Trendy Rodizio opens at Riverwalk

Gasebalwe Seretse
Correspondent | Friday July 10, 2009 00:00

'One pays a fixed price and the waiters bring an offering of food to each customer at several times throughout the meal until the customers signal that they have had enough'', says Ahdong.

Food served at the churrascaria (grill house) include fillet mignon wrapped in bacon, turkey chunks wrapped in bacon, sirloin steak, roast beef, beef short ribs, pork ribs, chorico or some other spicy Iberian pork sausage, chicken hearts and grilled dark meat chicken. Adhong further says most rodizio courses are served right off the cooking sewers and are sliced or plated right at the table accompanied by optional cream spinach, rice and chips. Traditionally, a patron is given a card, which has a red side and a green side. If the card is flipped on the green side, it means the customer wants more helping and  if it is flipped red, it means he or she had has enough.

Although patrons are likely to be mainly attracted to the restaurant by the mouth-watering dishes on the menu and generous helpings, the dcor of Rodizio is simply tasteful and that will most certainly set it apart from other competitors in the mall.

A visitor to the Brazilian restaurant is welcomed to the trendy spotlights outside the entrance. The inside is even more welcoming with its dark brown, well-crafted tables and chairs.

'We want our patrons to look special that is why we have gone for the upmarket, classy and chick look,' says Ahdong showing Mmegi around and adding that they have given the restaurant a touch of privacy by making sure that their customers are not seen by passers-by from outside.

According to Ahdong, they play different types of music to cater for different tastes and there are some cabaret singers, rodizio dancers and DJs who feature regularly at the restaurant.

For those who have a lot of money to 'burn' , there is the VIP section where patrons can get special attention. The VIPs also get to be served from a bar that is exclusive for their use only. Like  other trendy restaurants, Marques Paulo, Rodizio has non-smoking and smoking areas.

Ahdong adds that ever since the restaurant, which he co-owns with Marques Paulo opened, the response has been overwhelming as 'people are taking well to the concept'.

Although the entrepreneur says he is happy with the progress that his business is making, the only snag is that local suppliers are disappointing citing an incident where he had to wait almost the whole day for his supplier to deliver pork. He further says that other challenges that he faces are the kind that are normal in any other business operations.

Currently, Rodizio employs 24 permanent kitchen staff, two junior managers and 26 waiters who are working on a 'free to come and go' basis.