Nikkei Cuisine: Japanese Food the South American Way

It's fascinating to realize that the largest Japanese population outside of their country is located in Brazil. Japanese immigration to Brazil began in 1908 with the arrival of about 800 Japanese, many farmers, and a number of them obtained jobs working on coffee plantations. After World War I, there was a boom in Japanese immigration to Brazil, most settling in São Paulo, and presently, there are roughly 1.5 million Japanese in Brazil.

From the start, Japanese ingredients, foods and Sake were imported into the country and there is some evidence there were also Japanese brewers in Brazil who were producing Sake, miso, and soy sauce. The first Sake brewery of note was Tozan Farm, which started producing Sake in 1934. Because of the hotter temperatures in Brazil, it wasn't easy to make Sake but the brewery succeeded and still exists. Currently, there is at least one other Sake brewery in Brazil too.

The Japanese in Brazil needed to adapt their cuisine, to handle the different Brazilian ingredients that were more readily available and less expensive than imported ingredients, creating a "Nikkei cuisine." For about one hundred years, this cuisine has evolved, merging the best of the two cultures, yet many people are probably unaware of it. There certainly are no restaurants in the Boston area which specialize in this cuisine. However, home cooks now have a resource so they can prepare and experience this cuisine for their family and friends.

Nikkei Cuisine: Japanese Food the South American Way by Luiz Hara ($35, Jacqui Small LLP, October 2015). is a hardcover book of 256 pages (which is also available as an e-book).  Luiz Hara, an Italian-Japanese Brazilian chef, was raised in the Brazilian city of São Paulo and has lived in London for over 20 years ago. He underwent culinary training in Japan, earned a degree at Le Cordon Bleu in London, and started The London Foodie blog in 2009.

The book begins with a brief introductory chapter, "What is Nikkei Cuisine?" The term Nikkei derives from the Japanese word nikkejin and basically refers to those Japanese who migrated overseas and all of their descendants. As such, Nikkei cuisine is "the cooking of the Japanese diaspora." It will vary dependent on where the Japanese settled as they adjust and modify their cuisine, using different local ingredients and cooking styles. This chapter also provides some family background on the author as well as a brief history of the Japanese immigration to Brazil.

The bulk of the book consists of eight chapters of recipes, containing  over 100 recipes. The recipes reflect a blending of Japanese cuisine with those of Brazil and Peru. The chapters and some of their interesting recipes include the following:
 
--Small Eats: Boneless Short-Rib Sliders; Kouji Fried Chicken;;Spaghetti Alla Giapponese (squid spaghetti with spicy miso bolognese); Causa of Baby Cuttlefish
--Sushi, Traditoes & Ceviches: Tiradito of Scallops & Sea Bass; Ceviche of Sea Bass (with Brazil nut milk, truffle dashi, & shiitake mushrooms)
--Rice & Noodles: São Paulo-Style Yakisoba; Arroz Con Pollo Nikkei,; Nikkei Lobster Rice
--Soups & Hotpots: Miso & Mandioquinha Cream
--Mains: Brazilian Churrascp with Nikkei Flavors; Chicken & Kabocha Pumpkin Stew
--Vegetables, Salads & Tofu: Pimentos de Padron Nikkei (with red miso powder)
--Desserts: Matcha Madelines; Banana & Nutella Gyoza

The eighth chapter is Mastering the Basics: Sauces, Marinades & Condiments: which touches on the basic recipes of Japanese cuisine, from making rice to tempura, dashi broth to teriyaki sauce, ponzu sauce to sesame dressing. This section would be helpful for many cooks who want to use some of those basics in their own recipes. There is then a brief section with a glossary of ingredients from Japanese, Brazilian and Peruvian cuisines.

The recipes run the range from easy to complex, so the cooks of all skill levels will find recipes they can use. Each recipe is accompanied by a beautiful color photo, making this a visually compelling cookbook as well. If you enjoy Japanese cuisine, this intriguing variation will appeal to you. The same applies to those who enjoy Brazilian and Peruvian cuisine. This isn't a fusion cuisine that someone recently tried to combine. This is a cuisine which was slowly integrated over decades, a necessary blending by immigrants in a new country. Thus, the concepts have been tested and honed over time.

Nikkei Cuisine:presents a more unique cookbook, one which highlights a cuisine which previously has not received sufficient attention. With the holidays coming, this would be a nice gift or you can buy it for yourself to create some of the recipes for your holiday dinners. I am most intrigued to try the Spicy Miso Bolognese, and will report back once it is made. I also recommend that you pair these recipes with Sake, which should be an excellent accompaniment to all of these dishes.

