Brahma aiming to be an affordable steakhouse option

Posted on Tue, May 22, 2012 : 5:05 a.m.

Brahma aiming to be an affordable steakhouse option

By Julie Halpert

Outside of Brahma Steakhouse on Washtenaw Ave. Angela J. Cesere | AnnArbor.com

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Outside of Brahma Steakhouse on Washtenaw Ave. Angela J. Cesere | AnnArbor.com

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Dining at the new Brahma Steakhouse & Lounge recently, we encountered two vastly different types of experiences, with one exemplifying the difficulties facing a new restaurant, and the other demonstrating its potential to be successful.

Brahma, which opened in March on Washtenaw, replaces The Smokehouse Grill and Pub, which specialized in barbecue. (The former restaurant's moniker was still on the restaurant's receipt on our recent visits.)

The goal of owner Louie Vushaj is to create an affordable yet high-quality steakhouse. Vushaj gave the place a much-needed facelift, pulling up the worn and stained carpet and installing hardwood floors. There are now a variety of roomy booths in the main room, where a welcoming fire burning in the fireplace provided a warm glow. More booths are located in the room housing the expansive bar. The bar is perched below several flat-screen televisions.

RESTAURANT REVIEW

Brahma Steakhouse & Lounge
4855 Washtenaw Ave.
734-434-5554
www.brahmasteakhouse.com

Hours: Tuesday-Thursday, 11 a.m.-10 p.m. (bar open until midnight); Friday, 11 a.m.-midnight; Saturday, noon-midnight; Sunday, noon-10 p.m. Closed Mondays.
Plastic: Visa, Mastercard, Discover, American Express; no personal checks.
Prices: Moderate.
Liquor: Yes.
Noise level: Medium.
Wheelchair access: Yes.

Brahma offers seven different cuts of meat. Diners are given five choices in the way the steak should be prepared, along with five possible sauces that are served on the side. Personally, when it comes to what type of ingredients go best with different kinds of meat, I prefer to leave that to the chef.

Also, I learned that when the meat is served without the sauce, it's not nearly as savory as when the sauce is incorporated into the cooking. My son opted for the 8-ounce filet, but the server didn't ask which preparation or sauces he preferred, so the default was to serve it entirely plain. Not surprisingly, the filet was bland.

On our second visit, I ordered another cut, the veal chop, with the caramelized onion and wild mushroom preparation, along with a cabernet demi-glaze sauce. It was nicely seasoned with those additions, though the meat was a bit dry. With the meat entrees in the $20 range, a price that includes soup or salad and choice of potato and vegetable, the owner has made these dishes more affordable than that at a high-priced steakhouse, but the quality on our visits didn't match those higher-end steakhouses either.

Though steak is the focus here, Brahma's menu also includes chicken, salads, pasta and seafood. Our first visit provided mixed results. I thoroughly enjoyed the Caesar salad, tossed with fresh slivers of asiago cheese, wonderful homemade croutons and a tasty dressing that didn't saturate the lettuce. Macaroni was also tasty, with a four-cheese sauce that was a nice complement to the capatavi pasta.

The best dish, hands-down, was the shrimp and scallop risotto. The scallops, in particular, were fresh and perfectly seared, and the lemon butter thyme sauce was an ideal accent. The large, hearty house-smoked jumbo wings were served in a delicious barbeque sauce and were a great prelude to our meal.

The best dessert we tried was the turtle cheesecake. A thick graham cracker crust formed the foundation for the creamy, yet light sweet treat, nestled beneath layers of both fudge and caramel.

Among the shortcomings: slightly overcooked pan-seared salmon, overly salty potato leek soup, and shrimp in the jumbo shrimp cocktail that tasted like they were recently defrosted, almost inedible. The apple blossom dessert also wasn't freshly prepared; it was half frozen when I bit into it.

Service on our first visit was painfully slow, and I returned with much trepidation. But the second time around, on an equally busy weekend night just a week later, we were attended to by a delightful, pleasant server who routinely checked in on us and brought our food promptly.

