Image Not Found

The two gauchos brought a wonderful selection of meats to the table. We chose from filet mignon wrapped in bacon, lamb, chicken, and more. The meat is served in authentic Brazilian "rodizio" style and is cut from the skewers these gauchos are holding.

Viewing 1 of 3

by Danielle Frawley

If there is one thing that my friend and co-worker Lindsey Campbell and I can agree on, it is food. The two of us love to restaurant hop around Burlington and surrounding towns in search of a good meal. We were both excited at the prospect of trying Souza's Brazilian Steakhouse. Surprisingly, neither of us had the unique experience of dining there, and we could not wait to try the assortment of meats and other delicacies.

Up first was a very difficult decision: the wine. It was a fairly warm summer evening, and Lindsey and I thought a nice white wine would be a good idea. Neither of us enjoys a dry white wine, so we asked the hostess for a recommendation. She told us about her personal favorite, "Root: 1," a 2008 sauvignon blanc from Chile. The wine was a hit for both of us. It was not dry, but had a slightly citrusy taste with a nice long, smooth finish. The wine went well with our entire meal that began with the most delicious bread I have ever tasted. It is an authentic Brazilian cheese bread that was hard and crunchy on the outside and soft, thick, and flavorful on the inside. I warned myself not to order more because I probably could have filled up on this delicious carbohydrate alone and been content. But I knew more good things were yet to come. The cheese was served with a black bean soup that was sipped from a small glass. After finishing every drop of the soup, Lindsey and I made our way to the extensive salad bar. We were greeted with much more than simply salad. There was a plethora of bean salads, pastas, cheeses, and roasted vegetables. It was difficult not to make a meal of only these delectable foods. My favorite was a roasted vegetable medley of red peppers, zucchini, red onions and artichokes in a light olive oil dressing. It took all of my strength not to go back up for seconds, but I was ready to move on to the main course: meat, and lots of it.

Lindsey and I were sure to keep an eye on the small square cards sitting on our table. We each had our own card; they were red on one side, and green on the other. When we were first seated, the hostess told us that when the cards were flipped to green it meant we were ready for them to bring on the meat selections. If we flipped the cards to red, it meant we were taking a break. Before the meat was served we were given a platter of white rice and four sauces. The manager for the evening, Sergio Corrales kindly explained what each sauce consisted of and gave suggestions of what sauce would go well with each meat selection. One sauce was mostly bread crumbs and herbs, another was a barbeque sauce that Corrales said went well with the red meats, one was a spicy sauce of crushed red pepper, and the last was a parsley, cilantro, olive oil, and garlic sauce that went superbly with pork. What's not to like? We were as ready as we were ever going to be for the main course.

Each round of meat was served in authentic "rodizio" style, meaning the gauchos wait staff roam the dining room with their sword-like skewers of beef, pork, lamb, chicken, and sausage. They will serve an assortment of the wood-fired barbecued meats to anyone who has the green side of their card showing.

If I had to pick a favorite, it would be the filet mignon wrapped in bacon. The meat was tender, and cooked medium rare, just the way I like it. I tried the meat with the barbeque sauce Corrales had recommended, and it was a great combination.

Even after stopping two times for a bit of a break, Lindsey and I both looked at each other at the end of our meals to double check if we still wanted to try dessert: of course we did.
Now, I'm not much for pineapple, but let me say, the grilled pineapple with the cinnamon sugar was outstanding. It was soft and sweet; the perfect transition from grilled meats to the dessert buffet.

My decaf coffee and a few bites of a coconut dessert that was of a slightly thicker consistency than pudding was a happy ending to a most delicious dinner. We left Souza's content and full, positive that we had experienced a little piece of Brazil.