Alma Gaucha: Brazilian Rodizio in Worcester For The Win!

I don't get to Worcester as much as I should, but on my most recent visit there, I sought out a new spot for lunch. As I did some research, I learned about Alma Gaucha, a Brazilian Rodizio restaurant that had opened in December 2025. The initial reviews were positive, the menu looked interesting, and it appealed to the other five friends who were joining me for lunch. So, I made reservations and we took a chance on this new spot. 

Alma Gaucha is owned by Nelson DeOliveira, an entrepreneur who also is the owner and CEO of Nelson Group Construction in Medford. Nelson was born on a cattle farm in Brazil but came to the U.S. when he was very young. He also owns the Alma Gaucha restaurant in Boston's Seaport. I have not dined at the Boston location yet, but am planning to do so in the future.

As you enter the restaurant, you can see the elegant bar section to the right, with a small lounge area. 

The dining areas also are more elegant, with a rustic touch from all the wood decor. It's a much larger restaurant than it looks from then outside. This would be a good place for romantic dates or business meetings, family or friend gatherings. 

As you walk through the dining room, you can also see the grills, which are open to view. 

The Drinks menu at the restaurant offers wine, beer, spirits and cocktails. The Wine list has 14 wines available by the glass, priced $8-$14, with choices from all over the world. The Cocktail list has plenty of options, and their specialty are their Caipirinhas, with seven varieties available (priced at $15-$16). The Caipirinha is Brazil's famed cocktail, made with cachaça (a rum-like spirit produced from sugarcane), lime, and sugar, muddled together. The seven options included: Tropical, Alma Premium, Passion Fruit/Lime, Strawberry, Kiwi, Coconut/Pineapple, and Dragon Fruit. 

The Tropical Caipirinha ($16) was made with cachaça, fresh muddled kiwi, strawberries, pineapple, limes, sugar, and ice. It was delicious and refreshing, fruity and lightly sweet. The cachaça was noticeable but not overly so. My friends who also ordered this cocktail enjoyed them as well. 

The Alma Premium Caipirinha ($15) was made with aged cachaça, fresh muddled limes, sugar, and ice. Again, this was refreshing and tasty, a nicely balanced cocktail with bright citrus notes. I've enjoyed caipirinha cocktails before, and this was an excellent example, which I'd strongly recommend.

As for the cachaça they use for these cocktails, they have their own brand of Silver Cachaça. They also have a 2-Year Old Gold Cachaça and a 20-Year Old Gold Cachaça. In addition, they have a few other Cachaça brands. 

 

For Lunch, Alma Gaucha offers two options: Market Table and Full Experience. The Market Table costs $19.95 during Weekdays and $33.95 on Weekends. The Market Table includes just their buffet tables, which contain a variety of salads, seasonal vegetables, and signature hot dishes. The Full Experience costs $42.95 during Weekdays and $53.95 during Weekends. It consists of the buffet tables, as well as unlimited meats carved tableside. Children under 6 years old are free, and children aged 7-12 pay half price. Dinner is more expensive. 

The Rodizio includes plenty of options, such as: Sirloin (Picanha), Ribeye, Tomahawk, Prime Ribs, Chuck Short Ribs, Tri-Tip Steak, Tenderloin (Filet Mignon), Prime Beef Ribs, Trip-Tip Sirloin with Cheese, Salmon, Lamb Chops, Lamb Steak, Brazilian Sausage, Pork Belly, Chicken Legs & Hearts, Grilled Cheese with Honey/Gauva Sauce, and Grilled Pineapple. At your seat, you are given a small circle, green on one side and red on the other, which respectively indicates when you want more meat, or when you need a break. And if you are seeking a specific option, just ask your server and they will try to expedite the delivery of that option.

The Buffet tables contain many options, from salads to soups. Although tasty, I usually only sample a few of these items, saving my main appetite for all of the meats that will soon come. Vegetarians though might enjoy all of the buffet options. 

As my friends and I sat our table, we were then witness to a few different servers bringing meats, seafood, and other items to our table, in a seemingly infinite progression, commonly slicing the various meats table-side. I didn't take any photos of these meats, simply enjoying my lunch. In general, the meats were fresh, tender and flavorful, sometimes with a prominent saltiness. The Tenderloin was probably my favorite cut, but I enjoyed all of the meats, from the lamb to the sausages. The salmon was excellent, and the grilled pineapple was a pure delight, very juicy with a light cinnamon coating on the exterior. I didn't have anything that I disliked.  

Despite having consumed so much for lunch, we still had a little room for Dessert (which isn't included as part of the Rodizio price), including Pecan Pie ($14), Warm Bourbon Pecan Pie accompanied with Coconut Toasted Pineapple Ice Cream; Flan ($11), Brazilian style Flan with condensed milk, with a homemade caramel sauce; and Chocolate Mousse ($12), Velvety Homemade chocolate mousse with chocolate shavings. The desserts were tasty as well, and I especially liked the Coconut Toasted Pineapple Ice Cream. And it might have been nice to have a bit of whipped cream atop the Chocolate Mousse. 

