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Sabor! Central American Cuisine
Category: Restaurants Latin American Latin American [Edit]
5712 Bellaire BlvdHouston, TX 77081
Neighborhood: Gulfton
(713) 667-6001
- Price Range:
-
$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- Free
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Noise Level:
- Quiet
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
14 reviews for Sabor! Central American Cuisine
13 reviews in English
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Review from Liz N.
Pflugerville, TX
Every now and then, I crave for some Salvadorian food. Unfortunately Salvadorian venues are scarce where I live. So whenever I'm back in Houston on vacation, eating this food is a must!
Luckily for me my parents had been to Sabor a handful of times and took me there. I'm so glad they did because this place is aweome! It's small, yet very cozy and extremely clean. It's located in a strip mall but with plenty parking spaces.
My dad recommended their mariscada and being the seafood lover that I am, I happily ordered one. So did everyone else in our party. I also ordered some pupusas revueltas, and some yucca with chicharron. Everything was beyond delicious! The pupusas were huge, not greasy, and had lots of cheese! Just the way I like them. The yucca was very crispy and tasty. Though what really stood out for me, was their mariscada indeed. It had an extraordinary flavor, a very rich and creamy broth. Unlike other seafood soups or stews I've had elsewhere, this mariscada has plenty of seafood; a half blue crab, mussels, shrimps, and a lot of fish.
Bottom line, this place sure delivers. Everything is decently priced, big portions, and incredibly savory food! Not to mention, the wait staff was very attentive and caring. I'll be definitely back for more! -
Review from Sofia G.
Houston, TX
1/30/2012
I went here with a big group. I believe it was about 12 people. I think this was over whelming for the staff. I speak Spanish but not everybody in the group did. I didn't have a problem translating but later discover the waitress did speak English. So I wasn't sure why did she speak Spanish to my friends who obviously didn't understand it. So thats where I and those who spoke Spanish stepped and translated. We only discover later she did speak English. This has us confused, not sure what was the point. As an appetizer I ordered the yucca and chicharon dish. I really wouldn't recommend that at all. It cam with 3 small pieces of chicharon and the rest just over cooked yucca. I also had pupusas which is what this place is known for and they were really good. If i was in the area I might go back but I wouldn't travel to visit this spot.
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Review from shoestring f.
Houston, TX
7/25/2011
OMG - i finally found a salvadoran place that can live up to my memories of a childhood in El Salvador. The pupusas are to die for - the pupusas revueltas are not greasy at all, the curtido is tasty without being all about the chile.
but the highlight of the meal, the absolute most wonderful thing - one that i have not found anywhere else- the plantain empanadas stuffed with custard.
an absolute must!
i will be back again and again and again... -
Review from Michelle R.
Houston, TX
I was really hoping for some Nicaraguan food but in the end my britches were bursting out the seams after eating everything I ordered (apparently my eyes like to order for a family of 4!).
The restaurant is located in a small shopping center in the multicultural awesome pot on Bellaire. Once inside, you realize that you will be treated like family and served such awesome food that you'll beg for more. It really was as if my Momma was in the back cooking up the grub.
*Be sure to order the platanos fritos and the pasteles de carne!
I will seriously make a stop here even if I'm nowhere near! -
Review from Karen B.
Houston, TX
8/19/2010 2 Check-ins Here
My first introduction to this quiet, cozy little restaurant was several years ago. I went with a group if friends for lunch after an early movie. I have been back numerous times and introduced other friends to the great Salvadorean food.
Tucked back in the corner of a strip center in the Gulfton area, Sabor is one of those places easy to miss unless you know it's there. The dining area is small at 10-12 tables but never seems overly crowded at lunch.
My favorite on the menu are the pupusas, hand made corn or rice tortillas filled with a choice of cheese, pork, beans,or squash. They are served with curtido, a lightly fermented cabbage slaw and a tomata salsa. Fabulous! The tamales are also very tasty but quite different from the typical tamale you are used to. These come wrapped in banana leaves and are very soft, but full of flavorful chicken or pork.
This is a wonderful place for lunch, one of my favorites. Give it a try, I'm sure it will become one of your favorites too! -
Review from Allie N.
Houston, TX
10/14/2009
Good Central American food (though mostly Salvadorean food) in a nice atmosphere. Sabor is a clean, cozy restaurant in the Gulfton area which is also a neighborhood full of Salvadoreans. If you are not Latino, you will stand out here, but the people are very nice and welcoming.
I've been here twice, both times for pupusas, the Salvadorean staple dish. It's corn tortilla that's stuffed with either beans, pork, cheese, zucchini, loroco (a flower bud), or a combination of those items. They're about 1/4 to 1/3 inch thick and about 5-6 inches in diameter. You typically eat it with curtido, which is pickled cabbage (kinda like coleslaw but minus the mayo I guess). If you ever want to try Salvadorean food or just have a hankering for some good ol' greasy comfort food, definitely try them out! They're only like $1.50 each too.
They have combo platters that come with pupusas. They come with a corn tamale which was served steamy and moist. You also get a choice of sweet plantains or yuca (a root vegetable similar to a potato). Being a lover of all things deep fried and crispy, I really liked the yuca. It's kinda like an extra crispy and thick french fry.
And true to their Central American location, there are tons of different fresh juices to pick from. Salvadorean style horchata (cinnamon rice milk) is a little different from Mexican horchata since it's a little less sweet. They will also give you a sample of a juice if you want to try it out before ordering it.
