Texas de Brazil Express

So sad…
TDBE was my favorite. Please open somewhere else! (ADDISON PLEASE!?)

CLOSED this week, which is totally LAME. Liked the concept, prices and food. Only quam was the service was kinda odd (just a counter so shouldn’t be that hard to be on top of it), and they would frequently run out of meat. Here’s a link to the only info I could find on why they shut down:
Anyone who knows Preston Center knows this is a business lunch area, so perhaps they should’ve done their research. Thanks for getting me addicted, then leaving me high and dry :(

Sadly, fell victim to the massive offerings that have occupied the area and has closed. I have been meaning to post a review for weeks, decent sandwich with better quality than most. But the writing was on the wall, few diners but those that were were wow’d.

Its like Brazilian BBQ but Chipotle style… best & most affordable lunch Ive had.

Simplicity at its finest. Given the area that Texas de Brazil Express is in, it’s understandable why their menu is so simple, people want to get in & get out and go shopping or do whatever it is that they came to Preston Center to do lol. At this place you have your choice of getting a sandwich, salad or rice bowl with your choice of QUALITY meats and toppings. I always opt for the jasmine rice bowl with the (traditional Brazilian black bean stew slow simmered with onions, garlic, pork, sausage and beef) – yeah, stop drooling – and whatever type of meat I’m feeling for the day — usually chicken or sausage. Just like the restaurant, they pull out this huge piece of meat and carve it right in front of you so you can see all the juices and yumminess as they cut into it… I promise you it’s like love at first sight. Then you can choose your dressings/​toppings/​etc. GET THE PEPPERCORN SAUCE, it is AMAZING. All capitals. It’s just that good. They also have this veggie concotion of cauliflower, carrots and banana peppers that are marinated in something that make them spicy. I really don’t know how to explain it but if you want to add a KICK to your meal, add this lovely concotion. I like sitting at the window and watching the range rovers and bentleys drive by while I enjoy my meal… but you’re welcome to take your food and go lol…

Great place for a quick lunch, especially if you like the deliciousness that is Texas de Brazil. Think of it as a Subway/​Chipotle convenience meets Brazilian steakhouse. Their child, Texas de Brazil Express.

I try to stop by here and pick up a sandwich if ever I’m heading to Houston from Dallas. I love the concept and food is unique and delicious. Churrascaria meets sandwich shop. I personally feel that the ingredients here are more unique and higher quality compared to other sandwich shops (ex. having arugula instead of lettuce). I don’t even think it’s any more expensive than other sandwich places, not counting $ 5 subs!
The only thing stopping me from giving this place five stars is the consistency. Whoever making your sandwich will clearly give you more or less meat depending on their mood. Also, I found their pork to be a little too spicy.

I like this place a lot. It’s quick, easy, clean and bright. The ingredients are fresh. And it does grow on you.
Likely I’ve been getting Ciabatta bread with Picanha (tender sirloin), dressed with creamy horseradish, Swiss, Arugula, and Red Onion. I like to keep it simple and ensure I taste all the ingredients. The horseradish sauce always taste freshly made.
Maybe it’s me, but the sandwiches never really appears large enough, yet, I always leave satisfied and filled.
On one of my upcoming visit I’m going to try the Brazilian Sausage, it looks so good.
Give it a try I think you’ll like it.

Texas de Brazil Express has it half right. The food is good. However, the ordering process is a nightmare.
Following the Pei-​Wei model, guests enter the front door and are presented with three large menus on the wall. While this works for Pei Wei, where you are ordering one thing — Kung Pow Chicken for example — it doesn’t work when you are ordering sandwiches. The implication is that you have to memorize everything you want on your sandwich before ordering. You don’t, but that’s the impression.
So first you go to the bread station and choose from one of two breads (they were out of one on our visit). Then on the meat station where real meat, not processed lunchmeat, is served. So far, so good.
Then to the toppings station. Now this is where Potbelly and Great Outdoors and Jersey Joe’s and even Subway and every other sandwich shop in the planet get it right. They have a sign on the wall telling you all of the veggies and dressings. Not Texas de Brazil Express. You now have to interrogate the not entirely English-​speaking sandwich maker who reluctantly identifies some of the options. You might get a better sandwich if you knew what the options were, and an even better general experience if there were some pre-​determined options from which you could choose.
And what’s with the country music? Does country music really go with this cuisine? I don’t think so. In fact, my impression, between the music and the general chill of the room, was that they wanted the customers to leave as soon as possible. Lovely.
Despite all this, I really liked the food. I wish, though, that they had a more customer-​centric ordering process and a more inviting seating area.

