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Churrasco Feast Express
 We were watching Samantha Brown's "Passport to Latin America", where she featured Brazil. And of course, a big part of it was their FOOD. I told Dennis that my family and I were supposed to have our Churrasco buffet at Serendra last Holiday, but since Dad doesn't eat pork, we ended up dining at Balducci (still a great thing). Just before Samantha's clip about the Barbecue buffet, I was mentioning to Denz that Brazil! Brazil!, a buffet resto in Serendra, has a ginormous Churrasco Buffet which I think we'll both enjoy. Just as I was describing the restaurant's menu, Samantha's Churrasco cover was already up next on the featurette. I excitedly pointed at the TV screen "That's the one I'm talking about!! Something like that!!". Well, everything's exactly the same - the menu, the manner of ordering, the preparation, plating, and the ambiance. "Churrascos", or Brazilian barbecues, seafoods, and sausages were served in skewers and sliced out directly onto the customer's plate. Each table is given a two-faced yoyo. Flip the green side up, waiters carrying different bbqs in metal skewers will approach you and serve your barbecues and grills non-stop. Put the red side up, means a breather, or you're full. There's a separate buffet table for the side dishes, soups, rice, beans, and desserts. Dennis suddenly had a gleeful smile and I felt his excitement about the idea of having a Barbecue Buffet. But I don't think there's a Brazil! Brazil! branch somewhere in Trinoma or SM North. "Let's feast there someday.", I promised him. A few days after, we went to SM Skygarden to hangout. I have been lazy cooking this past few weeks, and I just noticed, that we've been eating out more often than cooking at home (worries!). Summer heat has been making me sluggish, temperemental, and lazy to do some household chores, and one of them is cooking. I just can't stand sweating all day in the kitchen. Honestly, it is really damn, hot (not damn hot in a good way haha) in the Philippines. A couple of days ago, the temperature rose up to 37 deg C. A few more points on the notch nearing to the body temperature. I do wanna experience some heat stroke (which I closely had before, I wasn't sweating, and I had DOB, that's the point). Well, lemme say, I am just rationalizing my laziness hehe... We can't decide where to eat. Dennis asked me if I wanna have some burritos at Agave. I wasn't craving for Mexican that time. I don't want to eat at Padis Point, Danny's or Gerry's - so much pollution - noisy, crowded, hazy (you can't distinguish which smoke's from the barbecue grill and which one's from the cigarettes). Then we stumbled upon a small barbecue express with promos of beer buckets. Did I read that right????? CHURRASCO FEAST for 350 pesos ($7) ?!?! Churrasco, the one were talking about a few days ago?!?! I double-checked.... Yes it's almost like the Churrasco that I was telling him! But there's no barbecue buffet. CHURRASCO EXPRESS, also owned by the buffet resto Brazil! Brazil!, is their toned-down version; therefore, just a barbecue station. They serve ala carte food, unlike in Brazil! Brazil, which is an ultimate buffet churrascaria. Their menu is narrowed down, not much side dishes, but still you can enjoy the same specialties they offer in their main restaurant.   In times like this, you need to be frugal but still enjoy good food.   Denz, patiently waiting for the outdoor table. I wasn't quite impressed with the interior of the resto. I find it ordinary, now I know why they call it "Express". Its fastfoody, or just like the Binalot or other Barbecue Takeout Express. But still, like the Brazil! Brazil! there are a few Mardi Gras accents and masks framed into the wall. Lights are dim and ambient, for this is a place for boozing out rather than eating out. It was hot and humid inside. The aircon failed to keep the whole room cold, or at least cool, so we decided to stay outside. I was teasing the waiter, who looks younger than my sister. Asked him "How old are you hijo? Are you even of legal age to drink beer? And you are serving me some booze?" He just smiled and said that he's already 20, looks younger than I thought. Boy, I'm not getting younger anymore.....   We ordered 2 buckets of beer and a Churrasco Feast. The waiter said that it's good for 2-4 persons. I jokingly asked him again "Ah maybe you mean 1-2 persons for our size?" Proportioning our capacity to eat, is not a 1:1 basis. haha.... The Churrasco Feast consists of the barbecue mixto of pork belly, pork shoulder, roast beef, chicken, sausage, with grilled bananas and corn, and a mountain of java rice. Served in a dark, round, metal fishpan, which added the feel of feasting out big time.  They said the Churrascos are marinated in saltwater and garlic. You baste the churrasco as you grill them to retain the moisture and for the meat to gradually absorb the flavor. The Churrasco platter we ordered, had been basted with Chimichurri, and other chili oils, by the end of the grilling process. Kind of savory, spicy, herby, and some hint of sweet and soury in the end. Those several cuts of meat have their own distinctive flavor, everything did not taste the same. Grilled to perfection. Soft, tender, not too difficult to slice, bite, and chew. I was surprised that it complemented perfectly with the fried banana and java rice (because I was never a fan of Arroz ala Cubana and Pochero. I find the banana weird as a side dish complement, and much more as part of a viand. Usually Churrasco are eaten without a sauce, but since Filipinos are gravy lovers, the platter comes with a small bowl of gravy. I tried eating it with the sauce, but I enjoyed it much better without it.    We also ordered some sizzling Gambas Al Ajillo, one of the most common Spanish Tapas. Shrimps are peeled then sauteed in olive oil, lotsa garlic, pepper flakes, green peppers, with a splash of cognac and a dash of paprika.   We ended our bounteous dinner with some ice cold bottle of beer (should I say bottles??) -- perfect match to the remaining grilled delights on our plate. The verdict?? -- (Well lemme put it this way, we don't hate, we appreciate. Dennis and I are food enthusiast, and not food critics). All I can say is dining at Churrasco Express is a great way of enjoying good food and booze with friends especially in times when you need to stay economical (politically correct term for stingy hahahaha). Eating well for less but still enjoying it as much as eating fancy elsewhere..... Wanna learn how to grill the Churrasco way?      related searches : Churrasco
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