| I'm not a snob when it comes to food, so when I | | | | only offers Angus cuts of beef. |
| was asked by my editor to review everything | | | | My friend ordered us a bottle of wine from Uruguay, |
| authentic I could find in Puerto Rico, I had no problem | | | | since he's also a travel writer, and he had enjoyed |
| saying yes. I was there for almost three months, and | | | | the wine before. "Just watch," he said, "they're going |
| I found some really interesting finds in the mix. What | | | | to totally screw it up." I'm not much of a wine drinker |
| I found most interesting was how much I missed | | | | myself, but he assured me and I agreed, this was an |
| American levels of service and the really unique finds | | | | exceptionally well matched wine for the dinner we |
| like the Red and Green Steakhouse in Atlanta. | | | | had. I wrote down the name but my notes don't |
| I had read a pretty interesting article about Brazilian | | | | match anything I can find online, but it was rich, |
| Steakhouses that said there are only four good ones | | | | aromatic while not overbearing, and full-bodied |
| outside of Brazil. To my coincidental surprise, the | | | | without being bitter. The wine selection at the Red |
| article said that one of the best in the world is a | | | | & Green is so vast it requires (and gets) its own |
| Brazilian Steakhouse in Atlanta. My heart dropped, my | | | | humidor near the entrance. |
| mouth moistened, and even before I heard the | | | | We must have spent three-hours in the dining room, |
| engine purr I just knew my car was outside waiting | | | | socializing, catching up on our latest writing jobs and |
| for me. | | | | otherwise eating, drinking, and be-merrying ourselves |
| I'd never been to a Brazilian Steakhouse before, so | | | | halfway to silliness. The bottle emptied quickly and |
| despite my research in advance, I was still a bit | | | | we switched over to the Caipirinha, which is |
| surprised when they didn't bring me a menu. You | | | | essentially the Brazilian equivalent of a Margarita. |
| don't order your food, your food is instead left to | | | | Tasty as all get out, intoxicating as you can stand, |
| beckon to you. In my case, and I have to admit it | | | | and the perfect compliment to such an evening. |
| had been quite a week between coming home and | | | | When the bill came my friend decided it was going on |
| getting my stateside business in order, I was | | | | his expense account rather than my own. He had |
| famished. | | | | been to another steakhouse in town, a media darling |
| It would not be until later that I would learn my true | | | | despite being an international mega-conglomerate, and |
| ability to put food away, and my capability to feel so | | | | he couldn't believe the bill in front of us. The other big |
| little remorse for doing so. | | | | one, and I won't name them because they're good |
| My expectations were pretty high, since this place | | | | people and I don't want to defame them, charge |
| has earned high marks from everyone who has | | | | almost exactly 200% of what the Red & Green |
| reviewed it, and I was half-tempted to play the | | | | Steakhouse charges, and their food is inarguably |
| journalist card to get the VIP treatment, but my | | | | equal at best. The Red & Green Steakhouse has |
| expense account had come in under budget, so I had | | | | a great atmosphere, exceptional cooks, and a wait |
| some cash to play with and see how the regular | | | | staff that really seems to enjoy the service trade, |
| people are treated. | | | | even by southern standards. |
| The salad bar has easily a couple hundred items | | | | Always one to look out for my friends as much as |
| (without any exaggeration,) and everything is as | | | | my next likelihood of promotion, I convinced him we |
| fresh, authentic and tasty as I could have expected. | | | | should split the check. Bear in mind this was a Friday |
| My only reservation was the knowledge I'd soon be | | | | night, we spent about three-hours in there, had a |
| shown endless amounts of premium, fresh-grilled | | | | bottle of wine and a couple extra drinks a piece, my |
| meats to enjoy. | | | | half of the bill was still under $40, and I have to tell |
| The meats on skewers did indeed come endlessly, | | | | you, we lived large that night. We ate ourselves silly, |
| and my favorites included the sausage, the | | | | drank ourselves stupid, and I haven't been able to |
| bacon-wrapped chicken and probably three or four of | | | | get the place out of my head ever since. |
| the assorted beef offerings. The sirloin and rib-eye | | | | Now if you could recommend a nice girl in Atlanta I |
| were especially exceptional, and it should come as no | | | | might take to such a place, I'd really be in your debt. |
| surprise, apparently the Red and Green Steakhouse | | | | |