Rodizio Grill in Braintree

If you dine at a churrascaria, a Brazilian grill where you can eat all you want, and you have room for dessert, then you just didn't try hard enough. When that parade of enticing meats on skewers marches by your table, you can't help but taste a bit of everything until your belly cries surrender.

Last week, I dined, as a media guest, at a new churrascaria, the Rodizio Grill, which is now open at the South Shore Plaza in Braintree. The Rodizio Grill is part of a chain, currently located in ten states, and it was established in 1995 by Ivan Utrera, a native of Brazil. This is their first restaurant in Massachusetts and as it is brand new, some leeway needs to be granted to them in my review, to give them time to work out any initial kinks. Overall, I enjoyed my dinner and believe it has potential to become a popular destination.

As you enter the restaurant, the fully stocked bar is right in front of you, with a couple of televisions behind the bar.

The dining room is medium-sized, simply decorated and with a casual elegance to it. It has an appealing ambiance to it, and even when the restaurant was fairly full, the noise level was manageable.

I like the interesting pictures on the wall, lots of colors and with a cartoon-like style. They help to brighten up the restaurant.

The grilling area is fully open so you can watch them preparing the various meats, or the pineapple, as pictured above. You only have two choices for the menu, either the Full Rodizio (dinner $34.99/lunch $22.99) or Salads Only (dinner $22.99/lunch $12.99), and children under 12 have different, lower rates.
Both choices are all-you-can-eat options.

There is a fully stocked bar though the wine list seemed rather ordinary, and did not have any Brazilian wines, though I liked the fact they have the Taylor Fladgate 10 & 20 Year Old Ports. You might instead want to try one of their eight specialty cachaca cocktails, such as the famed Caipirinha. I decided to try the Caipituba ($8.95), which is basically a caipriniha with the addition of Ubatuba Guarana, a carbonated beverage made from the Guarana plant. The drink was effervescent, not too sweet and you could not taste the alcohol. A fine summer sipper.

Before you go to the salad bar, you are brought three different appetizers, which are also all-you-can-eat. There are Polenta fries, a nice crunchy treat, and Pao de Queijo, a cheese bread made with yucca flour. The bite-sized breads were best when they were warm, with a dominant cheese-flavored interior.

You also receive a plate of Banana Frita, basically sweet fried bananas covered with sugar. Though I liked these, with a fine crunch to the exterior and a creamier, banana inside, I thought they might be more appropriate as a dessert because of all the sugar.

The Salad Bar is a large rectangle, with tons of dishes available, from rice to black beans, from parmesan cheese to slices of bread. One long side has a myriad of salad vegetables so that you can make your own salad. The veggies looked clean and fresh.

The other lengthy side contained a number of prepared salads, such as Artichoke salad, Roasted Edamame salad, and Garbanzo salad. Again, the dishes all looked fresh and appealing. If you only ordered the Salads Only option, you would have plenty of choices on the salad bar. For me, I chose to only sparingly select anything here as I wanted to save room for all of the meats to come. My dining companion though felt that the Couve, sauteed collard greens & bacon, were amazing, some of the best she has ever had.

The Gauchos then began to bring their skewers of meat to our table, slicing off our choices. As the restaurrant is new, the servers were a bit inexperienced, not as polished as you might find elsewhere. They were courteous, pleasant and eager to please, but a little bit raw. I am sure that will change with time as they grow more confident and experienced in their roles. If you like your meat cooked a certain way, such as rare or well done, they will ensure they bring it to you.

On your table, you have an hourglass-like block that is colored green on one side, and red on the other. If you stand it up with the green at the top, the Gauchos will continue stopping by your table with meat. If you need a rest, just turn the red side up and they will pass you by until you turn it back to green. Once you are fully done, you turn it onto its side. This is an excellent way to control the pace of your dinner.

Overall, I was impressed with their meats, which were tender, juicy, and cooked just right. I have been to other churrascaria where the meats were overcooked and dry. Generally, the meats were also seasoned properly, without an overabundance of salt, like some other churrascaria do. Plus, there is a good variety to the meat selection, with maybe 16+ options available each night. Despite the newness of the restaurant, they are on the top of their game with their grills.

Above, is a picture of a skewer of Sobre Coxa, marinated & seasoned chicken, which was quite good.

