Brazilian steakhouse Sabor do Brasil a carnival of flavors

Maybe the third time will be the charm for a steakhouse at 801 E. Algonquin Road.

Sabor do Brasil marks the third churrascaria to operate at the address since 2002, and if my recent experience on a bustling Saturday evening is any indication, it could be in for a long stay.

For the uninitiated, a Brazilian-style steakhouse (churrascaria) is a very meat-centric spot. Gauchos roam the room with spires of rotisserie-grilled beef, lamb, chicken and pork. The aromas alone get your mouth watering like a hungry wolf. But we'll get back to that.

Physically not much changed when Sabor do Brasil opened earlier this summer. The building's rocky facade still presents a rugged profile along Algonquin Road, and the earthy feel continues inside with stone-faced pillars and clay- and brick-toned walls. The room's centerpiece, the walk-around salad bar, has been resurfaced. White tablecloths and garnet drapes soften the room.

We were seated at our reservation time by a pleasant hostess, and our waiter promptly arrived to take our drink order and explain the setup.

Diners have two options: salad bar only ($17.95) or salad bar and meat ($36.95). Visitors at lunch Tuesday to Friday will get the meat and salad option for $21.95. The meal is fairly priced and a welcome break from the higher price tag charged at the previous incarnation.

The term “salad bar” hardly does the selection justice. Pasta salads, potato salads, grilled vegetables, fruit salad, cheese, green salads, olives and homemade soups compete for space on your plate. To taste a little bit of everything would mean filling up before the meat arrived. While that might be an attractive option for some (vegetarians, especially), it was not in my plan that evening.

So I sampled a handful of items, though it's hard to know exactly what I tried because there were no identifying labels. No way to tell at a glance if that creamy salad was potato, if the cheese was aged cheddar or colby and what might contain shellfish or nuts.

The creamy salad turned out to be a nicely sweet, crisp apple mixture. The artichoke salad was lightly herbed, but the seasoning on the grilled vegetables and portobellos was disappointingly lacking.

Mild spices with a hint of heat accented the chunky seafood soup, and the soup partnered well with the cheese-filled rolls that showed up at the table. Eat these while they still ooze warm cheese, or ask for a fresh basket.

When we'd sated ourselves on the sides, we signaled for the parade of protein with a wooden marker on the table. Green means go; bring on the meat. Red means give me a break. You can go green as often as you like and with as many of the meats as you want. Just remember, there are no doggy bags and there is dessert.

Beef options abound and the bacon-wrapped tenderloins, rump roast and sirloin were solid choices. Because the meat is cut to order at the table, you can pick the doneness. (Don't you wish you could do that at a burger joint?) I especially loved the charred crust and juicy, pinkish middle of the sirloin that landed on my plate.

The slow-roasted pork loin was perhaps my favorite of the night with its bright flavor (not quite citrus), tender bite and incredible moistness. I shied away from the chicken drummets and bacon-wrapped chicken breast because frankly I eat enough chicken at home. Leg of lamb and individual lamb chops also are available.

The pace of the meal is at diners' control as well, up until a certain point. You really need to signal your server that your marker's on red for good and dessert can commence.

Dessert, however, was a bit disappointing. There are just a handful of Southern Hhemisphere offerings (flan and a jumbo, shareable bowl of papaya cream, for instance), the rest was standard steakhouse fare including creme brulle, tiramisu and lava cake.

The lava cake was overcooked to the point that there wasn't a hint of the gooey soft chocolate. Maybe I should have had another helping of pork.

The beverage selection is commendable with signature cocktails, like the passion fruit caipirinha (a rummy drink made with cachacha, the national liquor of Brazil), and hearty red wines that stand up to the meat (averaging $8 a glass).

Sabor do Brasil

Info: 801 E. Algonquin Road, Schaumburg, (847) 925-9100, sabor-do-brasil.com

Cuisine: Brazilian steakhouse with globally influenced salad bar

Setting: Earthy colors with rich wood that warms the open, rock-accented rooms

Entrees: $36.95 fixed-price meat and salad bar for dinner; $17.95 salad bar only

Hours: Dinner 4 to 8 p.m. Sunday, 4:30 to 9 p.m. Tuesday to Thursday, 4:30 to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday; lunch 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday to Friday