Even the bread was better the second time around. Instead of the processed-tasting pieces we received on our first visit, we enjoyed a hearty, crusty, piping hot homemade loaf. We opted for the spinach and artichoke dip, which, though a bit heavy on the cheese, had a moist consistency which was nicely paired with crispy fried pita chips.

The wild mushroom ravioli was rich, yet delicious, served with roasted red peppers, leeks and shallots in a goat cheese cream sauce. The garlic mashed potatoes were wonderful.

If it can consistently provide the high-quality dishes and service it's capable of, Brahma has enough going for it to show true potential.

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Julie Halpert reviews restaurants for AnnArbor.com.

Comments

AdmiralMoose

Sun, Jan 6, 2013 : 7:35 p.m.

It would seem that Brahma couldn't live up to these modest expectations. Today there is a yellow banner announcing a new Mexican cantina in its place. So, when did Brahma officially die?

lonmitch59

Tue, May 22, 2012 : 4:40 p.m.

I notice where someone actually thought the Brahma was named after the religion. Wow. My Texas grandfather, who raised Brahmas, would roll his eyes on that comment. A brahma is a type of cow that is known for its beef and it is common in the south, where it enjoys warm weather. They tend to be grey and have a hump on their back. As my grandfather would say as he would roll his eyes, "Yankees."

a2miguy

Tue, May 22, 2012 : 2:27 p.m.

Sauce? On a steak? The 8-oz filet was not bland because it lacked sauce, but rather because it was probably not a very high quality piece of meat.

JMA2Y

Tue, May 22, 2012 : 2:59 p.m.

My thoughts exactly. Some seasonings-salt, pepper, maybe onion and garlic powder, as I do at home-is all it needs. Sauces should be on the side. Cook it as desired and beef should come out tasting like beef. It won't if it's a cheap cut. It won't if it's a glued together processed slab (there's an edible mix that "glues" meat together and allows a restaurant to call it one thing such as filet when it's really stewed beef-not sure if Michigan laws allow that here though.)

Ron Granger

Tue, May 22, 2012 : 1:18 p.m.

Brahma? How crude. Name your steak house after a Hindu god, from a religion whose followers do not eat meat. What brainiac thought that would be cute?

dirty irish

Tue, May 22, 2012 : 1:57 p.m.

PC police - not all Hindu's are necessarily vegetarian. Brahma also happens to be a breed of chicken as well as a brazilian beer...mmm, beer.

PersonX

Tue, May 22, 2012 : 1:09 p.m.

"The wild mushroom ravioli was rich, yet delicious, served with roasted red peppers, leeks and shallots in a goat cheese cream sauce. The garlic mashed potatoes were wonderful." These are subjective opinions and have nothing to do with reviewing. Since most of us do not personally know the writer, or her son, they are of absolutely no interest. Some people may care about this in these days of on-line blather, so perhaps these kinds of postings could be called "my restaurant blog" rather than "restaurant review."

ex734

Tue, May 22, 2012 : 4:41 p.m.

I have no idea what you are talking about. Aren't opinions part of a review?

Chris

Tue, May 22, 2012 : 11:19 a.m.

The problem with "affordable steakhouse" is the best steak is eaten without much saucing and is also very expensive ingredient cost. No surprise that the best dish is risotto - they can't afford to buy very good steak at that price point.

Halter

Tue, May 22, 2012 : 10:27 a.m.

Brahma has made a terrific entree into the east side dining scene where your other options are chain restaurants... I tend to dine there off-peak and have always had excellent service. Please be aware that if you dine before 4 they give you a lunch menu...ask for the dinner menu: the selections are different and available all day. Also, ask your server if there is anything they would particularly recommend that day. I dine here probably once every two weeks and have had consistently good meals. I recommend the NY strip myself.

Robo

Tue, May 22, 2012 : 11:29 a.m.

As a lover of indian food I find Temptations has gone down hill and off the cliff. tragic.

Chris

Tue, May 22, 2012 : 11:17 a.m.

There are lots of options on this stretch of road, none of them chain. Temptations indian in the strip mall on the north side of washtenaw. The Mexican restaurant in the same strip mall is very good. There is a lebanese place on the south side of the road.