By Brazil

A group of women that I used to work with have been going out to lunch roughly once a month for quite a while now. Many of us are no longer are working together but this fun time is a way for us to keep in touch and I love it. Every time we go, one person picks the restaurant. Since we all live in different areas, this also gives us a chance to visit other places in the LA area. This time we went to Torrance to the By Brazil BBQ. Originally we were going to a vegan restaurant but that was closed on Sundays so we went to a steakhouse instead. As can be seen, we have eclectic tastes.

Brazilian steakhouses are very interesting. The first one I went to was in Niagara Falls. If you like meat, you need to try any Brazilian steakhouse and I don’t think you will be disappointed. First there is a “salad” bar which does have some fixings for salad and also has various salads like macaroni, potato and tuna salad. However, it is more than that. There was beef stroganoff which appeared to have a consistency more like a soup. I didn’t have any but others in the group declared it was very tasty. I did have the white rice which I covered with very good black beans. They had a black bean and sausage dish, garlic bread and delicious little cheesy rolls. They also had lasagna. There were plantains and yucca and more that I can’t remember. The only small complaint that I could make about the salad bar is that the plantains were mushier than I like. I would have liked them to be more solid and crispy.

Although you could just order the salad bar and hot buffet ($14.99), that isn’t why anyone would come to this restaurant. It’s the meat, it’s all about the meat. The man comes around throughout the meal with skewers of meat, all kinds of meat. You can have as much as you want, whatever you want. When you are finished, you turn this large spool over so the red side is up and then they don’t come to your table anymore. We started off with chicken thighs which were so tender, tasty and delicious. Then he came around with various steaks and would cut off what you wanted – tri-tip, top sirloin, skirt steak and I don’t remember the others. If you wanted it rare, as I did, he brought rare. If you wanted it more well-done, he gave you that. He sliced off as much meat as we wanted and he kept coming around at intervals that were just right. He also had sausage, which I didn’t have but BK loved. And there was marinated pork. I loved all the steaks except the skirt steak which I thought was rather tough. All the others, and I ate them all, were as tender and flavorful as could be.

There is a Brazilian steakhouse closer to my house which I have wanted to try. After this experience, I absolutely will go there. The cost for the entire meal including the hot buffet and salad bar is $19.95 which is very reasonable. This was a very nice experience, not only because the food was very good but also because the company was great.

Las Vegas – September, 2009 (3)

This morning we didn’t leave until a little later and we drove to the Rio. Even though we had vowed not to eat any buffets ever again in our lives – we are prone to making those type of impossible for us statements – we couldn’t pass up the one at the Rio. Much of that has to do with price. Another part is that I like to eat a little bit of a lot of different foods. Unfortunately, I do eat a little bit of much too many different foods. We got there just after breakfast so we had to pay the lunch price of $16.95. Before I even go on, let me say that this is an amazing buffet for that price and, if you like large buffets with very good food, the Rio is the place to go.

There are 11 different food stations serving ethnic and American food. They were carving roast beef (too well done for my taste) and ham. I did what I usually do when entering a buffet – I cruise through the situation to decide what I want to eat first. Lo and behold there was lox and both onion and smoked salmon cream cheese. But where was the bagel? I put the lox and cream cheese on my plate and went looking for the bagel. Then I asked and she said that breakfast was over. I replied that I had lox and cream cheese but nothing to put it on. She went to look for a bagel and told me they were all gone. I found that weird. I did put it on a small roll and that worked.

I also had sushi which was very good. They were making this Japanese dish (I forgot what it is called) where you put all the vegetables into a bowl and the meat as well and then they stir fry it. It looked very good but I didn’t get it. I did have a delicious sweet potato dish and some excellent mushroom rice. Carbs, anyone? They had many different kinds of sausages that Bonnie really liked. I was more careful this time and didn’t really overeat but I ate enough. There was also an excellent salad bar with many different salads. Since I didn’t want to overeat, I skipped the salads.

For dessert I had no sugar added chocolate gelato that was wonderful. We also liked the cookies. There was an array of pies and cakes ( some sugar free), bananas foster and so much more. If you want to go to one buffet that doesn’t cost a fortune and is very good, this is the place.

The Rio may have a wonderful buffet but the gambling left a lot to be desired. I lost again. This has not been a profitable trip for me. Well, there is always tomorrow.

I went back to the hotel and again went to the pool area to relax. Again I enjoyed it and Bonnie joined me a little later. We were not hungry at all before the show so we decided to wait to eat until after it. Criss Angel is quite a performer. He teamed up with a group from Cirque de Soleil (sp?). It was a spectacular production with pyrotechnics, lots of fog, and lots of booming noise, much to Bonnie’s chagrin. It was a rather dark story but the dancing was magnificent and his illusions were breathtaking. I sort of wished we saw more of the illusions but we both really enjoyed the show.

By the time it was over, we were hungry and went to the Pyramid Café at the Luxor. Bonnie ordered an appetizer of meatball sandwiches. She got four of them and they were very good. I felt more like a snack than real food so I ordered nachos and got enough to feed four. They were also excellent. The only soda they have here are Pepsi products and our waitress was nice enough to go to the bar and get me a bunch of limes to put into my soda. I think the prices are a bit steep but the portions are very large and we thought the food was quite good.

Tomorrow morning we leave. The check-out time is 11:00 and we are planning on going to my favorite restaurant here - Mon Ami Gabi, a café at the Paris. They have fantastic French onion soup and the crispiest frites I have ever had. That will be our last meal here. I will not be posting this until after I am home since I no longer have internet access.

