Charlotte is bustling with vibrant restaurants that range in various cultures from across the globe. When your tastebuds are having a south of the border moment, take a few minutes to step inside Sabor Latin Street Grill‘s newest location at the Morrison Shopping Center in Southpark. This fast-casual canteen specializes in a fiesta of street food descending from Central and South America.
Authenticos Taco with Shrimp
For those who are familiar with Latin cuisine, the concept at Sabor mimics that vibrant flair in both ambiance and menu selection. The walls are bright red with booths to match, and the food options encompass bold spices you’d typically find in the Dominican Republic, Venezuela and Argentina.
The space has an open kitchen where you can watch your feast being prepared. The rich smells of your dishes waft towards the dining area, making your mouth water while you visit the salsa bar and grab the necessities for your meal.
The term “street food” is popping up on menus all over the place; in my opinion it generally means that you’ll be using your hands to eat your array of small plates. During our visit, we tried every single dish in their “street food” section and are delighted to talk about our experience with each item below.
Gordita: A thick yellow corn masa cake filled with your choice of protein and beans, lettuce, tomato, sour cream and cheese. We opted for ground beef and refried beans, which we happily devoured with our hands as we simultaneously licked the juices from our fingertips. I found this dish to be sauce friendly, so if you want more of a kick I suggest adding a few spoonfuls of Sabor’s habanero salsa.
Arepa: A Venezuelan-style white maize cake that’s filled with perfectly spiced shredded chicken, diced tomato, onion, cheese and rosada sauce. It’s served in foil, which has a purpose. We discovered this after we took it out of the wrapping and playfully made fun of each other’s mess. It gave us a chance to use a few tortilla chips to scoop up the disarray left on our plates… so it all worked out.
Carne Asada Fries: Hold on to your sombrero, this dish is going to blow your tastebuds away. French fries covered in grilled steak, creamy queso, pico de gallo, guacamole, cotija cheese and sour cream. Talk about party-in-your-mouth delicious. I would definitely order this again when I am looking for a hearty dish that’s big enough to share.
Elote Loco: Think corn-on-the-cob, but stepped up a notch with mayo, cotija cheese, fresh cilantro and a dusting a chili powder. This is one of my favorite dishes to try when it’s offered on a restaurants menu and Sabor did not disappoint. It’s sweet and smokey from the charred corn, savory with the cotija cheese and a slightly spicy from the chili powder. All-in-all, a completely satisfying side dish I will order again and again.
Empanada: Argentinean fried pastry filled with cheese and your choice of meat or veggies. I’m going to suggest the chorizo here, and make sure to dip this handheld delight in Sabor’s “pink sauce”, which is a delicious blend of ketchup and mayonnaise. Insider Tip: Sabor’s chorizo is made in house; it’s probably one of the best I’ve tried in Charlotte and I would recommend it to everyone.
Quinoa Avocado Bowl
We also had the opportunity to try a few of their more traditional tacos and lighter items. The Quinoa Avocado Bowl from their Heroic section was at the top of my list, followed by the al pastor Locos Taco and Authenticos Taco with shrimp.
In conclusion, Sabor’s menu certainly speaks for itself and I encourage you to explore their menu. Don’t be scared to order that exotic dish you’re not familiar with, I promise you’ll be pleasantly surprised. Oh, and did I mention they have margaritas? Yes, please.
