July 15, 2021 – Gator Girl – Out of the Swamp

If you have never been to a Brazilian steakhouse, you are in for a treat. It is a parade of meats, coming direct to your table. It was exciting to take someone who had never been before. I knew it would be a fun experience at Rio de Brazil in Johnson City, Tennessee.

To start off with, you must understand the color-coded cards that are on the table.

GREEN = Yes, I want meat, please come over to the table
RED = No, I am full so you can pass by

The next thing to know about Brazilian steakhouses are the salad bars. They are awesome but remember do not fill up on all of that. You must save room for the meat, that’s the main reason to visit. The salad bar had so many options.

I tried some pasta salad, fresh tomato and mozzarella, and a fresh broccoli salad. I figured this would be a light enough starter. The broccoli salad had a nice sweetness to it. They also had shrimp cocktail which is a great way to start with protein. There were creamy mashed potatoes with gravy on the bar too. I knew this would be the perfect side with steak.

The first meat that came to the table was the bacon wrapped chicken. The bacon was crispy on the outside. The bacon fat helped add to the taste of the chicken as it cooked. The chicken was tender and moist. The flavor they marinated the chicken in had a light teriyaki taste. It was really delicious.

The next skewer of meat to come to the table was the bacon wrapped filet. As soon as I cut into the filet, the juices just poured out. The meat was cooked perfectly with a little pink. The seasoning they put on the meat was savory and it made each bite more addicting. The bacon added a little extra salty with a crunch.

The flank steak was thin slices of tender meat. I did not even need a knife to cut it. I ate it so fast I forgot to take a picture.

In between the meats, the waiter brought some bananas to the table. This was like a dessert. The bananas were cooked in cinnamon and sugar. The bananas were soft, and the sugar created a caramelization on top. It was a great cleanser to eat a few bites in between the salty meat.

One of the last meats I tried was the garlic steak. The meat tasted like it was marinated in a garlic butter sauce. The garlic complemented the savory flavor from the meat. Even this cut of meat was tender.

I was starting to develop a meat coma. I was surprised when the waiter came around with a skewered pineapple. The pineapple was coated on the outside with cinnamon and sugar. As it rotated over the flame, the sugar melted and caramelized. It was fantastic on the pineapple. The grill gave it a little different texture. It was really delicious. This is something I might try on the grill at home.

The meat was fantastic at Rio de Brazil. The sides were great too even though I did not try many of them. It is a fun restaurant to go to so you can try a variety of things. It is definitely a place to check out.