My entire life, I've approached food like a vacuum cleaner. Gourmands like Beyond Scrapple, Cooking With Ann and Not Cooking Tonight are really appreciated, but I'm no culinary institute grad. I'm more like a human garbage disposal unit who actually likes (and still buys) army food.Despite a complete lack of qualifications, I can't wait for the experts to tell you about the latest restaurant here in the boonies of Northampton County. It's called Rio's Brazilian Steak House, located here in Nazareth at 127 S. Broad Street. Its phone number, which you can't get in the book or by dialing 411, is 610-614-1018.
So far as I know, it's the only Brazilian-style steakhouse in the Lehigh Valley. Imagine that! No KOZ classification, no public funding and no special liquor license, either. Just terrific food, moderately priced, served by a friendly staff.
My grandson and I have already been there twice, so let me explain how it works. It's rodizio de churrasco, an all you can eat you can eat BBQ. Fresh cuts of different kinds of meat are skewered and slowly grilled over an open wood charcoal flame while you load up on different Brazilian side dishes at the buffet, including staples like rice and other dishes I've never seen in my life.
While you work on your side dishes, gregarious gauchos (chefs) will visit you with skewer after skewer of different cuts of steak, chicken, lamb, turkey, pork, sausage and seafood. My first time, sirloin wrapped in bacon was my favorite. But that changed last night, when the BBQ maestro brought out a ribeye stuffed with sausage, garlic and cheese. Wow! That became my favorite, but was quickly replaced a few minutes later by a small slice of Picanha, which tastes better than any filet mignon I was ever served.
I kept asking until I learned this is basically cow ass. Hey, at least it's not scrapple!
My grandson is a bit more consistent. He loved chicken drumsticks on both visits.
It's a small place, and it's probably a good idea to call ahead. But even if you have to wait, it's worth it. On our second visit, the staff actually remembered us. Claiming my grandson didn't eat enough (three chicken drumsticks, two slices of ribeye steak, mounds of shrimp on rice from the buffet), they would only charge him for his ice cream and drinks. Ordinarily, kids are half price, anyway, but that was very nice.
If you really want to piss someone off, invite a vegan.
Selections vary all the time, so I am going to visit this place a few more times to learn as much as I can. After all, it's important to conduct extensive research before blogging. This isn't as easy as it looks.
11 comments:
This sounds like a unique place. We might head out to the "boonies" to try it. Nice ambience?
Mrs. Dottie,
It used to be the Broad Street tavern. It's very small. That's the one drawback.
Let me guess, you were served your meals by the boys from Bazil.
Trivia Alert!
My wife and son ate there last Saturday night on a whim, we were out and about. I was, up until last Saturday night, a die hard Iron Bound Section of Newark Brazilian restuarant patron. I never thought I would ever be able to get good rodizio anywhere but in New Jersey. The meats were exceptionally tender and great, the price was very reasonable compared to some other places in town, where the food isn't as good and servce was awesome. If you love meat then you will love Rios. I have a standing reservation for table 10 at 7PM very Saturday night. See you there.
Hello Bernie!
I actually found your blog while Googling the address to Mapquest Rio's and was delighted to see reviews by other LV folk. Thanks for the info!
Happy weekend!
please stay out of nazareth if you refer to it as the boonies mrs. dottie.
Mrs. Dottie's use of the word "boonies" is a pointed reference to Mayor Pawlowski's disparaging remarks about Nazareth. Your own comment is an ignorant anonymous slam, unlike most of the people I know here.
I just ate at Rio's for the first time last night prior to reading your blog. The food was excellent, the service even better, and you eat until you literally can't eat anymore all for one very reasonable price! I will be taking my father there for his birthday this coming week, so I can't wait to see what my second trip there has in store for us. Definitely worth checking out if you've never been there before. I would recommend it to anyone who is a meat-lover!
I took a group for Mother's Day and it was terrific. The food and service were excellent and just as good as much more expensive restaurants of that kind in the City. I will definetly go back!
Is this place open again? I called a few weeks back in early May 2009 and found via voicemail that it was still closed after some fire.
I went there for my birthday and I loved it. I don't eat red meat, but found a lot of other meats to eat. It was the first time there for my whole family. No complaints from anyone. It is a great place to go with a group of friends. Come hungry and expect to be there for at least 2 hours.
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