At first it was Pampa, but the name was quickly changed since other Pampas already existed. But if you're not over the whole churasscaria deal, Red & Green Steakhouse is a peculiarly interesting addition to the Buford Highway landscape.

This renegade rotisserie of meats accompanied by a salad bar took flight in the U.S. in the late '90s, when major upscale chains like Fogo de Chão began slicing meat off the spit in grand style (with a grand bill). For a while, low-end meat-roasting rotisseries calling themselves churasscarias were popping up all over the strip malls of Gwinnett and Cobb as fast as the signage could be put on the door.

Becky Stein/Special (ENLARGE)
Among the meats Red & Green Steakhouse offers are perfectly seasoned rump steak, juicy sirloin and garlic beef.
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Red & Green is named for the colors of the doohickey disks that let the parading gaúcho chefs serving in the dining room know if you want more, more, more meat (green side) or if they should stop feeding you as if there is no tomorrow (red side). And like Fogo de Chão, Red & Green Steakhouse, in spite of its strip mall exterior, is decidedly swanky — lavish in scale (the downstairs private dining room seats 500), it is lovely to look at. Dark, chunky woods and inlaid tile work surround the salad bar centerpiece of the large dining room, where sides to the espeto corrido (continuous service) are found. There's also a hot buffet at lunch that seems like somewhat of an afterthought, sporting stir frys with rice, as well as fried plantains and rice and beans — a little something for everyone.

The salads range from a funky fruit ambrosia mixed with a Cool Whip wannabe to some of the best Brazilian-style collard greens (couve a mineira) I've ever eaten — sliced to almost a chiffonade, then wilted with the flavors of garlic and onions. A tabouleh/farofa mixture tastes great mixed with it and hearts of palm.

And while it's always fun to hang out at the salad bar, the meats at Red & Green are worth sitting down and saving room for — the rump steak is scrumptiously succulent, with just the right amount of seasonings to the meat. Sirloin is naughtily juicy, and garlic beef is heavily seasoned for a change of pace. The only downer was pork ribs, which were just too dry to fully enjoy. Some items — filet mignon, lamb and flank steak — are offered at dinner only.

The gaúchos will keep coming around until you turn your disk to red or you admit that you are powerless over your binging, pay your bill and leave.

HOURS: Lunch, Monday-Friday 11 a.m.-3 p.m.; dinner, Monday-Thursday 3-10 p.m.; Friday 3-11 p.m.; Saturday 11 a.m.-11 p.m.; Sunday 11 a.m.-10 p.m.

CREDIT CARDS: Visa, MasterCharge, Amex

PRICES: $14.95 lunch, dinner $24.95 Monday-Friday; $24.95 all day Saturday-Sunday

RESERVATIONS: Accepted

RECOMMENDED DISHES: Brazilian collards, rump steak, garlic beef, sirloin

WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE: Yes

SMOKING: No

NOISE LEVEL: Low

TAKE OUT: Yes

VERDICT: Brazilian barbecue is bad to the bone on Buford Highway.