Dude Food, Date Night Edition: Rodizio Grill & My Fair Lady
By Danny Kourianos
For Her: “My Fair Lady”
For Him: The Full Rodizio
Let’s make a deal: If you expect your significant other to sit through the story of a peasant girl-turned-high-class lady told through song and elaborate costume changes, then do him a favor and start the evening at Trolley Square’s Rodizio Grill. If you haven’t been yet, the Rodiz (as The Dude likes to call it) is the cathedral of all things meat here in the Salt Lake Valley.
For the uninitiated, Rodizio Grill offers a churrascarian-style dining experience. Waiters dressed as Brazilian Gauchos come to your table bearing skewered, succulent, grilled meats that they carve table-side and deliver straight to your plate. Is it gimmicky? Sure. Is it delicious? You bet. Some of the meats we sampled include chicken hearts (calm down—they taste like grilled lamb with a squeeze of lime), top sirloin, tri-tip, roasted pork, sweet-and-spicy chicken wings and homemade sausage. Best of all is the bacon-wrapped turkey. Rodizio also does a killer grilled pineapple.
Before you worry that this evening is going to end with a trip to the emergency room for open-heart surgery, the Full Rodizio includes an unlimited trip to the salad bar for a well-balanced meal. Plenty of fruits and vegetables harbor here, as well as my favorite, traditional Brazilian black beans (very heart smart!) served over white rice.
The Rodiz also serves what might be the best lemonade north of the Copacabana. Brazilian lemonade is a perfect blend of sweet and tart flavors with fresh lime and a frothy, almost creamy, texture that is the perfect balance to the copious amounts of grilled meats you’ll be feasting on.
The biggest bonus? Just as Eliza Doolittle is going on about the rain in Spain, your date won’t be fidgeting in his seat after all that protein and mouth-watering turkey. You just might need to make sure there’s no snoring.
“My Fair Lady”
September 19 – October 4
Pioneer Theatre Company
300 S. 1400 East, Salt Lake City
www.pioneertheatre.org
Rodizio Grill
Trolley Square, 600 South and 700 East, Salt Lake City
“The Full Rodizio”: $24.99 dinner; $16.99 lunch
Open Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. – 10 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m. – 11 p.m.; and Sunday, 11 a.m. – 10 p.m.
(801) 220-0500
www.rodiziogrill.com
*Additional images courtesy of Rodizio Grill website
September 25th, 2008 at 2:06 pm
I love Rodizio’s garlic mashed potatoes. Yum.
September 26th, 2008 at 7:49 am
Oh I LOVE Rodizio Grill. My husband’s brother actually did have a heart attack after eating there twice in one week though. Those with heart disease in the family should be more careful! We just went last weekend and I had to keep a close eye on my husband!