One for the Latin lovers

Not many diners in N1 wander far from Upper Street thanks to an abundance of quality restaurants, which is a shame because if they ventured a little further afield they would stumble upon the one thing Upper St lacks - decent Latin American food.

Sabor took up residence in the old Purple Turtle building on Essex Road in 2004. The restaurant was almost completely deserted on our visit due, we were told, to the time of year. January is indeed a slow month for the restaurant industry but Sabor seemed to lack the buzz and energy of any of its Upper Street neighbours.

Despite the lack of customers, the interior sparkled. Multi-coloured carved animal heads look down from the crisp white walls beneath a curved alloy ceiling; pretty tealights and coloured vases adorn the red, yellow, blue and orange tables in the narrow space below; and drinks are served from behind an impressive glass bar from which we sampled a sharp, refreshing passion fruit margarita.

Sabor, our waitress informed us, refers to all things that taste good and thankfully, there is no irony in the use of this name. Having braced ourselves for manufactured Tex Mex style fare, we were glad to see there wasn't a factory-produced chimichanga in sight.

Instead, the menu is full of inventive dishes, which take their inspiration from all over Latin America and use a wealth of ingredients including Nicaraguan red beans, Colombian corn bread and Argentine parsley. Even the odd organic Aberdeen Angus rib-eye steak crops up on the menu.

For starters, we chose flavoursome, pastry-like tortilla parcels filled with a spicy mix of roasted aubergine, tomato and tangy goat's cheese. A trio of cornmeal turnovers looked like heart attack fodder but were instead light and crispy and packed full of a tasty lamb peccadillo and mint mojo filling.

The main course, a hearty fillet of red snapper, was cooked with a spicy, crispy cocoa and chilli coating - an ambitious combination that could go horribly wrong but tasted spot on. The accompanying mound of Nicaraguan red beans and rice were by no means a bland accompaniment and were well-cooked with plenty of flavour.

Our second choice of pan-fried chicken was a little too pink in parts but was juicy and tender and accompanied by a smoky corn salsa, pickled jalapenos and placed on a bed of smooth, creamy garlic-mashed potato.

After such a carb-heavy meal dessert didn't seem so appealing but the dulce de leche cheesecake is not to be missed. Dulce de leche is Argentina's traditional dessert and is prepared by caramelising sugar in milk. It can take hours to perfect but is worth all the effort, and the one being served up at Sabor provides a moreish sweet fix that is not too rich or cloying.

It's a pity the local residents haven't cottoned-on to Sabor sooner. If it was on Upper Street it would be filled to the rafters every night. Make the most of it before word spreads.

Sabor
Essex Road, London, N1 8LX