A new Mexican restaurant has opened in St. Ann: Sabroso (Spanish for “delicious”), the creation of the mononymous Chef Miguel, former culinary director at Mission Taco Joint, and his wife, Brandi.
While Mission Taco leans into a loose Tex-Mex style of Mexican-inspired dishes, Sabroso drops all hints of the “Tex” and serves specific, geographically focused meals that define the many colors of the Mexican food spectrum.
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For Miguel, who grew up in the state of Tabasco and Mexico City, this was an opportunity to provide and enlighten the public about the diverse nature of Mexican cuisine. “Mexico is not just all the same foods,” says Miguel. “It’s different all over—Mexico is many different cultures.”
The restaurant highlights seven signature entrées found in different regions of Mexico. Among these choices: a spicy beef stew (birria) topped with fresh cilantro and onions from the state of Jalisco; the traditional pork dish from the Yucatan Peninsula (cochinita pibil), which is slow-cooked for six hours with an abundance of spices as well as habañero and pickled onions; and a traditional Puebla dish of chicken served in mole sauce (chicken mole) made with dried chilis, almonds, and Mexican chocolate.
The restaurant also serves cheese and pork tamales made from fresh masa that Miguel grinds himself, topped with a mixture of Mexican white cheeses, and a side of house-made salsa. The extra work required to incorporate fresh masa was a crucial aspect, Miguel notes, to bring out the authenticity of the dish. “The flavor’s totally different. Totally different,” he says.
In addition to these entrées, the restaurant serves a la carte street food, such as empanadas and esquites (a.k.a. street corn), Chihuahua-style burritos, chips served with rotating house-made salsas or guacamole, queso fundido served with tortillas, and authentic Mexico City–style street tacos. The al pastor taco, in particular, holds a special place in Miguel’s heart. “The al pastor taco, that’s my mom’s recipe,” he notes. “My mom sold tacos, and she’s still doing it. She’s owned that business for 46 years in the same spot in Mexico City.”
The restaurant’s interior is brightly lit with Aztec, Mayan, and Olmec imagery on the walls, emphasizing the various cultures of Mexico. This point is also highlighted in the restaurant’s logo. “The ‘O’ in the word Sabroso, that’s an Olmec head,” Miguel says. “The Olmec lived in Tabasco. The Mayas, they’re from Yucatan. The Aztec, they’re from Mexico City. The message I wanted to send to people is that it’s not just the Aztec who are from Mexico—there are different tribes, too. Different flavors and many different kinds of food.”
