Sabor Peru

[Curlz]

Just passed this new spot...it's on Highland Cross, right off of Park Ave near the park (across from the post office). Anyone been or know anything about it? Their web site doesn't tell much.

Edited June 13, 2007 by Curlz (log)

[jwjojo]

We saw it to and figured we would try it after a month or so...let them get the kinks out.

[Curlz]

So it JUST opened, then? I'm rarely over there--this was a fluke!

[MJP]

My roommate mentioned a Peruvian place in Rutherford, but he might have meant the other place that does pan-Latin cuisine.

I'll run by and check it out this weekend. I haven't had Peruvian food since I was in Florida visiting relatives in '01 and I miss their perfect chicken.

[jwjojo]

We usually go to Passaic for take out Peruvian Chicken. The chicken is on a rotisserie...I wonder if this place has one. Like Curlz said, not a lot of info on the website. I believe it opened a week or two ago. It replaced a Latin cuisine restaurant that no one went to.

[jpr54_]

I have had Peruvian chicken in both Passaic and Paterson-

sauces are great as well as plantains

[ghostrider]

Wow thanks! Swear I drove by that block less than a week ago & there was no sign of anything new in that space.

We discovered a great Peruvian place in the West Village last year (corner of Christopher & Bedford). If this is the real deal, I'll be excited!

Weekend plans uncertain but this is a distinct possibility.

[Josefinajoisey]

Had a wonderful meal at this small, family run restaurant last night. My friend and I shared the House Special Ceviche, which was fabulous - a mix of clams, mussels, calamari, octopus, shrimp, fish filet topped with cilantro and red onions (with a couple big chunks of sweet and white potato) Really enjoyable.

The menu seems to run the gamut with all of the Latin and Asian influences that are seen in Peruvian cuisine. I never should have ordered an entree after the ceviche, but I did. The Chaufas Especial (Peruvian style fried rice) was a huge mound of rice with everything in it. It wasn't the best choice, but my husband is thrilled with the leftovers.

The owner is friendly and happy to answer any and all questions about Peru and its food. The space is very small, and it's BYOB. It was a Tuesday during a holiday week, and it was packed. A wide screen TV showing the Peru soccer match finished the experience. Everyone was checking out the dishes of their neighbors. I can't wait to go back. (I did suggest to the owner that he put his menu on the web site, and he says that's in the works)

[Rosie]

Is this restaurant is BYO?

[Curlz]

You can bet on it, as it's in Rutherford (a dry town)!

[MJP]

Wow, it took me forever to get to Sabor Peru and I wish I got there sooner. I called in for takeout since my girlfriend and I felt pretty lazy, but next time, we're eating in for sure. That place is downright sexy in a non-pretentious, brightly-colored way. The owner and the guy who took my order introduced themselves and made me feel like I already knew them, which is tough for me since I tend to be a bit standoffish and grab 'n go.

On to the food. We didn't get much, just the Peruvian lo mein with seafood and seafood jalea. The lo mein was tasty, a really unique take with fresh, not-overcooked seafood (squid, clams, shrimp, mussels). The jalea was basic, could have been crispier but we did take-out so next time I know better. It was delicious with this spicy green sauce for dipping, though.

Next time we're coming to stay and going for the ceviche and something else. I can't wait to try the chaufas and other wonderful things. It is indeed BYO.

www.saborperunj.com

[Josefinajoisey]

I'm not shy about shouting the praises of this small restaurant (especially when it's 3 blocks from my house!)

http://www.northjersey.com/page.php?qstr=e...nFlZUVFeXkxNQ==

[jwjojo]

We finally went to Sabor Peru after trying to go on more than one Monday night....duh..closed Monday nights Anyway, we were very happy with the food and the service (we were the only ones there last night due to the storm). My friend and I used to frequent a Peruvian restaurant in Union City that was as authentic as they came and very good. We have yet to find a place that makes the Peruvian mussels and Jalea as well. I am thrilled to say Sabor Peru is my new favorite Peruvian restaurant. The mussels were fantastic, the Jalea (fried seafood) was more delicately prepared, and very good. I also had the chicken soup which was tasty. Can't wait to go back and try more things on the menu.

[eyedoc]

I also finally tried this place on Wednsday night. We were the only ones there except for a party of 8. The cerviche was outstanding. Really. Not just marinaded in lime, but incredibly tasty. And the calamari was like butter. I've never had calamari like that and I've had cerviche in many places. The shrimp, pulpo, fish, mussels, clam were terrific. Definitely going back. We also had the parihuela which is a hot fish soup. Peruvian boullabaisse. Also very tasty. Lots of seafood including crab and a flavorful broth. Very sabor. The only things I didn't like were paper napkins, and not good ones either and no bread. But we will be back. I hope they can make it.

[Curlz]

Seeing that I started this thread, I'm even more embarrassed to admit that it took me until now to get to Sabor Peru. I went last night with a friend and now that I've tried it, I'm certain it's going to become one of my regular spots. This local, casual, BYO is serving some terrific food--without pretense.

The place is actually a little larger than I thought it was, as the front window is somewhat narrow. It's a lively vibe; good music, bright colors, and latin drums create a simple, fun decor.

Once seated, a bowl of crunchy Chinese noodles (!) was set down, along with a small container of a bright green sauce, which (visually) reminded me of the mint chutney one gets at an Indian restaurant. Thankfully I'm careful about potentially spicy food, so I barely touched the corner of a noodle into the sauce...WHOO HOO! HOT STUFF indeed! We asked what was in it, and I'd be lying if I said I could remember now, but it definitely involves jalapenos! My friend was more surprised by the Chinese noodles, though...until I told him I remembered there's an Asian influence in Peruvian cooking--which became evident as we read the menu, which includes items such as stir-fries, the House Kung Fu Soup, and ingredients like ginger.