A skewer of Paiche, a South American freshwater fish, one of the largest freshwater fish in the world. This fish is just starting to be seen on American menus and it has a nice white texture with a more subtle flavor. It reminded me a little of cod and was cool to see it on their menu.

They serve several types of beef, like this Fraldinha, a tenderloin. You will also see choices such as the Picanha, top sirloin, and the Bife Com Alho, garlic beef. The Garlic Beef may have been my favorite of the night, and I had several slices of it. The smell alone was alluring, though the taste was superb as well, with plenty of garlic on the exterior of the beef.

The Frango Agri-Doce, sweet and spicy chicken, definitely has a hot, spicy kick that is balanced with the sweetness. The marinade is delicious, and I loved the heat on the finish.

One of the few items not on a skewer is the Assado, a Brazilian pot roast with potatoes and veggies. Yes, it was tasty too, with tender meat, basically falling apart.

The Linguica were juicy and flavorful.

Some of the other meats included the Lombo, marinated pork loin; Peru Com Bacon, turkey wrapped in bacon; and Coracao, chicken hearts with a twist of lime. All were very good and even the chicken hearts, which sometimes can be tough, were relatively tender.

Besides the meats, there are a couple other grilled treats which you will enjoy. The Tomate Grelhado Com Parmesao, grilled tomato with melted Parmesan cheese, was good but my favorite was the Abacaxi, grilled glazed pineapple, The pineapple slices were still juicy and with only a mild sweetness. You might not think grilled pineapple is that good, but this is compelling and you will want to enjoy more than a single slice.

I didn't have any room for dessert though they looked appealing. The Brigadeiro Royal Banana Sundae is a chocolate cake topped with ice cream, sliced bananas, Brigadeiro sauce, whipped cream, chocolate sprinkles and a cherry.

This is the Rabanada, a warm cinnamon pastry with a creamy center, served with vanilla ice cream and laced with caramel sauce.

The Rodizio Grill has made a very good showing during its initial opening and has potential. The most important aspect, their grilled meats, are already impressive and the rest will hopefully shake out during the next couple months. Come here and bring your appetite as there will be plenty you want to try. Don't load up too much on the salads, saving space for all of the grilled meats, as well as the delicious grilled pineapple.

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

Slow Food & Brazilian Cocktail Party

This December, Slow Food Boston is kicking off a series exploring the food traditions of local immigrant groups. First stop: Brazil! On December 3, from 6:30-9:30pm, join Slow Food for a Brazilian Cocktail party at the Massachusetts Alliance of Portuguese Speakers (MAPS), their host and partner for the event. MAPS is the state's largest immigrant assistance organization, working with Portuguese, Cape Verdean and Brazilian populations in the Boston area, Framingham and Lowell.

Enjoy a frosty caipirinha, piping hot cheese rolls and seven other delicious appetizers prepared by the Brazilian staff of MAPS. Tickets cost $20 and the proceeds will be donated to their AIDS/HIV Prevention & Education Program. You can reserve tickets here.

The MAPS offices are located at 1046 Cambridge Street in Cambridge, just off Columbia Street. Detailed driving & walking directions can be found here. Via MBTA, you can take the Red Line to Harvard Square or the Green Line to Lechmere, and then catch the #69 bus on Cambridge Street. There is street side parking available in the area.

Next up: a Vietnamese picnic in spring 2010.

Beija: Art of the Cocktail at Radius

Beija's Art of the Cocktail Series continues on October 14 at 6:30pm. This is an opportunity for a small group of guests to receive an exclusive, hands-on lesson in cocktail creation from one of Boston’s finest mixologists. I attended the first of this series and already talked about how much fun I had at the event.

The fourth event in this series will be held at Radius Restaurant located at 8 High Street, Boston. Mixologist Daniel Motsinger will preside over the event, presenting the Beija High Street Caipirinha. In addition, you will get to try two other Beija cocktails and appetizers will be served.

Reservations are first come first serve and will be limited to 10 people. Visit Beija to make reservations.

Beija Art of the Cocktail Series: Part 3

Beija's Art of the Cocktail Series continues on September 23 at 6:30pm. This is an opportunity for a small group of guests to receive an exclusive, hands-on lesson in cocktail creation from one of Boston’s finest mixologists. I attended the first of this series and already talked about how much fun I had at the event.