Las Vegas – September, 2009 (2)

After a pretty sound sleep, I was raring to go this morning. OK – let’s say after creaking my body out of the rather hard bed, I was raring to go this morning. We got moving quite early for us in Vegas (8:30 out and about) because we had decided to buy the $29.95 special buffet here at the Luxor. That meant that we would be able to go to the buffet all day long, come in any time and eat. We had decided this was a good deal and we would try it today so we wanted to get there early. One reason we decided on this is that it cost us almost that much for a lunch. Another reason is that we are not the eaters we used to be and so, although we like buffets, we never eat enough or we stuff ourselves. This time we wouldn’t have to stuff ourselves and we know we would get our money’s worth.

Well, the breakfast brunch was a real disappointment. If we would not have bought the day pass, it would cost $13.95. Having gone to many breakfast buffets here that are close to that price, we both felt this was inferior. I don’t remember everything I ate but all tasted OK. It was just that there weren’t the choices we expected. There were no made-to-order omelets, something we always expect. They had little bagels and cream cheese packets like we get at our free breakfasts at a Hampton Inn but there was no lox or no capers. There were plain all ready made plain omelets. They had tiny cheese blintzes that were quite good. There were nice desserts – donuts, sweet rolls - but Bonnie felt they tasted rather stale. If you are in Las Vegas, go to any other breakfast buffet – not this one.

I mentioned that yesterday I lost my shirt. It was a nice shirt – one I wear when I go out to a nicer place rather than a jean or khaki shirt. Bonnie suggested that I go back to New York New York and ask at security if anyone had turned it in. I thought that would be an impossibility but we went there. I went to security and the 55 year old security man (he volunteered his age after we sort of did some cutesy banter) called in and said they had a yellow plaid men’s shirt. I told him my shirt was yellow, green, blue and white stripes but the stripes are not all the same so maybe someone thought it was plaid. He said he would have them bring it up. I didn’t tell him my shirt is not a man’s shirt, especially when he said it is an XL. So, they brought up the shirt, rolled in a ball in a bag, and it was my not plaid, not men’s yellow, green, blue and white striped woman’s XL shirt that I love. And today, so far, I am ahead $15 so I am not losing my shirt. I am back!!!

Later, we went for lunch to the lunch buffet. This was much better as there were many choices. They had various ethnic stations. I did not care for the Chinese egg roll or fried rice but I did like the chow mein soft noodles. Bonnie really liked the meatballs. I liked the Mexican food. The desserts were small, which I like on buffets, and very good. We both especially liked the chocolate mousse. They have a very small salad bar with few made salads and not much to put on the lettuce as well. This is due to their remodeling the salad bar so, if anyone comes here in a few months, I would imagine that it would be completed and there would be more salad. The lunch meats looked good but we didn’t have any. Lunch, for $14.95, is well worth it. I hope tonight they have carved meats.

I went to the pool and it was just wonderful. I didn’t go in the pool but I did go in the spa and sitting around the pool was so relaxing. I may go tomorrow also.

I will continue this after dinner.

I am stuffed. I will never do this again. Meaning I will never get the buffet special. I have no self-control. I ate so much today that my loosest pants are tight. Dinner is well worth the price. They have made-to-order steak, which I did not have because there was a line waiting, and excellent, tender prime rib done rare as I like it. The steaks were being grilled on a flame and so if you wanted the prime rib cooked more, they would put it on the flame and cook it. There was peeled shrimp, carved turkey breast, much more salad, BBQ ribs and chocolate lava cake, a favorite of mine. They had some of the same food from this afternoon but there was enough more to make it a different buffet for us. We went at about 8:00 and when I went for dessert, it was very empty. Since the buffet is open until 10, I thought that was not very good. The ice cream and frozen yogurt left a lot to be desired. Otherwise, it was well worth the $19.95 that they charge. The whole thing is a good deal except for the overeating part. I feel there are truly many other buffets that may cost more but, if one wants a buffet, they are wonderful – the Paris for one.

Tomorrow we are going to drive to the Rio but not having any more buffets. I will not be writing any more posts from Las Vegas as I will not have access to the Internet. I have lost $9.50 today but I got my shirt back. It was a good day.

Souplantation

I had decided not to post any reviews of restaurants that I frequent but I may do that once in a while. I also had decided not to post any reviews of national chain restaurants unless something wonderful or terrible happens at them. In one previous review I did mention The Cheesecake Factory but I really didn't review it. So, now one of the restaurants that I probably go to a little less than once a month - Souplantation.

Do you sometimes just hanker for a really good salad bar? Go to Souplantation.
Do you like excellent soups? Go to Souplantation.
Do you like pretty good muffins, bread and other baked goods? Go to Souplantation.
Do you like mediocre pasta? Go to Souplantation.
Do you like really creamy frozen yogurt? Go to Souplantation
Do you like all-you-can-eat restaurants that have healthy choices? Go to Souplantation.

I do not like salads. I go out of my not to eat them or many vegetables. There was a time in my life that I forced myself to eat them but suddenly I realized what I was doing and went back to not eating them unless they are well disguised. Here I can disguised them very well with all sorts of stuff in my salad. Every time I have been there the vegies are always really fresh as is everything else.

I love soup - almost any kind of soup so this is nirvana for me. There is healthy, low fat soup as well as delicious creamy soup, usually six types. I have loved them all but, then again, like live musicals, there is hardly any that I don't love.

Here is a tip - join Club Vegie. There are many coupons that come through email for members. There is also a free birthday coupon. And if you are over 60, you always get 10% off the bill. I go most often to the one in Porter Ranch because I like it the most. I first found Souplantation when we lived in El Segundo and went to the one in Marina Del Rey. I was not as impressed by the ones in Brentwood or Pasadena. Enjoy the soup and salad and muffins and brownies and frozen yogurt and fruit and numerous kinds of drinks and did I mention the baked potatoes?