Sabor Criollo
- Food served: Mon/Tue 6–10.30pm; Wed–Sun noon–3pm, 6–10.30pm.
- Number of wines sold by the glass: 2
- Also offers: Children's portions, Children's high chairs, Outdoor tables (smokers welcome)
- Music on stereo: Latin vibe
- Capacity: 36
- Largest group: 40
- Open since: 2001
- Average price 2 courses:
£9.99 (set lunch)
£15 (evening meal) - House wine: £12.50 per bottle
This review appears in the The List's Eating & Drinking Guide 2009 – in the shops now or buy online.
Step down from the Stockbridge street to the fabulously foliaged basement belonging to thronging Sabor Criollo, the locals’ choice for Creole, Mexican and much more. The atmosphere falls between downtown Caracas and tropical theme tack, with salsa sounds on the stereo, cocktails conjured from a straw-thatched bar and a Magic Faraway tree creeping across the ceiling. The menu should satisfy lusts for lashings of by-the-book Mexican faves, from nachos and fajitas to quesadillas and enchilladas, plus there is a selection of steak and seafood. But you are best venturing into the Venezuelan selection at Sabor’s true heart, starting with fried cassava – a parsnip-like root – or croquettes of either cod or chicken. A must-try is the Venezuelan staple Arepa – a cornflour flat bread, thin, stiff yet soft and slightly sweet, recalling both tortilla and, in a strange way, shortbread. Have it to start simply with cheese or make it a main with a good helping of chilli beef. Another speciality is Pabellon Margariteno: garlicky mashed-up fish, served with black beans and sweet plantain. Banana flambé keeps the tropical vibe alive among a small selection of desserts.
- High point: Arepa – a fine representation of Venezuelan cuisine
- Low point: Crushing ice is surprisingly loud!
Comments
- 1. Dionysus – 10 April 2009, 8:36pm
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Substantial helpings of fresh food from a convincingly authentic South American diner. Little finesse but you won't leave hungry. Great fajitas. Had the beef but preferred the very good vegetarian black bean option (and I am not vegetarian). Good wine list to include decent Chilean Cab Sav and Argentinian Malbec. Very relaxed informal atmosphere in a great location with very good and friendly service. £40 for two winos all in. Would struggle to criticise on the basis of this visit. Pablo Neruda could have written great poetry from here.
- 2. Adit, Edinburgh – 5 May 2009, 6:45pmReport
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Definitely worth a visit. We had arepa for starters and curried fish served with plantain and black beans for main. The food was full of flavour and I thoroughly enjoyed it but can't decide whether this was because of the quality of the dishes or the novelty of them (never tried Venezuelan before).
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