THE RELUCTANT GOURMET COOKING COMMUNITY

[Dilbert]

Restaurant Review
D'Zio - Harrahs Resort - Atlantic City, NJ
"a Brazilian Steakhouse"

Rating: 0.4 stars out of ten - avoid

Argentinean steakhouses are famous for their beef – so how far off could Brazilian be?
Answer: Quite some distance, as it turns out.

Atmosphere: loud music not in keeping with anything Brazilian I had ever heard.
Some folks might appreciate a valid excuse to scream at their dinner partner - but the real problem is that other diners must also scream and one must also listen to all of that.

Typical service scenario – a salad bar followed by meats on a sword brought to the table.

The best part of the restaurant is the “salad bar” – not sure about the Brazilian theme – seemed much more Italian antipasto to me.
- chips of parmesan cheese (saw dust variety)
- cube soft cheese(s)
- marinated green & black olives
- lightly steamed&chilled green asparagus – crisp&delicious – best food item in the house
- cold marinated shrimp – large ones, short on flavor
- bowl of green loose leaf lettuce
- bowl of red loose leaf lettuce – perhaps some endive mixed in
- marinated roasted red peppers – tasted fresh out of the jar
- unidentifiable grain product/dish
- baloney and salami cold cut platter (no, I’m not kidding)
- large selection of balsamic vinegars - interesting

A corn meal muffin (not cornbread) served without butter – but we enjoyed them.

Meats:
Sirloin
Chateaubriand
Pork ribs
Breaded chicken
Pork sausage
Lamb chop

The beef was bloody or over-done to the point of inedible – and the server did not enquire as to your preference – take it or leave it. My wife left the bloody piece on the plate and I left the leather version on my plate.

The pork ribs were cooked to the point the edges were hard and stringy. Strings deposited on plate.

The pork sausage had an unusual seasoning – didn’t like it so can’t say whether it was a good or bad representation.

Despite asking two servers and the manager in-between, the lamb chops never did appear. The second server informed me “they are in the oven.” After forty minutes or so I decided if they were still in the oven, I probably wasn’t interested in eating one anyway and we left.

Cost excluding all drinks, wine and gratuity – advertised at $35 per person, with taxes and fees becomes $45 per person. Deserts not included.

Recommendation: don’t even think about it.
Go downstairs to McCormick & Schmick’s.

[Reluctant Gourmet]

Great review Dilbert. Maybe I should set up a restaurant review topic. - RG

[Dilbert]

a Philly-centric review area would be a good thing . . .