The third event in this series will be held at the Lobby Bar & Kitchen located at 131 Broad Street, Boston. Mixologist Scott Schoer will preside over the event, presenting the Beija Liquid Jail Time. In addition, you will get to try two other Beija cocktails and appetizers will be served. Reservations are first come first serve and will be limited to 15 people.

Visit Beija to make reservations.

Stoneham Sun: Cachaca

My new column of "A Passionate Foodie" can be found in the September 17 issue issue of the Stoneham Sun newspaper. This is a weekly column that concentrates on reviews of local restaurants though it may also touch on a few other food and wine topics.

The new column has been published today and will soon be available online. The new column talks about Brazilian cachaca, similar to rum though made only from sugarcane juice. I also discuss my favorite cachaca, Beija.

If you have any questions or comments about my column, feel free to add them here.

Dine with passion.

Beija’s Art of the Cocktail Series: Part 2

Beija's Art of the Cocktail Series continues on September 9 at 6pm. This is an opportunity for a small group of guests to receive an exclusive, hands-on lesson in cocktail creation from one of Boston’s finest mixologists. I attended the first of this series and already talked about how much fun I had at the event.

The second event in this series will be held at the Vintage Lounge located at 72 Broad Street, Boston. Mixologist Robert Shea will preside over the event, presenting the Beija Basil Martini. In addition, you will get to try two other Beija cocktails, including the Beija Blueberry Lemonade and the Beija Strawberry Kiwi Martini. Appetizers will be served too. I have had the Basil Martini before and veyr much enjoyed it. The basil complements the herbal flavors of the Beija.

Reservations are first come first serve and will be limited to 20. Visit Beija to make reservations.

Beija’s Art of the Cocktail Series

Have you tried Beija yet? Beija is a new Brazilian Cachaca, also known as a virgin cane rum, that I think is great just on the rocks or mixed in any number of cocktails.

Come check out Beija’s Art of the Cocktail Series. On the second and fourth Tuesday of every month a small group of guests will receive an exclusive, hands-on lesson in cocktail creation from one of Boston’s finest mixologists.

As part of Beija’s commitment to helping Brazil’s poorest children, 100% of your reservation price will be donated to the ABC Trust.

Learn to make original cocktails, meet new people and enjoy gourmet food and drink. Reservations are first come first serve and will be limited to 20. Visit Beija to make reservations.

I will be there for their inaugural event at Great Bay on 8/26 from 6-7pm. Mixologit Jonathan Henson will be creating a Beija Old Fashioned. Hope to see you there!

Beija Patio Bar: July 18

Have you tried Beija yet? Beija is a new Brazilian Cachaca, also known as a virgin cane rum, that I think is great just on the rocks or mixed in any number of cocktails.

Why not stop by the Beija Patio Bar party at The Foundation Lounge in Kenmore Square on Friday, July 18. There will be a VIP Reception from 9-10pm when Beija will pick up your first cocktail. Just RSVP to vip@beija.net.

The Patio then opens at 10pm with Special Caipirinhas and Mojitos all night. This is an open invite event, no guest list, no cover.

Beija Patio Bar: July 11

Have you tried Beija yet? Beija is a new Brazilian Cachaca, also known as a virgin cane rum, that I think is great just on the rocks or mixed in any number of cocktails.

Why not stop by the Beija Patio Bar kick off party at The Foundation Lounge in Kenmore Square on Friday, July 11. There will be a VIP Reception from 9-10pm when Beija will pick up your first cocktail. Just RSVP to vip@beija.net. The Patio opens then at 10pm with Special Caipirinhas all night. This is an open invite event, no guest list, no cover.

Fire Bull Restaurant

Sometimes that carnivore in you just takes over and you crave meat, lots of it. Succulent, grilled beef, chicken, pork and more. Such a craving came over some friends and I last evening so we decided to dine at the Fire Bull Restaurant, a churrascaria (Brazilian steakhouse) in Peabody.

The Firebull is not my favorite churrascaria (that would be the Midwest Grill) but it is still a very good restaurant and well worth visiting. When I am around Peabody, and get the urge, the Firebull is a good option.

The Firebull is open for both lunch and dinner. At dinner, the Rodizio, the all-you-can eat BBQ is $23.95. This includes a salad, white rice, fried plantains, feijao tropeiro (a Brazilian dish of beans, bacon, eggs, collard greens, kielbasa), and all the meat you can eat. The meats include items such as garlic beef tips, top sirloin, chicken wrapped in bacon, chicken wings, ribs, pork loin, chicken hearts, lamb, and pork sausage. A few other items are sometimes available as well. If the Firebull had more sides available, like Midwest Grill, I would prefer it more. Though the meat is obviously the center of the rodizio, it is also good to have a variety of interesting side dishes.

