Texas de Brazil is a total experience, one that first blew my mind in San Juan, Puerto Rico, where I was too sick to eat but watched in amazement as men carried around huge slabs of meat and brought it directly to the table. I regretted missing it so much, that I was ecstatic to discover that two northeast Ohio locations had opened recently.
I chose to go to Woodmere, as it was closer, and decided to treat my boyfriend for his birthday. And when I say treat, I mean treat, because I spent a good 150 dollars between the two of us.
The Woodmere location has excellent service, with the manager, our waiter, and gauchos coming around frequently and always with a smile.
Everyone was knowledgeable, with the appreciated touch of suggesting food and alcohol pairings. Even more, the vibe of the place was relaxed, which is hard to pull off with at least four people weaving through tables at all times and a self-serve buffet.
Still, the food leaves some to be desired. While the dessert was so deliciously prepared to perfection, the meat struggled with consistency. Our waiter told us the meat would be prepared medium rare, and some pieces were, while others were given an inedible char. There could probably be more options for cuts and preparations of meats as well.
However, the experience felt special and the food dynamics of it all (using cinnamon sugar fried plantains to cleanse the palate, for example) were all incredibly effective. I'd suggest coming here if you want to try something new and are willing to splurge for an upscale feeling.