Wednesday, March 23, 2005
Carlos Brazilian -- bigger and better than ever
Larry Bly
Larry Bly runs an ad agency and does freelance writing in the Roanoke area.
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Talk to longtime aficionados of CARLOS BRAZILIAN INTERNATIONAL CUISUINE and you'll get the same debate every time:
"It was better when it was in the smaller digs downtown; it should never have moved."
"No, it's bigger and better in its new location high atop the hill across from Tanglewood Mall."
I think they're both right.
The smallish location downtown in the Roanoke City Market came with its own dark intimacy, even if you could hear the conversation of everyone next to you (and it wasn't usually that interesting to begin with).
But the current location in the former Steak & Ale is mighty nice, and there's plenty of parking. I miss the old Steak & Ale, not because it was a great restaurant, but mostly because their neon sign was usually half burned out, spelling out the words EAK & AL, which for some reason always made me giggle. Fact is, the old Steak & Ale was badly in need of a facelift when they closed it.
Once Carlos and his brother Ricardo bought the place, they set about cleaning, painting, upgrading, and re-designing the entire kichen to their own likes. They've done quite a job and there are other improvements on the way, including a new pastry shop (they make all of their own desserts) and possibly a new deck.
Everyone talks about the view, which is nonsense. During the night it's OK, but by day you're just looking down on a bunch of ugly building roofs. The Tanglewood area of Roanoke County will win no beauty contests, I can tell you.
But it's still all about the food. No matter what side my friends come down on regarding the smaller/bigger/better/worse scenario, most agree that the food is as good or even better at today's Carlos. And I happen to agree.
Their shrimp bisque, black bean soup, or occasional brie soup special are creamy and thick and full of calories. Leave the girdle at home and enjoy yourself. Same for you gals.
They have a great, basic Caesar salad, one of my favorites locally -- the dressing just the right blend of flavors and cheese. And Bobby's desserts ... well, it goes without saying, but we'll say it anyway. You could faint just watching him create them, which he currently does just off from the greeter's desk. Soon he'll move across the hall into his own space. A graduate of Johnson and Wales, the man does one sweet job.
Lunch is Wednesday-Friday only and includes some old favorites plus daily announced specials. I ALWAYS eat too much between the freshly baked hot bread, the soup (which I cannot turn down) and the entree. Once in a while, I even make it to dessert. Sometimes even wine. I won't even tell you what my lunch tab has topped on more than a few occasions. Best you don't know.
Some of the popular luncheon items (all in $8.95-$9.95 range) include Frango Copacabana (sautéed chicken with ham, peas, onions and fries), Frango Tarragon (breast of chicken with shiitake mushrooms in a tarragon cream sauce -- one my favorites), polo saltimboca (breast of chicken stuffed with cheese and prosciutto) or Frango baiano (breast of chicken in spicy Brazilian sauce).
There are salads and pastas, vegetarian dishes, seafood and beef dishes as well. One may (if one wishes) get by for a very reasonable tab at lunch unless you just can't control yourself.
Dinners have always been special at Carlos. They cut some of the largest steaks for the money in town. Nightly appetizers are a bit more fanciful: antipasto imperial (crab, clams, scallops, shrimp in an onion spicy sauce), Brazilian style escargots, heart of palm is parmesan cream sauce, smoked salmon, baked brie with strawberry puree, mussels Parati (sautéed in garlic and spinach in a thyme-white wine sauce) and shrimp cocktail, still a staple in these parts.
There are about 14 seafood listings, not counting seafood/pasta offerings; and each is more enticing than the other: sautéed jumbo shrimp in white wine and garlic sauce, scallops in a marinara sauce, scallops au gratin, salmon tarragon, Lagosta Baiana (Maine lobster tail and jumbo shrimp in a spicy Brazilian sauce). There's lobster tail, seafood parati (just about all of the above thrown together) and something called Carlo's Surf & Turf, which is broiled lobster tail with grilled 8 oz filet mignon finished with chef's choice of sauce, potatoes and collard greens. Now that's some meal -- market prices -- so get a quote first.
Dinner poultry dishes are exceptional at popular prices in the $13.95 to $16.95 range. They are fancier, expanded versions of the luncheon listings for the most part.
Other meats include numerous veal offerings. The filets and other cuts of steak are large and grilled to perfection.
I occasionally go back and yell hello to the kitchen staff. The activity on some evenings is unbelievable. I recall Carlos talking about serving 300-plus meals one recent evening. Perhaps it was just the sauce coursing around in my system. But they do crank out a lot of fresh and delicious food from the enormous, gleaming kitchen.
I've met few people who so completely enjoy cooking as Carlos. He tells me that after a day of preparing hundreds of meals he'll go home and fix his family yet another, always. He and his brother Ricardo lovingly created this restaurant at the new location by doing a lot of the painting, hammering and other work themselves. Family members helped. There's a lot of pride in this operation and it shows on a lot of levels.
CARLOS BRAZILIAN INTERNATIONAL
CUISINE
4167 Electric Road
Roanoke, VA 24014
540-776-1117
