Cost: Various a la carte and prix-fixe options available, including the $15 Samba Brunch; cocktails are $7 to 8.
The scene: The mid-morning mix of Latin-tinged beats and kaleidoscopic colors makes SushiSamba Rio a perfect spot for anyone who needs to get the party started early--or for those who just don't want to put on the brakes from Saturday night. We saw one party girl twirl herself, dress flying and high heels snapping, into her booth, while few mom-and-pop types just enjoyed the eye candy.
The cuisine: Since experience tells us food quality is usually inversely proportional to the level of spectacle a restaurant offers, we were worried. And things didn't look good when we encountered a server who seemed like he'd been out waaay to late the night before. But it turns out that SushiSamba's brunch menu is something to sing (or apparently, dance) about. The menu is divided between sandwiches ($12-14), "Big Bowls" of salad ($9-16) and feijoada ($13), a Brazilian black bean stew loaded with smoked meats. You can also order from a lengthy ceviche and sushi menu. But we went for what turned out to be a pretty good deal: The $15 per-person SambaBrunch. The whole table chooses four items from about a dozen choices. We liked the thinly sliced Samba Roll, smoked salmon and cream cheese wrapped in a sesame-flecked rice roll and served with a crunchy radish and spinach salad. The churrasco and eggs offered tender, juicy, well-seasoned flank steak with a tasty chive-oil and a heap of scrambled eggs. Our only complaint was way-too-soggy doce de leite French toast--and if we weren't so stuffed from the steak, we might have complained about the measly side of fruit served with it.
Benedict twist: Hollandaise sauce flavored with spicy South American aji paca over smoked salmon ($13 a la carte; or part of prix-fixe option).
Better than a bloody mary: The vodka-spiked lime-mango La Playa is a perfect summer wake-up call--light but not wimpy, with a ginger-and-tabasco bite ($7).
The wait: None. Plus, big, communal tables and extra outdoor seating make this a win for those special-occasion brunches.
Loved it: The sushi bar; perfect for the solo brunch diner.
Hated it: The chunky Himiko bloody mary ($7), with bits of celery and cucumber.
[ Chris LaMorte is the Metromix dining producer. ] metromix@tribune.com
RATING: 3 eggs (out of 4 eggs)
