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Mini-Review: Texas de Brazil Express in Dallas

Posted on October 8th, 2009 2:48pm by Nancy Nichols
Filed under Bacon, Openings, Restaurant News, Reviews, Sandwiches

: Bacon-wrapped organic chicken sandwich on ciabatta.

I just dropped into the newish Texas de Brazil Express in Preston Center and picked up a couple of sandwiches. It’s a create-your-own sandwich, salad, or rice bowl concept. I guess you could call it a mini-churrascaria: There are skewers of beef, chicken, lamb, pork, Brazilian sausage, and picanha (sirloin) sizzling over an open flame in the middle of the self-service line.

If you love Texas de Brazil, you’ll love the mini-TdB. It’s certainly a cheaper way to enjoy the familiar meats. It took me forever to make up my mind, but dozens of regulars moved past me and recited their orders like robots.

Jump for my love.

First, I constructed a sandwich with ciabatta bread and bacon-wrapped organic chicken. I covered it with roasted garlic mayonnaise, crispy shallots, roasted red bell peppers, a slice of provolone, sliced tomatoes, and pickled jalapenos.

Then I picked a baguette and lined the bread with picanha, roasted red peppers, Muenster cheese, and a small ladle of bitchin’ chimichuri sauce.

: Picanha with chimichuri sauce, red bell pepper, and Muenster cheese on baguette.

The baguette was too thick and dense which made it difficult to bite through. When I finally did managed to chew through, the oil from the chimichuri sauce ran down my arm, across my keyboard, and over the side of my desk. Luckily my faithful dog, Lulu, was there and licked it off before it hit the floor. I ditched the bread and the remaining slices of steak and cheese made a lovely little lunch plate. (This would have been a great salad combination.)

The delicate ciabatta bread was more user friendly and the hot juicy chicken balls stayed between the bread and allowed me to savor all of the flavors—salty bacon colliding with hot jalapenos and sweet red pepper.

I’d go back. The high-quality ingredients are superb. Sandwiches range from $5.85 to $7.50 and it’s quick and easy.

3 Comments to “Mini-Review: Texas de Brazil Express in Dallas”

Zman @ October 8th, 2009 at 3:45 pm

Nancy, are you on a sandwich kick this week?
CKent @ October 8th, 2009 at 4:54 pm

The sammichs are ok, but the meats are not the same quality as the main restaurant. Their downfall is the refuse to provide a reasonable amount of meat and toppings. They are very stingy, especially when you say extra peppers or tomatoes – the servers look at you like that is forbidden.

What upset me is on one visit, the server put like 2 slices of meat on the bread. I asked is that all you get? He said for an additional $$$ (I forgot the amount) he could add more. It was 10 minutes before closing and I asked what do you do with all the leftovers – he said we throw it away. He missed a perfect chance of wooing a new customer, but he would rather throw the meat away.

You come to expect tons of meat when you goto the main restaurant – the Express is quite the opposite!
Blogg Hoggess @ October 8th, 2009 at 6:40 pm

I disagree. I’ve been there several times and have never been able to finish my sandwich. Look at that picture. Four huge chunks of chicken. I think I’ll go get one tonight.

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