Not worth the hype
Written: Aug 06 '00
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Large portions, trendy atmosphere
Cons: Horrible service, average food
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| mh330's Full Review: Riodizio |
Having heard about the Brazilian feast offered at the trendy Riodizio, I made reservations to celebrate a friend's birthday. Although I heard the place can be quite crowded on Friday and Saturday nights, making reservations for a group was not at all difficult.
When we arrived, I realized why I had had no problem--the place was fairly empty. Maybe its still early, I thought, since we had come at 7pm. We were quickly seated and were pleased with the atmosphere of the restaurant; a dim, slightly art-deco modern place which was elegant yet comfortable.
Our group quickly surveyed the short menu, and we all decided on the $25 Riodizio, which is an all you can eat roasted meat festival. The menu is short, since this is the main fare of the restaurant, although non-meat eaters can choose from a handful of seafood or pasta options. We also studied the drink menu, which had a few cocktails we've never heard of. The staff happily explained what everything was, and we decided on a pitcher of a margarita-style drink made with sugarcane alcohol. So far, we were having a great time and were truly excited for the food.
Our pitcher arrived shortly thereafter, although it was a seriously small vessel, filled mostly with ice, and carrying a hefty pricetag. We ignored this, noting that it was a special occasion, and we were, after all, in a fairly trendy spot. When we tasted the drink, however, it was much too strong to taste very good, and like the other drinks on the menu, did not compliment the food very well. It seems that the owners were trying to bring in everything possible that had a Brazilian air, rather than offer combinations that were pleasing.
When the men carrying large skewers (maybe 2 feet long) began coming to our table, we were not disappointed by the presentation. The staff will explain what each cut of meat is, and will ask who wants a portion. The skewer is then placed on your plate, and a slice or two shaved off. Occasionally, this can be daunting, because sometimes the sharp skewers slip off the plate, or in crowded settings, the knife may be wielded a little close for comfort. Nevertheless, it was all part of the fun.
After several rounds of differently cut steak, chicken, and sausage, we were full, and in complete protein-overload. We declined the desserts since we were stuffed, and asked for the check. While we had been fairly pleased with our meal thus far (we decided that Riodizio is a place to go to more for the experience than the food, which was basically the equivalent of a Fourth of July barbeque).
However, we glanced at the menu once more before leaving, and suddenly noticed that we had not received several of the Riodizio offerings, such as the octopus, steamed mussels, and salmon. Instead, we were served chicken and steak in a neverending cycle. When we complained to the waitress, she offered to bring by some mussels. At this point, we were already stuffed, had our check, and were ready to leave. Needless to say, this was not a very tempting offer. We expected at least a complimentary drink, but instead got a half-hearted apology, stating that the staff was really busy (although a look around the half-empty restaurant proved otherwise).
In the end, we left the restaurant feeling ripped off. Although it was good to experience once, we all agreed that a return visit was not warranted. The food was mediocre, the service bad (even our waitress was fairly neglectful), and the prices much too high.
Recommended:
No
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Epinions.com ID:
mh330
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Location: New York, NY
Reviews written: 35
Trusted by: 0 members
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