Jim and Nancy do not disclose the fact that they will review a restaurant before they attend, ensuring their reviews are unbiased and uninfluenced by their position with the Sun Day.
Prior to the Dining Duo moving to the friendly confines of Sun City Del Webb Huntley, most of our marital bliss was spent in Hoffman Estates. As a result, we seem to find ourselves returning there for various reasons like doctors, stores, restaurants, etc. While driving down Roselle Road in Schaumburg, a storefront caught Nancy’s eye. The sign above the establishment said Brazil Express. She was excited at the prospect of a fast hair removal procedure and decided to stop in and find out what it was all about. To her embarrassment, it turned out to be a restaurant. Oh well, time for dinner!!!
Brazil Express
1045 S. Roselle Road
Schaumburg 60193
(224) 353-6315
www.brazilexpressgrill.com
Directions: Take Rte. 47 South to I-90 East to Roselle Road South to restaurant.
Estimated Travel Time: 34 minutes
From the outside, this restaurant looks tiny, but when you walk in, it is much larger than you would expect. There are approximately 24 tables in the main dining area, and off to the side there is a private room which can accommodate larger parties.
When we were seated, the waiter brought over a basket of Pão de Queijo (Brazilian cheese bread). These were chewy Parmesan mini muffins that were crispy on the bottom. They were absolutely awesome! We could have made a meal just on those tasty little morsels.
Now for the soup/salad bar. They had two soups of the day, chicken noodle and broccoli cheese. I tried the chicken noodle soup and Jim tried the broccoli cheese soup, and they were both very tasty. The salad bar had 36 items to choose from. These items range from a green salad (with all the fixins’), a variety of homemade salads (like chicken, potato, etc.), and a platter with 2 kinds of cheeses, salami, and olives.
Our waiter brought over garlic mashed potatoes and bananas caramelized with sugar and cinnamon. He then asked if we were ready. In case you have never been to a Brazilian steakhouse, let us explain. This particular restaurant gives you a green sign to place in a stand on your table to inform the waitstaff that you want meat. Let the games begin…
Within seconds after we put up our green sign, men were surrounding our table with three foot swords filled with meat. What a “hair” raising experience! They offer ten different types of meat, such as, filet wrapped in bacon, Brazilian sausage, and Parmesan pork to name a few. They pull out a huge knife and slice off as much meat as you would like. This process is repeated as many times as you wish throughout the evening. A refreshing end to all of this meat is when they bring out a skewer with a whole roasted pineapple on it.
The meats are cooked “Churrasco” style, which means on a rotisserie over charcoal and seasoned to perfection. Each sword has rare, medium, and well-done temperatures to satisfy every taste. If not, they will cook it to order and come running back to your table. WARNING: Don’t be too fussy; after all, they are carrying BIG swords!
This is a place to go with some friends for dinner. You can spend a couple of hours eating, drinking, and talking between courses. There are several Brazilian steakhouses in the area. This particular one is cheaper than the others. It was okay, but remember: sometimes you get what you pay for.
FYI: This restaurant is handicap accessible.
The precos (pricing) is as follows:
Lunch (Open Friday’s only) $24.99
Dinner (Monday – Thursday) $34.99
Dinner (Friday – Sunday) $37.99
The price for our Saturday dinner was $93.50.
Jim’s take: I loved the bacon wrapped chicken and the Brazilian sausage, but my jaw got a workout on the steaks.
Nancy’s take: I went in for a waxing and came out with a full tummy! I loved those addicting cheese muffins.
Have comments or restaurant suggestions for the Dining Duo? Send them an email at thediningduo@gmail.com
