Rodizio Roundup

Streets of Stamford kicked butt in his write up of the excellence that was the pre-grand opening of our newest meat-tacular restaurant, Rodizio Grill, but I'll add my 3.5 cents and say that it was well worth the trip.

The basic concept is that you have this powerful little dowel with a red end and a green end. Turn the green end up, and you are flooded with a table full of meat. Steak, chicken, creatures wrapped in other creatures - delicious (if not kosher). Turn the red end up, and they give you a breather. You can also enjoy appetizers and a very generous salad bar. Their definition of "salad" is something to love - it includes hot dishes, rice, black beans and other deliciousness. Needless to say, you will not leave hungry.

It is fantastic that the giant hole that Houlihan's left has now been filled, and Rodizio is a solid choice. Guests at my table included me, my husband and our newborn - this was his first restaurant experience, and blissfully, everyone survived. Restaurant patrons had no need to fear us - the joint was jumpin and it was too loud to be bothered by babies. Our son was on good behavior too, and although we juggled the baby between the meat flood, we all had a good time. That being said, I think this place is made for a slightly bigger group. The ladies next to us were flirting with the cute waiters, joking, laughing and generally having a fantastic time. The big size of the place, the big size of the helpings, the social nature of how the food is served - it's perfect for a big night out with a boisterous crowd. And fussy babies won't turn heads either - also good to know!