Brazillian Meatfest.

Yes, I am still vegetarian, but on occasion I will indulge a craving for animal parts. After all, I'm primarily vegetarian for health reasons. It's not that I love the cow, it's just that the cow is trying to kill me. I do, however, believe that if you're going to have a bit of meat, it ought to be of high quality, and still in moderation. Enter the Ipanema Grill on 1st St downtown. The Ipanema is a Brazillian grill and their specialty is Rodizio.

For the uninitiated, Rodizio is a continuously served multi-meat extravaganza. They grill fresh meats, slowly, over large chunks of charcoal in large open grilling pits. Servers walk throughout the restaurant with oversized skewers carrying quantities of such items as garlic steak, pepper steak, tri-tip, bacon-wrapped turkey, spiced sausages, parmesan pork, and grilled pineapple. You take small servings each time (about 2 or three bites worth), and can stay for hours if you're partnered with a decent conversationalist. And there's where moderation goes out the window... They have a fully stocked bar, and a single-item menu that includes a FANTASTIC vegetarian sandwhich that you must try at some point. Could be a good dinner date place, but dinner is the same show at a little more than twice the price, so I suggest lunch at $14.95.

Now, back to veggies...