One thing I wanted to note, as I think it is new at the restaurant, is that you can now bring your own wine, for a corkage fee of $8 per bottle. Though they do sell wine, with some interesting selections from Portugal and Brazil, it is even better that you can bring your own. That is certainly a very good change.

Last night, the Rodizio was maybe the best I had ever had there. The meats were cooked perfectly, were hot, juicy and moist. There was not a single meat last evening that I did not enjoy. And the restaurant was really not that busy so it was not an issue of a quick turnaround. The garlic beef, always one of my favorites, was absolutely delicious. The rare top sirloin just melted in my mouth. The pork loin was superb. Just a fantastic spread.

Service, as usual, was excellent. They are very accomodating, pleasant and and gracious. I will return again here and do recommend that you try it out as well.

Beija at Alibi Lounge: May 25

Have you tried Beija yet? Beija is a new Brazilian Cachaca, also known as a virgin cane rum, that I think is great just on the rocks or mixed in any number of cocktails.

You can sample this new liquor at a party that is being hosted by Beija at the Alibi Lounge at the new Liberty Hotel on Sunday, May 25, at 9pm. Come kick off Industry Sundays at Alibi with Beija Virgin Cane Rum!

RSVP to Kevin@Beija.net or VIP@Beija.net to receive VIP privileges. Feel free to invite guests. Dress to impress.

If you have any questions, please email me at Kevin@Beija.net.

Beija at The Intercontinental Hotel: May 3

Have you tried Beija yet? Beija is a new Brazilian Cachaca, also known as a virgin cane rum, that I think is great just on the rocks or mixed in any number of cocktails.

You can sample this new liquor at a party that is being hosted by Beija at RumBa, a Rum & Champagne Bar at the Intercontinental Boston on Saturday, May 3, from 10pm-2am.

RumBa has selected Beija as their 100th rum! This should be quite the party with two DJ’s, a full ice bar, champagne mojitos, midnight sweet treats and original Beija cocktails. There is no cover or guest list. Dress to impress. They are expecting 250-300 people, so feel free to invite friends!

If you have any questions, please send an email to Kevin@Beija.net.

Beija at Alibi Lounge: April 9

Have you tried Beija yet? Beija is a new Brazilian Cachaca, also known as a virgin cane rum, that I think is great just on the rocks or mixed in any number of cocktails.

You can sample this new liquor at a party that is being hosted by Beija at the Alibi Lounge at the new Liberty Hotel on Wednesday, April 9, from 8:30pm-11pm.

This is a monthly VIP evening. Beija will pick up the first cocktail for guests who RSVP. Alibi will be debuting two original Beija cocktails. Feel free to invite friends, just send a list of their names to Kevin@Beija.net so he can include them on the list.

Beija at Felt: March 13

I previously raved about Beija, a new Brazilian Cachaca, also known as a virgin cane rum. It is a new liquor on the market and I think it is great just on the rocks or mixed in any number of cocktails.

You can once again sample this new liquor at a party that is being hosted by Beija at Felt on Thursday, March 13, from 8-10 pm. It is open invitation, so feel free to bring friends. There is no guest list. There will be featured Beija cocktails and a live band.

Beija at Alibi: March 4

I previously raved about Beija, a new Brazilian Cachaca, also known as a virgin cane rum. It is a new liquor on the market and I think it is great just on the rocks or mixed in any number of cocktails.

You can sample this new liquor at a party that is being hosted by Beija at Alibi this Tuesday, March 4, from 8pm-10pm. Alibi is located in the new Liberty Hotel, the site of the former Charles Street Jail. Why not stop by and try some Beija?

RSVP to Kevin@Beija.net or VIP@Beija.net and Beija will pick up the tab for your first cocktail.

The Rise of Cachaça

A mighty wave of Brazilian Cachaça is hitting the shores of the U.S. Long mainly just a drink of Brazil, Cachaça is making inroads in other countries, including the U.S.

I have talked about Cachaça before, including about one of my favorites, Beija Cachaça. Well Cachaca has now hit the pages of Business Week. There is an interesting article, The Next Tequila, that talks about the growing popularity of Cachaça.

Germany currently imports the most amount of Cachaça from Brazil but it is catching on in the U.S. In 2006, over 65,000 nine-liter cases of Cachaça were sold in the U.S., a 63% increase from 2005. This is still a mere pittance when compared to something like Tequila, where the U.S. imported over 9 million cases.

