2417 S Stemmons Fwy
Lewisville, TX 75067
(972) 459-5900

La Madeleine has lost some of its glamour over the years. Prices have skyrocketed and quality has suffered. It’s still a great spot to have lunch with the girlfriends and escape from the hustle-and-bustle or take a break from shopping. But wilted greens and bad-tasting chicken on a $12 salad can ruin one’s mood; despite the pick-up you can get from the dessert counter. I was dismayed to learn they now offer “reduced-calorie” tomato basil soup–smacks too much of corporate marketing. But the regular tomato basil soup still tastes fantastic, and you can never go wrong with their mushroom sauce on chicken friande or quiches. That same mushroom sauce is wicked good over a dinner pasta or chicken crepes. The dessert selection, of course, is as sinfully tempting as ever…it’s rare to walk out from the bakery without a to-go box of tarts, tortes, or sweet pastries.

1320 N. Central Expwy
Plano, TX 75074
(972) 881-8600

On our way to Plano on an errand, my man and I were stunned to discover this churrascaria off 75 and 15th. We cut our errand short, did a u-turn and drove back to it.

A word about the digs: the yellow-bricked building–once tenanted by a Tex-Mex restaurant–is something of an eyesore. If you’re used to Fogo or Texas de Brazil’s pretty facades, you won’t find anything appealing about the garish paint job, the old parking lot, or the ill-used patio. It looks onto a service road right next to busy Central Expressway. The tacky “grand opening” banners hanging over the doors will convince you there are no pretensions here.

But walk into the restaurant and you’ll notice that it’s calm, clean and orderly; Portuguese music plays overhead which partly drowns out the traffic noise. Servers are busily keeping plates and glasses refilled and tables cleared; groups of diners appear absorbed in getting their meat comas. A blackboard overlooks the dining room, announcing live music on certain nights and all the weekly deals, ranging from “date night” to “happy hour specials”.

The salad bar is small and contains only the basics: green salads, chicken salads, potato salads, some fresh vegetables. They also have a hot bar, chafing dishes filled with rice, stews, soups–what I assume are Brazilian standards–all very tasty and capably rendered. Tableside, my man and I were treated to some of the best cheese popovers I’ve ever had–better than any I’ve eaten at rival churrascarias.

But as with all Brazilian steakhouses, meat is king here. During our Saturday lunch, all of the expected players were represented: spicy sausages, bacon-wrapped chicken and beef, drumsticks, spicy beef, garlic beef, flank steak, top sirloin, house picanha. Add to that, grilled pineapple and smoky bacon-wrapped stuffed jalapenos (the latter an excellent surprise).

While I feasted on some of the best garlic beef I ever tasted, I closed my eyes and imagined I was in Rafain–partly because the traffic on 75 was distracting and partly to determine the quality of the food. I then concluded that the food was comparable if not better than all of the high-dollar Brazilian steakhouses I’ve been to in DFW: Fogo, Rafain, Texas de Brazil, Mastergrill–I’ve tried them all. As I ran down the mental list of experiences so far, I realized I had no complaints with Brazilian Cowboy’s food…and when the check arrived, the veil lifted from my eyes. I had been overpaying for the hype and glamor all these years at those overpriced restaurants.

Brazilian Cowboy brings the churrascaria to the masses; and it’s about time somebody did! This place exceeded my experience with Delicias Brazil in Irving and is now my number one choice for budget Brazilian steakhouse dining. Not in the mood for a buffet? Try their light menu: single-serving meat plates, burgers, sandwiches, pizza, and a full range of bar food appetizers.

Now, to convince the staff to keep the shades drawn while I dine there….