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Culinary Connection

Samba Brazilian Steakhouse at Universal Citywalk
By Bruce Wildstein

Samba Brazilian Steakhouse has arrived at Universal Citywalk! This is a fun, lively, meat lover's paradise in the Brazilian rodizio style. That means the meats or churrasco, are cooked on a rotisserie and then carved for you at the table. And what a selection of meats they have with some eleven different kinds to choose from. Top sirloin, beef, pork and pork ribs, chicken, sausage and more are the main attraction here. Samba also has a full bar both inside and on the outside patio where a DJ spins music.

Open for just a few months, Samba seems to have taken off in its second location (the first is in Redondo Beach). You'll probably want to start by trying one of their excellent drinks. Most popular is the Caipirinha, a drink made from cachaca, a popular type of Brazilian rum. Known as the "national drink" of Brazil, Samba has a wide selection of flavored Caipirinhas made with a variety of fruits. The basic, no frills Caipirinha is not unlike a good margarita, sans salt on the rim. But the variations include the Basil & Blackberry, the Cucumber and Mango, and the Blood Orange. They also feature some excellent Sangria, which can be ordered by the glass or pitcher. The bar of course also features many specialty cocktails and beer. Samba likes to keep things lively, and at some point during your meal you're likely to see a group of high energy Brazilian dancers make their way to the center of the restaurant, gyrating to the music with a strong Latin beat. And don't be surprised if they come over to your table and ask you to join them.

But now on to the meal itself. You'll probably want to start with an appetizer or two and you could go with something in meat or seafood. Since we knew we would be having meat as our main course, we decided on a seafood appetizer, the Mussels Moqueca. This dish arrived with about 15 steamed mussels in the traditional Brazilian Moqueca broth. The mussels were tender and the seafood-based broth was a touch on the spicy side, which we loved. Other appetizers include a Peruvian Ceviche, Calamari, and Coconut Shrimp. Their meat appetizers include Braised Ox Tail, Grilled Pork Ribs, and Beef Sweetbreads.

But the main attraction at Samba is of course the rodizio service. If you really want to go for it and get the full experience, you'll want the Gauchos Feast. You'll get an appetizer, the salad bar, all the churrasco meats brought to your table, choice of sides, and dessert. Make your way to the salad bar, which has lettuce and tomato selections, a very good ceviche, bread, cheeses, and other items. After filling your plate and returning to your table, you'll notice some round wooden objects there. One end is painted green and one end is painted red. Placing the object with the green end on top signals the servers that you want more meat. Turning it over so the red is on top means you're finished. We were working on our salads when the first server came to the table with some top sirloin. A large plate with tongs is placed on the table, and as the server carves the meat you grab the slice with the tongs and place it on the plate. After the server carves as much of the meat as you want, each person then takes for himself or herself. The top sirloin was wonderfully tender and very juicy, not to mention outstanding in flavor. We were impressed. A few minutes later, some bacon wrapped chicken chunks arrived. And once again the chicken was tender, juicy, and flavorful. The churrasco kept coming, with pork ribs, sausage, and different types of beef filling our plates and filling us up. As mentioned, all the meats were tender and juicy. Eventually we were ready for dessert, and tried the delicious Coconut Flan and their unique Doughnuts, both served with a vanilla ice cream. .

There's much more on the menu at Samba if you want to order a la carte. Pork Prime Rib, Grilled Lobster, Duck Larange, and a Samba Burger are available. Sides include Mushrooms Stroganoff, Mac and Cheese, Sweet Potato Fries, and Cornbread. In short, you won't have any problem putting together a great meal here.

Samba is located on the Universal CityWalk and is open daily for lunch and dinner.

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