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September 3 - 10, 1999

[Food Reviews]

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Sabanas

Latin America comes to Park Avenue

by Margaret LeRoux

Sabanas
439 Park Avenue
Worcester
767-1820
Mon.-Sat.
11 a.m.-9 p.m.
Mastercard, Visa
No alcohol
Handicap accessible
Latin-American cuisine has come to Park Avenue at last. Sabanas is a little jewel of a restaurant -- there's a handful of tables and stools at the counter -- whose owners nonetheless have big ambitions.

When chef/owner George Sarmento bought the small building he envisioned a family-style restaurant, a more upscale fast-food approach to Latin-American cuisine. "I thought people would come in order at the counter," he explains "but from the start, people wanted to be served at the tables." Sabanas now offers table service, though plastic dishes and cutlery remain from the original concept.

Sarmento and his wife, Florimar, with help from their relatives, have completely transformed the interior (gone is the flowered wallpaper, a leftover when it was a breakfast spot). Now the walls are plaster, painted in warm, sunset tones; the linoleum floor has been scrubbed and polished till it gleams. Mounted candles in earthenware pots cast a soft glow. Statues and vases from Colombia, Mexico, and Puerto Rico, and a few oil paintings, add to the atmosphere, as does lively background music.

The wonderful aromas of chili, cilantro, and onions whetted our appetites while two companions and I read through the menu. We were tempted by Sabanas' fresh fruit drinks. It was a hot summer night, and they were just what we needed. We loved all three of our choices (all $2): passion cocktail, a mixture of passion fruit, berries, and pineapple juice; orange sunrise, orange juice and bananas; and jugo de Jasmine (named for their daughter), a mixture of strawberries, blackberries, and raspberries.

There are plenty of dishes that may be unfamiliar to Anglos. But don't be shy, ask Florimar, who works as both waitress and kitchen assistant; she'll gladly explain. Florimar told us that tamalitos ($1.75) are soft, corn-flour pies stuffed with cornmeal and corn kernels seasoned with salt, pepper, and cilantro. We thought they were delicious, though more cake-like in texture. If you like your spices subtle, a plain tamalito will do; but I was dining with a couple of chili-heads who doused them with aji -- a spicy sauce of fresh tomatoes, onions, peppers, cilantro, and vinegar -- that's served on the side.

Empanandas ($1.75) are little wheat flour turnovers of chicken, beef, or, our favorite, guava and white cheese from the Dominican Republic. The guava added sweetness to the cheese-filled turnover. We also enjoyed maduro dulce ($1.25), thick slices of fried sweet plantain.

The entrees reflect the background of the Sarmentos; he's from Colombia, she's from Puerto Rico. Carne asada ($7.50), a popular Colombian dish, is thin slices of grilled sirloin steak with sautéed onions. The spices include adobo, a mixture of crushed peppercorns, oregano, garlic, salt, olive oil, and vinegar, which is rubbed into the meat as a dry marinade. The beef was served with white rice, arepa (which is a little corn cake stuffed with cheese), and a side dish of baked beans. We also tried pernill y arroz con gandules ($6.50), the popular Puerto Rican dish of pigeon peas and rice and roast pork. This came with potato salad, something familiar to my Midwestern taste buds; I was surprised that it's popular in Puerto Rican cooking, too. Pollo a la plancha ($6.50) is Sarmento's interpretation of another Puerto Rican favorite: grilled breast of chicken with salsa, yellow rice, fried plantains, and arepa.

Sarmento pointed out that Colombian cooking is spicier than Puerto Rican. We concurred, but the addition of the spicy aji can supply all the heat you want.

Other entree choices include chuletas ($6.50), pork chops served with white rice, red beans, fried sweet plantains and arepa. And for the timid palates there is ensalada con pollo ($6.50), grilled-chicken salad.

There's a homemade sopa (soup), which changes daily; one of my companions tried the vegetable ($1.90 a cup; $2.90 a bowl) and gave it a passing grade. Next time, we'll take on Sabanas' chili, priced the same as soup.

After-dinner treats are limited to coffees, including cappuccino and espresso, and thick and cooling shakes, banana and strawberry (each $2). Our bill for a satisfying amount of food was a modest $34.65, not including tip.


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