GREENSBORO — Leblon is named after a neighborhood near Rio de Janeiro, where chef-proprietor Walter Vanucci grew up.
His wife, Ilma, is floor manager. The restaurant’s move to a new location places it in what is, to my eye, one of the most attractive settings in the Triad.
From the imposing arched exterior, the entry leads into a foyer decorated with Brazilian gaucho-themed murals, capped by a copper roof. One dining area is painted beige-gold, another salmon. Dark wood accents help establish a clubby, masculine ambience, made slightly formal by white tablecloths. A private dining room is available, too.
The wine list is inviting for both quality and value. More than 20 selections by the glass are priced between $5 and $8; one Champagne costs $10.
Shortly after you are seated, a member of the wait staff visits and explains the churrascaria concept — multiple grilled or roasted meat courses, along with a self-service soup, salad and vegetable bar.
I would recommend small portions of everything. Start with soups — Salmon Moqueca, tomato-based with green peppers, onions, cilantro and tender pieces of salmon, or my favorite, Feijoada, chunks of beef with black beans and rice flavored with bay leaf.
Next, visit the display of chilled vegetables that occupies one side of the dining room: bowtie pasta salad with feta cheese, tomatoes and green peppers; broccoli; chickpea salad; egg salad; potato salad studded with green peas and tomato; baked eggplant sprinkled with Parmesan cheese; large asparagus; Tabouli (from bulgar wheat — especially recommended); artichoke hearts, intensified with lemon, onion and green peppers; olives and roasted red peppers; hearts of palm; tomatoes; beets; and cucumbers; as well as Romaine and mixed leaf lettuces. Cold seafoods include tender calamari salad, flavored with a little cucumber, cilantro and onion; steamed shrimp; and mussels accented with lime juice. Chicken salad rounds out these presentations. A big wheel of cheese is at the end of the table.
Meanwhile, servers deliver small puffy rolls and a plate of mildly garlicky mashed white potatoes plus sweet potatoes flavored with a hint of nutmeg and brown sugar, both hot.
You flip a wooden coin at your place setting to let roving gauchos know whether you want more meat. These are sliced tableside. Again, I suggest small portions. You can get more, later, if you want it.
Except for occasional mild augmentation, churrascaria is about simple, pure meat flavors. Prime rib is lean, moist and deeply flavored. Top sirloin, considered a house specialty, exhibits even richer flavor. Flank steak is firmer — appropriately so. Garlic sirloin is aptly named, rubbed with a roasted garlic paste. A small filet mignon is quite tender; a bacon wrap lends salty-peppery enrichment. Part of the fun here is comparing the different flavors of beef cuts.
Barbecued pork ribs bear a pleasant crust, enclosing tender meat with good pork flavor. Leg of lamb exhibits full, natural flavor from appropriately firm texture. A brandy-peppercorn cream sauce augments any of the meats. Pork sausages are mild — not hot, not spicy, just a simple sausage taste.
Parmesan pork loin seemed a little dryish, but the cheese crust added attractive texture and flavor. Bacon-wrapped turkey gained a lot of flavor from the bacon, but the natural flavor of the fowl could be discerned, too. I concluded with pieces of baked chicken, appropriately moist and flavorful.
Multiple desserts ($5.95) are available, but I could not have held another bite.
This is the ideal place for the heartiest appetites, but it’s not just about quantity. It’s easy to discern quality in the meats, too.
A small-portion menu is planned for seating in the bar. This additional area will probably be in operation by the time this review appears. I’ll be there as soon as it opens.
John Batchelor is a freelance contributor who has been reviewing restaurants for more than 25 years. You can reach him at P.O. Box 20848, Greensboro, NC 27420, or send e-mail to john.e.batchelor@gmail.com. To find his recent columns, visit GoTriad.com.