If you want to be in on the cutting edge of alcohol and spirits, then maybe you should try some Cachaça. And if you are local, seek out Beija, which is perfect just on the rocks or in a cocktail.

Beija at Alibi:

I previously raved about Beija, a new Brazilian Cachaca, also known as a virgin cane rum. It is a new liquor on the market and I think it is great just on the rocks or mixed in any number of cocktails.

You can sample this new liquor at a party that is being hosted by Beija at Alibi this Sunday, February 17th, from 10pm-1am. Alibi is located in the new Liberty Hotel, the site of the former Charles Street Jail. Why not stop by and try some Beija?

Send an email to info@Beija.net to get on the guest list.

Midwest Grill: Saugus

What is one of the best dining deals on Route 1? The Rodizio at the Midwest Grill in Saugus on Route 1 North.

As I have mentioned before, the Midwest Grill in Saugus is the second location of this churrascaria, Brazilian steakhouse. Their first location is in Cambridge and I have long been a fan. It has always been my favorite of all the other churrascarias I have visited. So when they opened a location in Saugus, I was hopeful that it would be of the same high quality.

I ate dinner there this past Saturday night with five others, family and friends. I had made reservations which was a good thing as it was quite busy Saturday night. I would highly recommend reservations on the weekends unless you do not mind waiting a bit. There is a bar where you can sit and have a drink while you are waiting, such as a glass of Brazilian wine or a Caipirinha.

We were seated immediately and we were not too far away from the live music, a singer who also played a guitar. The music was not overly loud so it enhanced the dining experience rather than diminished it. It added a bit of Brazilian culture to our evening.

I ordered a bottle of Portuguese wine, an inexpensive Dao ($21) which was very good. We would order a second bottle later in the evening. It is a nice red wine, not too tannic and with some nice berry flavors.

For dinner, there was really no decision to make. We all chose the Rodizio, the all-you-can eat BBQ ($23.95). Though you can order specific dishes, the best buy is definitely the Rodizio. We first headed to the Hot Foods Buffet and Cold Salads Station. There are two long tables with plenty of options. There are several different types of salads. There are dishes including white rice, mashed potatoes, olives, fried plantains, french fries, beans, fried chicken, and more. Everything was at least warm, if not hot. With so many other customers, dishes on these stations move fast. I enjoyed everything I ate there.

At most other churrascaria restaurants, you do not get even half as many options for these side dishes and salads. So, you are getting a better buy for your buck at the Midwest Grill. But remember not to fill up too much on all these extras as you want to save room for all the meat coming your way.

A constant succession of grilled meats on skewers began to arrive at our table. They included sirloin, garlic beef, lamb, chicken wrapped in bacon, beef ribs, kielbasa, Brazilian sausage, pork loin, chicken hearts and garlic rolls. Again, as it was busy, the meats moved fast so you almost always had a fresh skewer coming to your table. The meats were delicious, juicy and savory. I especially love the garlic beef, chicken wrapped in bacon and the Brazilian sausage. The garlic rolls are also excellent. I even had some chicken hearts, which were cooked just right and not overdone.

If you want a meat cooked a certain way, say rare or well done, then just ask. If a meat is brought to your table that is not cooked the way you like, then just pass and wait for the next skewer. I prefer my meat rare so when well-done beef is brought, I just pass on that skewer and wait for the rare beef to arrive. With all the skewers that will come to your table, you won't have an empty plate while waiting for a particular meat.

We all gorged ourselves on the meats and everyone at my table was very pleased with everything we ate. A few of us saved some room for dessert. There are about a dozen different choices available from cheesecake to chocolate cake. I had a coconut caramel cake that was superb. Those are two flavors that I really love the cake melded them perfectly. It was moist, flavorful and good-sized.

Service was excellent. Despite the restaurant being busy, our server did a very good job tending to our table, bringing water when needed and more. Everyone was personable and helpful. They brought clean plates when needed, and asked what meats we wanted after the initial line-up was delivered to our table.

The quality of the Saugus location is as good as their Cambridge location. For the price, you simply will find it hard to locate a better value. You get more than enough excellent food. No one in your party should go home hungry. Service is top-notch and quality is there. I heartily recommend this restaurant.

Midwest Grill
910 Broadway (Rte 1)
Saugus, MA
Phone: (781) 231-2221