Central Grill: A New Brazilian Restaurant in Woburn

After La Stanza Diva in Woburn shuttered its doors, there was speculation that it would only be a temporary closing but then there were signs in the windows that another restaurant would open there. But several months passed and the new place failed to open so I was unsure what was happening.  But, the restaurant has now opened. Central Grill Restaurant & Cafe is a Brazilian place, joining a host of other Brazilian restaurants in Woburn. It is a casual place, open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, and oddly enough they serve a handful of Italian dishes such as Chicken Parmesan and Spaghetti with Garlic & Oil.

I recently stopped by for lunch, though will likely check out breakfast in the near future as well.  The breakfast menu is fairly complete, with plenty of egg dishes, omelets and pancakes, though you won't find waffles. The lunch and dinner menus appear to be the same with Appetizers ($7.99-$9.99), Salads ($5.99-$7.99), Fish, Chicken, Pork, and Beef Entrees ($7.99-$18.49, though most under $10), Sides, and Sandwiches. Entrees generally include several sides, such as rice, beans, salad and fries. There are plenty of grilled meats, and specialties like linguica and yuca.  

I decided to order a couple of appetizers for lunch, to get a better idea of the variety of their dishes. I started with the Camarao Alho e Oleo (Shrimp, Garlic & Oil for $9.99). Initially, I thought it might be like the Spanish dish, a plate of sizzling shrimp in a pool of oil and garlic but that was not the case. Instead, they were grilled shrimp atop lettuce and tomato. They were cooked nicely, with a strong garlic and pepper flavor. 

The Porcao Mista (Mixed meats for $8.99) comes with three grilled meats, pork (linguica), chicken and beef. They too come atop lettuce and tomato, and I also ordered a side of the Mandioca (Yuka for $3.99). This was a plentiful plate of meat and the linguica was my favorite of the three, moist with plentiful spices. The chicken was also good, small, thin and mostly tender strips but the beef was generally well done and a bit tough. The fried yuca was tasty, with a starchier consistency than fried potatoes.  

Service was excellent and attentive, and my server even explained why someone who sat down after me got their food before me. I hadn't asked her about him, but she offered anyways, stating that he had called ahead to order his lunch. It was fairly quiet in the restaurant, with only a few others dining there. It is also a new restaurant, so it is still getting the kinks out, as well as getting known to the public.

Overall, my food quality was average, though plentiful and reasonably priced, but I would like to return to see how it fares at a different time, such as during a busy dinner period.  With all of the other Brazilian restaurants in Woburn, Central Grill will need to step up its game to be more competitive. But that might come in time. I'll report back once I make a return visit.

Central Grill Restaurant & Cafe
315 Main Street
Woburn, MA
Phone: 781-281-1652