This was probably one of the best Rodizio restaurants I've dined at in many years, and my friends were all in agreement. Quality and delicious food and cocktails. We consumed vast amounts of meats, and were satisfied and full for the rest of the day. The price for the Rodizio was reasonable for the quality and quantity of the food. In addition, service was excellent, and our primary server, Luly, was friendly, attentive and responsive. Highly recommended! 

A Food Sampling: Viet Citron, Elm St. Sweets, Tous Les Jours, & Baba Sushi

Over the last couple weeks, I've enjoyed some delicious food and wanted to compile some of the highlights here. What dishes have you enjoyed lately?

Việt Citron, in Burlington, is one of my regular lunch spots and I've previously reviewed the restaurant a couple times. They commonly offer seasonal specials, and I generally order these items, trying something new. Recently, at limited times, they have been offering Xôi Bắp (Ma Homie Sticky Rice), which is composed of "Fragrant hominy corn steamed w/ sticky rice, topped w/ crushed mung beans, fresh fried shallots, and sesame sugar."

In Vietnam, this is a popular breakfast dish although it is also served as a dessert. Some people also enjoy it for lunch or dinner. This was a hearty rice dish, with sweetness from the corn, and a nice crunch from the fried shallots. It comes with a side of sesame sugar so you can choose how sweet you want to make this dish. Without the sesame sugar, it's more of a savory dish, and with plenty of sugar, it becomes a dessert. I can easily see why it makes for a good breakfast dish too. Get yourself to Việt Citron and enjoy their delicious Vietnamese cuisine. 

Rosebud American Kitchen & Bar is well known for its pies and desserts, and those items are now available from the new Elm Street Sweets in Somerville. You can order online a variety of pies, cakes, cookies and other desserts and pick them up later at Rosebud. Options include items like Pumpkin Whoopie Pies, Snickerdoodle Cookies, Blueberry Crumble Pie, Pecan Carrot Cake, Sea Salt Chocolate Chip Cookies, and more. 

A second location of Elm Street Sweets has also just opened this week at 158 Great Street, Bedford, next to the second location of Posto.  So, now there's a suburban spot to obtain their desserts. They even have a counter where you can see all of the treats, and pick and choose which you'd like to buy. 

I received a media sample of their Banana Bourbon Cream Pie, which is made with a nilla wafer crust, dulche de leche, fresh bananas, banana bourbon custard, vanilla whipped cream, and white chocolate shavings. Aesthetically, it's appealing and very different inside from the traditional Banana Cream Pie, with a darker color inside. It's delicious, with a prominent bourbon flavor, plenty of creamy whipped cream, a rich banana flavor, and a crunchy crust. This would be an excellent choice for the holidays, to adorn your Thanksgiving or Christmas table. Or just for a Friday night treat.

At the H Mart in Burlington, there is the Tous Les Jours, an Asian-French bakery, which is definitely one of my favorite bakeries. From Sliced Pan Bread to Pastry Doughnuts, Garlic Twists to Cornet Pies. They also sell a line of cakes, including the Strawberry Cream Cake (about $36), which I recently bought for a special occasion. 

It had a light sponge cake with layers of sweet and silky whipped cream, as well as thin slices of fresh strawberries. And it was topped by strawberries, raspberries and grapes. I prefer this lighter style of cake to some of the heavier and sweeter cakes with their thick frostings. You can find a variety of cream cakes at this bakery, as well as some special design cakes, such as shaped like a bear's face or a pig. They also carry Buttercream and Mousse cakes. The next time you need a cake for a special occasion, or just a Friday night, check out Tous Les Jours.

Last week, on a trip to Worcester, a friend and I stopped at Baba Sushi for lunch. They have three locations, in Worcester, Sturbridge and Bristol. It's a small spot, with take-out, delivery and inside dining. And based on this lunch experience, they have excellent food and I'd definitely return again. 

The Fried Shumai ($6) were fried just right, with a more tender interior and a nice shrimp taste. 

The Gyoza ($6) were also quite good. 

The Chicken Tori ($7) were two skewers of marinated and broiled chicken pieces, topped with a homemade teriyaki sauce. The chicken was tender and moist with a pleasing teriyaki, with just the right amount of sweetness.

The Beef Tori ($8) also had chunks of flavorful beef topped by their teriyaki.

The Sushi was exceptional, fresh, tender and ample. For Nigiri, there was Maguro (Tuna/$7.75), Hotate (Scallop $7), and Unagi (Eel/$7.75).  All were delicious, and definitely some of the better sushi I've tasted in some time. Their menu has an extensive list of Maki rolls too, from a basic Sweet Potato Maki ($5) to a more complex, and very tasty, Dragon Eel Maki ($13), made with tempura shrimp, cucumber, eel, masago, and kabayaki sauce. Baba Sushi certainly excels with their sushi, and I'd like to try more of their menu too.

If you're in Worcester, you should check out Baba Sushi.