During every special occasion, my family makes reservations for Samba Churrascaria Brazilian Steakhouse. The restaurant is located in North Fresno, across from the Mercedes-Benz of Fresno dealership.

Churrascaria, a Brazilian style of barbecue, was created 400 years ago in the Rio Grande Do Sul region of Brazil. The barbecue uses a fiery charcoal grill with various succulent meats served right from the grill onto the plate, settling one’s carnivorous appetite.

This unique restaurant is only open for dinner from 5 to 9 p.m. on Sunday through Thursday and from 5 to 10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. However, on special occasions — such as Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day and Father’s Day — the doors open earlier.

Upon walking in, one is met with a beautifully decorated bar, and a greeter waiting to provide a seat. The room’s ambiance is very dim, yet extravagant in style. The trend is very intriguing due to its modern look.

At Samba, guests have the choice between a buffet meal and a traditional Brazilian plate. The buffet consists of over 12 types of meat to choose from, including filet mignon, leg of lamb and lamb chops. In addition, many vegetables, salads and desserts are available.

The steakhouse provides a unique method of service. A salt shaker-like figure, painted green and red, is used to indicate whether the guest wants more choices. Green notifies servers that a guest would like another type of meat, and red informs them that the guest does not need assistance.

As a family, we always go through the buffet, which is very filling and fresh. At Samba, everything is cooked and prepared in the kitchen, rather than being packaged. My favorite combination is the filet mignon with rice pilaf and cheese-ball bread.

The sheared lamb is Samba’s most exceptional, tenderly cooked meat — perfect for those who are looking to indulge in a zesty, lemon-seasoned dish. Served with lemon salsa on top, the lamb has a spicy taste that is mouth-watering.

Another delicious meat dish is the bacon wrapped tri-tip. Cooked over fire for three hours, the tri-tip is seasoned with a traditional Brazilian flavoring containing lemon, cilantro, herbs and other foreign spices, with a hickory-smoked bacon as the finshing touch.

The dinner buffet starts off at $27 a person. The least expensive individual plate is $14. Although this may be pricy for merely one person, the amount of food is unbeatable. On top of this, customer service is phenomenal.

The only negative aspect of the restaurant is the dim lighting. However, within the Fresno metropolitan area, Samba would have to be one of the finest family-oriented restaurants. I consider Samba Churrascaria Brazilian Steakhouse to be the best steakhouse in the city; my family has never been dissatisfied with the service or the quality of the food.

Samba is located at 6737 N. Palm Ave. and can be contacted at 559.447.1122. In addition, the restaurant has produced an iPhone app, “Samba Fresno,” available in the App Store.

For more food reviews, read the Jan. 28 article, Guadalajara boasts homemade Mexican fare, hospitality.

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