I must post a warning to my groupie reader Vanessa and to all of the other vegetarians out there. You may find the material in this review horrifying and offensive. This review is of Samba at the Mirage, better known as "the house of meat." I would warn all vegetarians to read no further.

Located in the Mirage, a reservation is a must if you plan on eating at Samba. The restaurant is small and if you do not have a reservation you will have a long wait in an even longer line. Since we had a reservation that was set weeks in advance, we were ushered right through as those who thought of having a fun, spontaneous dinner shot us scornful looks. We already knew what we wanted as soon as we sat down. Although Samba has a regular menu full of entrées, it is most known for its rodizio meal. This is a carnivore’s delight. Although I’m not much of a meat eater, I am into unique dining experiences, and this was one I will not soon forget.

After placing our order, we were greeted almost immediately by salad and bread. I read many cautions before the trip warning diners not to fill up on bread. I ate just one piece, knowing my parade of meat would soon follow. Once salad dishes were cleared, a variety of side dishes were plopped down in front of us in a very efficient manner. The brightly colored bowls were filled with fried plantains, red beans and rice, creamed spinach, and carrots. Everything was good except the red beans and rice, which were disappointingly bland and dry. Finally the action was ready to begin. A man came by with a giant sword containing roasted pork and grilled pineapple. It was sweet and juicy and we no sooner finished it and another waiter presented at our table with turkey wrapped in bacon. I’m not sure how anyone could resist any meat wrapped in bacon. Ribs, which were followed by flank steak, some fish that wasn’t very memorable and then teriyaki chicken followed the bacon wrapped turkey. It kept coming and we kept eating and indulging our inner carnivores. We were just about to ask for some additional pork with pineapple, when something at the next table caught our eye. A very sweet newlywed couple ordered a glorious-looking dessert.

"We have to get that," I said with a ravenous look in my eye.

We were served a giant bowl of coconut crème brulee embellished with fresh berries and palm tree cookies. For just a moment, I was swept away to a paradise all my own.

I must admit that the food at Samba was not the most delicious food I encountered on the trip. The total bill came to $93.42 including the rodizio, dessert and two alcoholic beverages. At Samba, you are paying for the rodizio experience, and it is an experience I would encourage you to try at least once.

Samba is advertised as "Brazilian-style barbecue" but if you’re anything like me, you have little to no idea what that means. What it means is that the meats are served to you Rodizio style, that is, they are seasoned and roasted over hot coals, then presented to the table on long skewers. For about $30 per person, you can enjoy 6 different kinds of meats, including chicken and fish, that are prepared this way. Each meat is brought directly to your table in a random order. The server will describe the meat before offering it to each of the guests. Included in this all-you-can-eat experience are salad and traditional side items such as black beans and rice. Once your group has sampled all the meats, you are able to request your favorites for additional servings. If the Rodizio experience doesn’t sound appealing to you, Samba also features a standard menu with pasta and similar entrée selections.

Samba also features and expansive wine and drink list. To add to your South American experience, try a mojito, a traditional Cuban drink made with sugar can, rum and mint leaves. You can order a mojito or any of Samba’s other specialty drinks for about $6 a drink.

We thoroughly enjoyed our experience at Samba. The service was fantastic. At any given time, there are 3-4 different people watching over your table. Choosing between our favorite meats the second time around was difficult only because everything we’d sampled had been so wonderful. Per the Mirage’s website, reservations are recommended to Samba, though we visited later in the evening (around 10pm, Friday night) and did not have to wait.

More information: http://www.themirage.com/pages/din_samba.asp

Samba at the Mirage is a Brazilian restaurant where a group of fourteen people celebrated my 30th birthday. The price was $29.99 a person for all-you-can-eat appetizers and dinner. They served about twelve different types of meats and fish including turkey breast, a variety of chicken, lamb, beef, salmon and more. You don''t have to get up to get your food like at a regular buffet. The servers walk around to your table and carve the meat off of swords right onto your plate. For my vegetarian friend they brought out a huge roasted vegetable platter at no extra cost. Everyone ate until they were over-full. If you are looking for something to drink to go with the Brazilian food, try a mojito. It is a rum-based drink made with fresh mint. Very good!

I ordered a birthday cake (mostly to please my mom) and it was made special just as I requested. I was amazed. It was a yellow cake with a banana custard filling with chocolate ganache frosting. They decorated with the Brazilian theme and put some fancy-looking chocolate and raspberry pieces on the top. The staff brought it out with all 30 candles lit and started singing. It was really great.

This meal was everyone''s favorite dinner. With huge plates of appetizers, many, many top-shelf drinks (about 2-3 drinks a person), all-you-can-eat dinner for 14 (including one huge veggie platter for the vegetarian), various side dishes, my birthday cake, and a round of 14 lemon drops (the size of the drinks – no the shots, oops!) including tax and tip was only about $65 per person. I definitely recommend this place if you ever go in a group – and also if you go just as a couple. But we had an amazing group experience. It was everyone’s favorite dinner of the trip.