In Progress: Homeslice Pizza!

Mmmmm...it was a great experience! I'll be posting it shortly!

Sampaio

4800 Burnet Road

(512)469-9988 or (512)533-9988

Hours: Mon-Thur 11am-10pm, Fri-Sat 11am-11pm, Sun 10:30am-2

The Menu:

To start off you have a choice of appetizers ranging from cheese rolls to some kind of chicken patty thing. (I apologize, I've forgotten by what name they are called) They are worth a try and they're half-priced during happy-hour (all week long from 4pm-6:30pm). I was thoroughly disappointed by the unusually small portions of the aforementioned appetizers. Appetizers are usually for a group of people, and to my dismay there was barely enough for me.

But we must move on. If you are hungry for breakfast items show up for Sunday Brunch from 10:30am-2:00pm. They serve omelets, crepes, Brazilian black bean benedict, and more.

For the lunch crowd, you can get appetizers, salads, and entrées. Prato Grelhado stuck out on the menu. It is grilled chicken or salmon with sliced tomatoes, grilled veg, and white rice. I am told the Sesame Salmon is a popular choice; it is salmon with coconut broth, and I imagine sesame seeds on top.

Dinner with apps, salads, and entrées. BoBo De Camarao- sauted jumbo shrimp with spicy dente yuca sauce with tomato & onion & peppers, white rice, and veg on the side is one of the most ordered dinner dishes. One dish that I found unique from the description is the Pork Tender Loin which has a spicy cherry sauce and coffee crusted pork. Wow...never heard of anything like that before.

What about the bar? Try out their signature drink, kinda like a margarita, the Caipirina. I am told that this is a VERY STRONG drink, so pace yourself! The Brazilian Mohito and Pomegranate Martini are not worthy as well. But don't worry if you aren't into that fancy stuff. You can get shots and beer too (imported and domestic). They have a large selection of champagne & sparkling drinks, and Red or White Wine (Reserve of both). Maybe you aren't in the mood for a downer, they serve espresso too. (Being a trained barista, I am always worried as to whether places know how to make quality espresso or not. I haven't tried it so I'll just see what you guys think).

Average Food: $17.00

Average Drink: $4.60

The Taste:

The taste is mildly exotic on most dishes, but some of their special ones (like the aforementioned coffee pork with spicy cherry sauce) are the craziest tastes ever to enter your mouth. I tried the chicken appetizer and it had a great texture, and earthy taste, with a sauce that in my opinion wasn't anything out of the ordinary. I liked the tomatoes and bit of lettuce on top. The crispy outside was contrasted pleasantly with the shredded chicken inside. You must know now about my undeniable love for cheese. Mmmmmm cheese! I know some good cheese when I come across it! Therefore I decided to try their cheese rolls. They are about 1" diameter dough balls with cheese on the inside. They have a tough outside and a painfully chewy inside. I was rather disappointed with these guys. To start out, this is an appetizer...isn't there usually enough for at least 2 people? The skimping on the amount you get was frustrating, I hoped they would be the best cheese balls I've ever tasted since there were so few. (there might have been six of them, probably less) But, to my dismay, it tasted like cheap cheese with bland dough. I didn't want to finish them. I really hate being mean, but these were disappointing. Both appetizers came in extremely small portions, and I've had better tasting things. They had an elegant display, I'll give them that. I really hope it was just a fluke and that you guys have better luck when you go there. Be sure to leave comments to let me know what you thought. I have a feeling that this restaurant is one that you pay for the atmosphere and not the quality of food.

The Atmosphere:

Let's get out of the gloom of the taste. The atmosphere is most striking. Indoor/Outdoor seating is available. The inside is lit thoroughly because of the large windows that make up the front wall. This is one of those fancy places where they have a wine glass for your water, the tables are already set, and you would feel quite comfortable if you dressed up in your best outfit. (no worries, casual dress is perfect too!) They have a stone wall along which booths are placed. Booths can be the usual straight, or they have some circular corner ones too. If you look up you will see yellow, blue, and green ceiling decorations. The patio can comfortably seat a large party, or many smaller parties. They have classy tables on the patio and provide water misters in the summer. Now back inside, the wooden tables and chairs are atop a stained concrete floor. I happen to like the music they play in there; it's mostly smooth jazz. It has a bar and a television. All areas are remarkably clean, this place wins the clean award. Overall it's comfortable but classy.

The Employees:

Ahhh yes. How will your service be today? These employees aren't the chattiest, but they are polite and punctual. Their dress code is black on black for a sleek look. The manager is very customer oriented, she left the interview to help some customers while I was there. They make sure to have lots of employees there during the rush (7pm-9pm). They get to know the regulars and talk with them occasionally. The chef is the same as any other restaurant, you don't get to see him because he's cooking in the back. One thing that's always on my checklist is if they refill your class every 2 minutes...I find it annoying. But you're in luck because they pay attention here, they'll refill it when it's empty or nearly empty. I think they hired some good employees there. Friendly, polite, and helpful are good qualities to describe them.