Current location:	Home office
Current mood:	full

Bad restaurant ... hurt stomach!
I have resisted many, MANY postings to this journal over the recent months - mostly because I don't wish it to be an "I hate ____" repository. Oddly, though, I'm most compelled to write when something really aggravates me. You guys have missed out on such winners as "weddings are the most worthless creations ever vomited forth onto our plane of being" right on through "why those traditional, bad-weather football games suck".

I've finally found the intervening happy-post worthy of writeup, though, and I'll attempt to give my experience a just treatment even through my food-addled haze ... hour #16. And so: the Churrascaria.

HOLY MEAT, BATMAN!

I've heard people go on about Brazilian steakhouses, and I always wanted to try one out - but for some reason, it just never fell into place. Well, we've got a good one, here in Durham - and it was declared that last night we were giving it a go. Off we went, to Chamas (http://www.chamas.us/about_us.php).

Unsure of the dress code, we dolled up a little (OK, I manley'd up a little - you get the idea...) and headed off. After navigating the downtown Durham area (always a challenge) we grabbed a spot and walked in. The dress was typically "upscale casual" so we chose well. Go us! The place looked like a very nice choice for a quiet birthday dinner, so even more "go us" back-patting ensued. Then we noticed that they have MAYBE half a dozen tables for two - and we got stuck next to the other pairs that were there. It wasn't a big deal, and turned out not to bother us - but it was amusing that in a mostly empty (Thursday night...) restaurant with a huge hall, we would wind up RIGHT next to two other pairs of people. Heh heh.

Out came our waiter-guy and he explained how the place works. First up, you head to the buffet table and sample lots of goodies. Goodies include cheeses, some cold seafoods, salads, and bread. I tried a half-dozen cheeses, including honey-nut brie and a spiffy asiago. A clam or two, some salad with raspberry-bleu cheese dressing, and various other fresh veggies and peppers. When that's done, you flip your personal "ready" card to green, and onwards come the meat dishes. Flank steak was first, a garlic steak followed, chicken and sausages after that, sirloin in a house glaze, herbed lamb, bacon-wrapped filet mignon ... good grief! Onwards it came, and though I stuffed myself stupid I always wanted to try some of what was passing by. I made note of what I missed out on, and next time we go back I'm going to finish the collection, as it were. I was taking part in the Pokemon of steak dinners. When I finally gave up, I was basically vowing to never eat again - and also expecting to need about 200 hours on the basketball court and in the gym to burn off the critters I had consumed.

In terms of pace ... I know my eating has slowed in the decade my wife and I have been eating together - but this was ridiculous! I couldn't wolf down my dish fast enough to keep my plate clear, so you basically couldn't be shy about saying "no, thank you" to the wandering Gauchos. More than once we flipped our cards to red while we finished off our cuts, cleansed the palate with some cinammon fried bananas, and took a quick breather. The back to green to catch that guy with the lamb!!! We were saying how everyone that talked about Chamas seems to have gone in a group - and we see why. It's the perfect place to go when you expect conversation to be limiting the pace at which you're consuming food, and more people means more carousing when you have to flip your card to red and recover for a minute.

The whole experience is $30 a head, so for $60 plus tip it's a great "special occasion" meal for my wife and I. I can't imagine anyone having room to order dessert, but it all looked good, and the wine list was extensive - so it could be more for others.

Anyways, I now know the joy that is the Churrascaria. My new life's goal is to take my Dad to one, so I can see if he'll actually explode or not. My money's on "yes".