Texas de Brazil: a relaxed mall venue for carnivores - Yas Mall, Abu Dhabi

Having gained fame in Dubai at The Mall of the Emirates, it was only a  matter of time before Texas de Brazil Churrascaria was brought to the nation's capital, Abu Dhabi. This Brazilian style BBQ establishment joins one other restaurant in the city with a similar concept. As a part of my 2017 Steakhouse Round Up, I visited Texas de Brazil.


Location

Texas de Brazil is located in Yas Mall on the island. This makes it a great location for families and offers a very good option over and above the food court. Families want to know that in malls they have options other than the usual casual American fast food outlets and Texas de Brazil gives them that choice. In fact, many malls have upped the ante when it comes to dining options that are family friendly because they realise the potential. They are also aware that there is a huge demand for restaurants offering a great evening while not serving alcohol.




Concept
The restaurant combines the style and flavours of southern Brazil with that of Texas, hence the name. In a nutshell, eat as much of the 7 cuts of beef, 2 options each of lamb and chicken, beef sausage as well as a bit of seafood shrimp also offered. For the most part, you stay seated while the meat is brought to your table. To complement this, there is a selection of salads and hot items. On my visit, the restaurant was fully booked and I saw a guest beg and plead to be given a table, but her phone number was taken and told she would be called back. Gratifying to see full restaurants. Now for a restaurant charging 165AED excluding drinks, that is good business. 




I was surprised by the Flank steak, a cut of beef not seen often in the city. It is not close to the tenderloin and sirloin in terms of traditional popularity, but it was my early favourite - Pink and juicy! Also recommended is the Beef sausage that packs a lot of flavour. However, my favourite item on the night was the Brazilian pichana or top sirloin to most people. It was the one cut that for me was just perfect in terms of moisture and temperature. I found that quite a few cuts did not quite give me that medium rare temperature I prefer, but in a  market where most people like meat that is not too pink, I guess this make sense. 




While the restaurant is not licenced to sell alcohol, Make sure you try the mocktails. There is a decent selection quite well executed. 


Staff

 The restaurant, catering for around 235 guests in one seating, has a decent staff to guest ratio ensuring that plates are topped up quite regularly. Looking around the restaurant, it was hard not to notice the vibe among staff. One area, in particular, that was of great interest was where the passadores (the guys who bring the meat skewers to your table) gathered the meat. I watched them and just loved the energy. Do yourself a favour and do the same. 


My favourite on the night, the Top Sirloin

I absolutely loved tapping on my Crème brûlée  - real crackle. Hard not to love this. 
Texas de Brazil is a meat heaven. It has already proven immensely popular and will continue to do so as residents look for value deals. Certainly, at 165AED including the salad bar, it is a great offer and even if you add drinks to that, you can get away with a night out for 220AED including dessert. As a mall venue, it checks all the boxes, including being family friendly. 

Essentials

Texas de Brazil,
Yas Mall,
Yas Island,
Abu Dhabi
+971 2 563 1424

LUNCH (Sun-Thurs)
AED 129 | Various Meat Cuts Selection & Salad Area
(Excluded: Filet Mignon, Braised Beef Ribs, Lamb Chops & Prawns)
AED 65  |  Salad Area OnlySun – Thurs: 11:30am -5pm
DINNER (Sun-Thurs)
AED 165 | Various Meat Cuts Selection & Salad Area
AED 95  |  Salad Area OnlySun – Thurs: 11:30am -5pm
Fridays, Saturdays and Public Holidays
AED 165 | Various Meat Cuts Selection & Salad Area
AED 95 | Salad Area Only11:30am – 12am midnight


Brandon Stoltenkamp
Disclaimer: I was invited to try Texas de Brazil courtesy of the hotel. 

Comments

Post a Comment