total liquid intake required for one day.Currently, the popular all-you-can eat restaurants have developed a fervent following among Asian restaurant owners. Chinese, Vietnamese and Indian restaurants around Charlotte are offering all-you-can-eat buffets. Some offer only lunch, others all day. But when the cost is only 7 or 8 bucks, I start to wonder about the economics of the gig. I mean, the restaurant owner has to make money, right? So the food cost and labor cost have been figured into the price. Does the kitchen staff make a large portion of the dish in the morning, and then it sits. . .and sits? Are buffet leftovers served again? That’s the problem I have with buffets. I prefer having my food cooked to order and not poked and picked over by a lot of people.
But there is one “loosen the belt buckle” gluttonous spot in Charlotte where I not only trust the food but find it genuinely appealing. Brazas Brazilian Grill, 4508 East Independence Boulevard, is my kind of “roll away from the table” place. Plus they have a health rating of 101. (Cost is $19.95 for the full rodio grill including all-you-can-eat buffet bar and meat; $12.95 at lunch. Call 704-566-1009 for more info.)
The Brazilian grill concept was developed from that country’s Thanksgiving. Twice a year, early settlers gathered to celebrate a feast of giving thanks. Long tables of food were prepared with seasonal produce, and beef, pork, chicken and fish from area rivers were cooked on skewers over open fires and carved tableside onto an individual plate. Soon restaurants sprang from this concept, and today the Portuguese word churrascaria means a restaurant which features an abundant buffet table and meat, fish, poultry and more exotic meats cooked either on a rotisserie or grilled over open flames.
A churrascaria, in other words, would be like a restaurant concept of our American day of pure unfettered gluttony, Thanksgiving. Imagine an all-you-can-eat place available every day, serving a selection of roasted or deep fried turkey, white bread sausage dressing or cornbread stuffing, sweet potato casserole (with or without the marshmallows), fresh cranberries or jelled, English peas with pearl onions, Aunt Susie’s broccoli casserole, and an assortment of desserts from pumpkin pie to pumpkin cheesecake. You’d pay $20 for that, right?
Well, that’s how much they charge for a Brazilian Thanksgiving dinner, but this one has tons more selections — around 100, actually. The cold bar at Brazas features greens with dressings, marinated seafood salads, pasta salads, beets, melons and fruits, vegetables, cheeses, olives, pickles and more. The hot bar has more than a dozen dishes, including white rice and black beans, mashed potatoes, pasta dishes, various Brazilian stews, fried bananas, soups, shrimp and chayote squash, marinated chicken drums, collards, steamed mussels and “farofa,” which looks like bread crumbs but is farinha de mandioca, toasted manioc meal mixed with bacon, a ubiquitous condiment in Brazil.
Meat is delivered tableside, which is the aspect I appreciate most at Brazas. I object to meat sitting under heat lamps, and I’m totally put off by meat not kept at a proper temperature. At Brazas, meat is cooked on a Brazilian grill and meat runners parade skewers of just off the grill meat throughout the dining room. Ribeye is offered, then chicken legs, then whole sausages. Soon to come in rapid succession are roast beef, flank steak, beef tenderloin, quail and pork.
By the time you finally utter “no mas” (or the Portuguese equivalent), a towering feted dessert cart of pure hedonism navigates the aisles. Coconut flan, chocolate bonbons, cakes and tropical fruit puddings tempt you further.
Brazas Brazilian Grill’s orgy of food and drink is worthy of a visit. Most diners will commit the sin of gluttony by eating too much. But not to worry, the punishment in Hell for gluttony is being force fed more food. Unfortunately, those foods are rats, toads and snakes.
JUNE11WEDNESDAY
To many impressionable minds, summer means either ice cream or popular movies. Ben & Jerry’s Free Summer Movie Series combines the two, as several beloved flicks from last summer will be screened over the course of the next few months in the parking lot of Ben & Jerry’s, 202 South Main Street in Davidson. Trivia and prize giveaways begin at 6:30pm, with the movie immediately following. And of course, B&J’s will remain open for patrons to purchase ice cream during the screenings. Tonight’s movie is Lilo & Stitch (a free concert with ChildPOP recording artist Lura will take place before the film at the same venue); the rest of the schedule features My Big Fat Greek Wedding on Monday, July 14, and Stuart Little 2 on Monday, August 11. For details, call 704-892-0604.
JUNE28SATURDAY
WorldFeast 2003 will be held from 10am until 6:30pm today at Independence Park. The event, which sponsor International House hopes will become an annual tradition, will provide attendees with the opportunity to become familiar with other cultures via food and festivities. Ethnic restaurants and other vendors will serve foods with an international flavor while musicians and other entertainers will offer performances. There will also be a wine tasting area (featuring wines from around the globe) and an interactive children’s play area. Admission to the event is free, though donations are welcome. For more information, call 704-333-8099.
This article appears in May 28 – Jun 3, 2003.