I'm not sure how long ago this place got remodeled, but I really appreciate the nice cozy decor. They have 2 LCD TVs and all the tables have granite tops. They also take credit card too! -
Review from Chris K.
Cypress, TX
3/2/2007
This was my first venture into the world of El Salvadorian food, and I am very impressed.
Sabor is a very casual Central American establishment, and everyone who worked there was incredibly friendly; at the end of our meal, we were never rushed out the door and felt welcome to relax after a big meal. The place was clean and comfortable.
We started off with the iced tea, which tasted much fresher than what you normally find; they also serve it with lime which is a huge plus in my book.
Before the meal, chips and salsa are served. The salsa was AMAZING; it was sweet and tart and mild, with just a hint of garlic and maybe citrus. You can tell there is some vinegar in the mix, but it is so light that there is almost no after taste. Every bite is like a new salsa which makes it an incredibly interesting starter.
The chicken tamale is served wrapped in a banana leaf an tin foil, and unlike the typical Mexican flare, these were incredibly moist and falling apart. The flavor was extraordinary and the roast chicken was tender and full of flavor. And speaking of chicken, there was no shortage of meat in the tamale.
Pupusas are a signature dish, and if you have never had them, they are like tortillas that are stuffed with meats, cheeses or vegetables.
We tried 3 different pupusas:
Pork and Cheese - This was amazing. Very tasty, and worked well with the cabbage. There were equal amounts of both meat and cheese, so no flavor over powered the other.
Zucchini - The flavor was so light on this one that it was a little hard to taste the zucchini. Of the three, this is the one that I believe needed more stuffing to make it great.
Loroco - This is a plant from South America that has a taste and consistency much like spinach, but different at the same time. It's hard to explain, but I would highly recommend giving it a try. There is also cheese in here, that makes it nice and gooey.
Finally, the fried plantains were the best I have ever tried. The ends were almost crispy, and the sour cream was light and amazing. I could go just for the fried plantains.
Some things to watch out for...a 10% tip is included with your bill, and that amount goes up for parties over 4.
Would I eat hear again? You bet, the food was great an inexpensive and the service superb. -
Review from David U.
Houston, TX
11/25/2007
I like this place, I just wish there was something a little more... They need atmosphere!!! They have great food and a great owner (Salamon) and great service. The best Papusas in Houston. they also have a good Mexican beer selection as long as they have what you want in stock. The prices are right and the portions are good.
The only thing that makes Sabor! not 5 star worthy is that they sometimes snub me even though I was a regular (I think because I don't have the "forever tan"), they don't really have any atmosphere and sometimes they are out of certain beers...
No wait, and a good quality place to eat if you are in the Bellaire area. Give them a chance, it is worth it to get one of those fantastic Papusas and a good Mexican Beer (no not Corona!!!). I would recommend Sabor! -
Review from Dave G.
Houston, TX
5/26/2009
I went there today for the first time for lunch. The service was excellent and the pupusas were very tasty and fresh.
As far as pupusas go in Houston, this is one of the nicest places I've been. Taste wise, pretty good, but the environment was very nice and extremely clean. Not the typical chaos of other Salvadorian places I've been to in Houston.
There are lots of other dishes on the menu that I'd like to try upon subsequent visits. -
Review from Ryan J.
Houston, TX
7/10/2011
I had a craving for pupusas, and this seemed like a pretty good choice based on others' reviews. I went on a Friday late afternoon, and it was fairly slow. However, the service was very friendly. The menu had a lot more options than other central american places I have been. I got the pupusas, which were relatively cheap and absolutely delicious. My girlfriend got the whole fish, which was good but nothing spectacular. I think this is a great option if you have a craving for central american food or just want to try something new.
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Review from Bryna K.
Houston, TX
4/3/2011
I have to say this place truly rocks!! My husband and I ended up there a few years ago after driving around Bellaire a while. Wow! What a pleasant surprise. The food is just wonderful. The cheese pupusas and corn tameles are just delicious. I love getting the Hondorian style fajitas. I have never left disappointed.
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Review from Emy A.
Pearland, TX
6/18/2010
The service wasn't great...slow and didn't refill the glasses. The food wasn't that great either: pupusas (loroco, pork and cheese, zucchini (had too much cheese)), corn tamale was a bit dry...the plantains were good.
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Review from Nancy L.
Houston, TX
7/18/2010
Last night I found myself craving pupusas. There is one place my work group goes to regularly, but it's a little bit sketchy. I was looking for somewhere closer to the loop and nicer. Sabor has much nicer decor and a welcoming feel to it. There were a couple families and some regulars in there, but still plenty of seating. After browsing the menu at the counter, the waitstaff apparently asked me if the order was to go in Spanish. She quickly realized that I didn't understand and asked me in English. I said yes and then placed my order in Spanish as best as a gringa in Texas could. I ordered the Combination B which included two pupusas of my choice, a tamale of my choice, and plantains. I got one cheese pupusa and one cheese and bean pupusa. I ordered a pork tamale and asked for no sour cream on the plantains. The total was under $10 and there was enough food for two meals. If you order the pupusas individually, they're really cheap too. They were less than $2 each. My order came out promptly. The employees were very friendly and felt very welcome there. I ate the cheese pupusa and the plantains when I got home. They were both fabulous. I reheated the cheese and bean pupusa and the pork tamale today with some cooking spray and a frying pan. They both reheated beautifully and tasted delightful. It looked so good that my husband stole half. He had never tasted pupusas before and thought it was great. I will definitely be returning and spreading the word about this great restaurant.
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