Traveling to Dallas on business, I stopped into this fast food BYO (build your own) restaurant for lunch. These BYO places are very popular and quite commonplace for downtown lunch crowds because you can get your food quick and exactly what you ordered. What sets this restaurant apart from other just salad places is that they serve carbs/​starches for those who want something more substantial than just greens.
The good/​bad about this place is that they have «sneeze screens» about 5′ in height which is perfect for keeping the germs out, but not good if you want to ask a question of the server and he can’t hear you. Then you have to tip-​toe and stick your head over the barrier to shout your question which defeats the purpose of the sneeze screen. I noticed that most people just pointed to what they wanted.
The day I was there, they were serving Feijoada, the Brazilian Black Bean stew over rice. Very tasty, except the sausage in the stew was overcooked and dried out. The long grain rice was perfectly seasoned and went well with the Feijoada. I also chose sliced sausage over salad greens and chimichurri sauce/​dressing with additional ranch dressing on the side.
Here’s a tip: You can choose salad, or rice or combination of both. This restaurant aims to please.

I like this place more than my first visit now, to the fact that sometimes I really do crave it.
Tried a rice bowl recently, and this asian gives their rice 2 thumbs up! I ate it with sausage, b/​c I also love sausage, and a bunch of their super flavorful toppings + some chimi sauce! Very satisfied.
Oh, and ladies? There are some VERY attractive men that dine here. Most of my visits are to go, but a few lunches visits here and there are also littered with some serious eye candy.

Preston Center. The turnover is ridiculous, but there’s always something new to try. So it’s Brazilian barbecue meets sandwich shop, with the obligatory salad and rice bowl options. The meats (chicken, beef, pork) are cold, even though they’re in (decorative) pans. Also, there’s no ‘toasted’ option. In the post Quiznos age, this isn’t really acceptable. The toppings are the saving feature of the sandwich. They’re sophisticated and varied. I recommend loading up, or the sandwich may not be filling. I had higher hopes, but it’s still worth a visit.

We just went here the other day for the first time and wow these picanha sandwiches are wonderful with all the trimmings and under $ 8 its delish– I love that they have chimchurri and aoili and roasted red peppers. I was in sammy heaven and right now its my favorite sandwich in Dallas. And when something wow’s me this big I want to tell all my friends about it and take them there. So good. They also have salads and they look great too. The sandwich was great and they don’t skimp on the toppings. Yay TDBE! Rootin’ for ya!
Next time I’m there I’m taking photos my sammy was a beauty!

The wife and I have eaten here twice for lunch and gotten the Picanha sandwich both times. It is excellent – very tender. You can choose from a variety of toppings and sauces. Our favorite is the Picanha on Ciabatta bread with peppercorn sauce, horseradish, arugula, fresh tomatoes, roasted red pepper, and artichoke hearts. It is simply delicious, and very filling!
The only curious thing about our second trip was when we both went to the bathroom after eating to wash our hands, but neither the men’s nor women’s restroom had paper towels of any kind and no waste can. Did they forget or what? How odd. Good thing I had grabbed a stack of napkins.
I would eat here even without a Groupon coupon.

Some things should not be made «Express.»
It is by no means horrible, but it was disappointing. Perhaps I should try the salad or the rice bowl, but I found the sandwich lacking. Great ingredients don’t always stay great when slapped on a bun and ordered as take out.

$ 12 for a mediocre sandwich, potato chips and a fountain drink. I was not happy.
There were maybe 4 slices of sirloin in my sandwich. All I tasted was the bread and toppings. The sirloin didn’t have much flavor to it.
The sandwich was very small; I walked back to my hotel and had a panini, side salad and an apple tart.
This place is way too expensive for what they give you.

