Sabor Do Brasil, Weston-Super-Mare Review

We could all do with a slice of Brazilian sunshine and you will find it in spades in the warmth and genuine welcome at Sabor do Brasil. They are a family and they invite you to feel at home, and in our case just like taking a long leisurely Sunday lunch at home but happily I left the cooking to someone else. The restaurant specialises in rodizio, a traditional style of cooking that serves an unlimited selection of different meats rather impressively carved from skewers at the table, together with fish, all charcoal grilled and prepared freshly to order. Supported by both hot and cold buffet tables there is all you could wish for, and the food is indeed unlimited; you can eat as much as you like.

We were intrigued to find out how this worked and to get in the Brazilian spirit I took up the offer of a caipirinha, definitely the signature cocktail of the country and one of my favourites. Served with cachaça, cane sugar and lime, drizzled over crushed ice, it certainly packs a punch and is also served as a pitcher for sharing which would certainly get the party started. At the weekend the full rodizio is served which includes ten varieties of meat, fish of the day, plus unlimited visits to the hot and cold buffets. You are provided with two coasters – one green which means you want to carry on being served more meat, or red, which politely declines saying you are full.

We began by choosing from the colourful and appetising cold buffet displaying a variety of fresh-as-a-daisy salads, crisp coleslaw, chickpea, shiny green beans, crunchy carrots, beetroot and many others, and the hot buffet with a selection of different rice dishes, Brazilian beans with cassava flour and bacon, and a beef stroganoff with a wonderful cream sauce (I know because I came back twice for this!).

First to arrive at the table was Brazilian sausage, a mighty meaty little devil wrapped in bacon and rolled onto your plate, followed by pork spare ribs, sirloin steak sliced off in expertly cut thin pieces, rib-eye and rump, we were slightly fading and reaching for the red coasters but then the best piece of sea bass I’ve even eaten was served. Chargrilled to perfection, presented on a plate surrounded by shell on prawns, the flesh fell away from the bone, white and succulent.

Despite surreptitiously loosening waistbands we agreed to finish with roast pineapple with sugar and cinnamon; this was awesome – a whole pineapple brought to your table on a skewer and sliced, it was a sticky delight and a great finisher. Having said that, home-made tiramisu was offered as well and I’m afraid we ate that too!

Sabor Do Brasil, 25 St James St, Weston-super-Mare BS23 1ST

Jacquie Vowles