The name says it all at Sabor Cubano (6836 Gravois), which translates to “Cuban flavor.” A trip to Dayanna Herrera’s new restaurant in Boulevard Heights is like a visit to the island, with the food, warm service, music, and atmosphere. Located in the space formerly occupied by Appolonia, the restaurant serves up Cuban specialties for all ages. Here’s what to know before you go.
The Menu
Nearly everything at Sabor Cubana is made in house, from scratch, as stated in the logo: Hecho En Casa. The extensive menu includes the classics, such as a Cuban sandwich, dubbed The Habanero. The sandwich is layered with ham, cheese, and dill pickles on Cuban bread, topped with yellow mustard. The Disco Cubano is a smaller, round version (which, the menu explains, has nothing to do with extraterrestrials or Saturday Night Fever). Papas Rellenas, a popular Latin American comfort food, are mashed potatoes filled with ground beef and cheese, then deep fried.
Entrées include Ropa Vieja, the national dish of Cuba. It starts with flank steak shredded into ribbons, braised in a tomato sauce with onions, bell peppers, garlic, and dry white wine. A classic fish dish, Pargo Frito, is a whole fried red snapper seasoned with garlic and citrus. Other plates include Cuban preparations with chicken, top steak, and slow-cooked pork shoulder. Herrera plans to add special offerings in the future.
Classic sides including Arroz Congri, Cuban black beans and rice cooked together in a tasty, traditionally spiced broth. Sabor also offers plantains two ways: as sweet maduros, sliced and fried to perfection, or as smashed and fried tostones.
Then there’s the Cuban pizza. The dough is a family recipe. which grows for several hours before turning into a tasty, soft bread with sloped sides. Toppings include ham, pepperoni, or ham and pineapple. The menu offers a dozen classic add-ons, but consider the melty cheese version. The perfectly baked crust puffs up, with cheese melting and caramelizing over the edges. The traditional way to eat the pizza is to fold it in half, similar to New York-style pies.
For dessert, there’s no shortage of options. Flanato Artesenal is made with a flan base, with caramel sauce dripping over the edge of the egg-rich custard, a dollop of caramel in the center, and an accompanying pipette with honeyed sauce. Tres Leches comes layered in a glass, with the cake soaked in a three-milk blend, filled and topped with fanguito—a caramelized Cuban sauce, topped with a strawberry. There’s also Dulce de Leche, a milky dessert with lime, sugar, and cinnamon. In addition to the desserts, several mini-desserts are available, including mini pies and bite-sized coquitos, or coconut drops.
The drink menu offers fresh, fruity juices, as well as shakes, tea, sodas, and three versions of Cuban coffee. (Once the restaurant obtains a liquor license, expect a drink menu of island treats and classic cocktails.)
The Atmosphere
Herrera and her team did all of the work themselves in creating a Cuba-inspired atmosphere, while keeping the bones of the former restaurant space. “The owners at Appolonia kept the building in beautiful shape,” Herrera says.
The dining room seats 20, while the bar seats up to 28. The owners plan to eventually expand into an adjacent dining room, nearly doubling the available seating.
Travel posters and Cuban license plates from each province on the island make great backgrounds for selfies near the entry. A large painting takes up the full wall in the front dining room, which is adorned with a Cuban flag, tropical greenery, Cuban cigars, dominos, and art pieces. Framed Cuban pesos hangs on one wall, and a wooden map of Cuba anchors another. Strings of lights and mirrors around the bar bounce color and light into the room.
Dayana Herrera, Jesus Valivo, and Sabiel Garcia on opening day
The Team
More than a decade after coming to the United States, Herrera began a home-based business selling Cuban foods to friends and neighbors. It quickly grew so popular that she and her husband, Jesus Valivo, decided to open a restaurant. Today, it’s a true family affair, with the couple overseeing the kitchen while Dayana’s daughter, Dyannalis Hernandez Herrera, oversees the front-of-the-house alongside her cousin, Sabiel Garcia.
“It’s been a life-long dream of mine to share the Cuban food we love,” Herrera says.
Sabor Cubano
📍6836 Gravois, Boulevard Heights
📞314-448-7318
⏰ Tue–Sun: 9 a.m.–8:30 p.m.; Mon: 9 a.m.–7 p.m.
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