We were in the area yesterday and decided to stop in as I’ve been a fan of the actual restaurant for years now and let me tell you, this place did not disappoint!
Obviously it’s not the restaurant as it’s a fast food version of it’s big brother.
Think Subway, but with really, really good toppings and amazing meats.
I ordered the sausage sandwich on the ciabatta bread. Double sausage was only $ 1.50 more! SCORE!
There were so many delectable items to put on this sandwich, my head was spinning with all the different flavors available.
There was proper lettuce, chimichuri sauce, seasoned jalapenos, roasted red peppers, and on and on…
Can’t wait to go back! Good Food at a GREAT price!

Full disclosure here: I just finished working 2.5 years in the corporate side of a major fast casual chain. So I’d like to think I understand fast casual rather well and beyond that am very picky. I scrutinize speed, design, branding and most importantly, the food.
Now that I work near TdB: E I knew I had to try it so off I went for a lunch yesterday. First impression is you’re looking at the same rehashed fast casual design, set up and pricing that you’ll get at every other major chain. I am okay with that because a.) I’m not a fan of waiters and sit down dining and b.) options are always a good thing.
We opted for the Rice Bowl with the black beans (weird $ 1.75 add on) and their steak. I can’t say I am a fan of their black beans — they were very salty and I didn’t understand the $ 1.75 add on. That seems a bit over the top for a scoop of black beans with the left over bits of ham, sausage, pork and such. But hey, at least I tried it. And the rice was good and the steak was superb, tender and juice, loaded with flavor.
My favorite part was all the colored stuff at the end of the line — roasted red bell peppers, cucumbers, tomatoes, chimichuri sauce (AWESOME!), etc. etc. I’d almost go back for a bowl of all the stuff down there as it was all packed with flavor.
All in all I was happy with the bowl we put together. I want to go back and try a sandwich as some of the spreads looked and sounded amazing. And again, I’d load it up with the veggies and such. I can say, however, that the pork didn’t look too appetizing, but the sausage I bet is awesome.
For speed — which is key in Fast Casual — I wish it was a little quicker. There are some obvious improvements they could make on their end with design and layout (mis en place in the restaurant world) to help that out. The first person you talk to has to turn around and get rice and beans, for instance, and there aren’t enough folks on the line and the meat person cuts it for you. A little slow…
And the prices seemed a bit high for what you were getting. A bowl with black beans and a small soda was $ 12. Wow. Sure, the portions are huge and they give you a lot of meat and I split it with someone, but it still seemed high.
All in all, the quality of the food made up for it. I was torn between 3 and 4 stars but given that I’ll go back as a change from the typical fast casual, I’ll go with 4.

Let’s just say… don’t get these sandwiches to go. Mine was cold and fall-​apart soggy an hour later. It also didn’t seem to have too much flavor. (I had their primo meat cut, whatever they call it… the kind with lots of fat, so you’d think it’d be scrumptious regardless.) Maybe the meat really needs to be hot for the flavor to come out.
Yes, that «Express» in the name just makes it sound like take-out…and they even offer it without slapping you on the wrist for being an idiot… but don’t succumb to the temptation to grab-​and-​run here.
I recognize the error of my ways and will attempt to try this place again, the way nature intended restaurants to be (dine-​in). However, I might try to go when someone else is buying. These sandwiches are sort of ridiculously expensive. I mean… at the end of the day, it’s just a sandwich… right?

Appending the suffix ‘Express’ to a name like ‘Texas de Brazil’ that stands for gluttony and opulence intrigued me enough to try this new fast-​casual restaurant concept within a couple of weeks after it’s initial opening. The original TdB is still one of my favorite dining experiences. I love being able to overindulge my carnivorous cravings every once in a while.
The ‘Express’ version is different but really good for a quick fix of Brazilian churrascaria style goodness. The high level concept is 1) pick either sandwich/​rice bowl/​salad, 2) then add your choice of meat and 3) add veggies/​toppings/​sauces.
I work near TdB Express and now eat there at least once a week. I always get the salad and rice bowl with chicken and then load on the fixings and the chimichurri sauce. What comes out is a very flavorful salad that is filling and very different than your average salad.