The two of us shared:

Ocopa (Huacatay Sauce) $9

Menu description: Cold sauce made from ricotta cheese, toasted peanuts, graham crackers, fresh Huacatay sprig, yellow sundried pepper, and sauteed oil, garlic, and onion, served w/steamed potato or yuca (we had yuca), and a hard-boiled egg. My best description of this is it's like a warm potato salad--except we had the yuca. The (light green!) sauce is creamy and has a subtle flavor that's almost minty (without going menthol-minty) with just a mild bit of kick at the end that we enjoyed more and more as we were eating. Cilantro's in the mix too--a very good thing in my book!

From the Apanados (breaded) part of the menu, we went with the House Jalea Especial ($18), which was "white filet, shrimp, octopus, calamari, yucca, potato breaded and lightly fried, topped w/Salsa Criolla," which was simply thin slices of (red) onion and lime with add'l lime/garlic juice, which we poured over the seafood. Delicious on its own, but even more so when eaten w/the Ocopa, which was the recommendation of one of the owners.

We also ordered a weekend special called Tuca Tuca; GRILLED rice and white beans with bisteca on top, and smothered in grilled onions and tomatoes. There were also maduros on the plate. VERY tasty. I wish I could tell you how much it was, but (one of my restaurant peeves), the weekend specials menu didn't list the price--but we also didn't ask. Backing out the price, it was in the low-mid 20s, and it was a lot of food.

For the record, I'm not a woman with a sweet tooth. But when there's flan, I'm IN. This was a beautiful version, and the tres leches cake was also wonderful; both are house-made. Cafe con leche was good and strong (as it should be). The final bill was $67 before tip for the two of us. Can't wait to get back and try the ceviche and one of the many soups on their menu!

One of the co-owners (Dave) took our order, answered all of our questions, and regaled us with some great music trivia throughout the night. He's a riot; he's Japanese, but was born in Peru and lived there until he was 7, so that's how he came to own a Peruvian restaurant in the U.S. Good guy.

Except for the lack of Pisco Sours (Rutherford is a dry town), I'm thrilled to have this little gem nearby.

www.SaborPeruNJ.com

[ghostrider]

...until I told him I remembered there's an Asian influence in Peruvian cooking--

Except for the lack of Pisco Sours (Rutherford is a dry town), I'm thrilled to have this little gem nearby. 

www.SaborPeruNJ.com

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I watched a travel documentary on Peru last year which went into the history of Chinese immigration there - apparently there was a huge influx 1850s to build the railroads, & once the community became established, more folks came over for the economic opportunities. That part of the show helped me understand the inefluences that persist in Peruvian cuisine.

Technically, Rutherford isn't a completely dry town, in that wine/beer/liquor stores (there are several good ones) & BYOs are allowed. Bars & service by restaurants are prohibited.

[Curlz]

Technically, Rutherford isn't a completely dry town, in that wine/beer/liquor stores (there are several good ones) & BYOs are allowed.  Bars & service by restaurants are prohibited.

←

I know you started by saying Technically, but in my book, when I can't get a drink in any restaurant in town, that's a DRY town, Ghost!

But no matter. It won't keep me from going back to Sabor Peru!

[RonV]

What an enjoyable meal, one of the best I've had in the past few years. Not only was the food fantastic, but the owner spent so much time describing what we were eating, telling us about his father's passion for cooking, describing how the restaurant came to be, and so on. The space is great, although I'm struggling for whether I'd call it cozy or homey or comfortable. It was small enough that it felt as though we were getting special attention, but not as small as I expected. Given my experience in tiny Latin-style restaurants (ie La Isla in Hoboken), I was expecting something far more luncheonette, but this was gorgeous, more like an upscale lounge that you wouldn't mind wearing shorts to, if that makes sense. The post about the paper napkins was right though, a bit of an oddity, hence the trouble really nailing the vibe.

As for the food, it was simply delicious. GF and I shared the house ceviche, which had such a fresh, lively flavor I couldn't get enough. The lime and the sweetness of the crispy red onions, along with the fantastically tender seafood (most notably the calamari) was the perfect summer meal. I easily could have ordered another plate of it for my dinner.

For the entree, she had the Tuco Tuco (not sure of the exact name) which was an extremely thin steak (owner said skirt steak, but it was much thinner and wider than skirts I've had) on top of grilled rice and white beans. The steak was fantastic. Unlike a churrasco at a brazilian restaurant, the flavors here were subtle and developed as you chewed. It didn't hammer you over the head with garlic/salt (not that I even complain about that, it was just a nice change). The best way to describe the rice/beans would be diner home fries, with rice instead of potatoes. Flavor was amazing, but I thought it cried out for some sort of sauce, or maybe just a bit moister rice under the layer that was grilled.

I had jalea, which I had no idea what to expect. In a fantastic surprise, I got what was bascially a medley of fried seafood -- shrimp, octopus, calamari, yucca and potato - in such a light breading that it didn't weigh me down the way you'd expect. While the fried seafood on its own was tasty, the entire dish was made by the lime/pepper sauce on the side. Alternating 4-5 bites with that beautifully sour sauce with 1-2 of mayo (the other side) made for a fantastic meal.

There are so many interesting things to explore on the menu, I can't wait to go back. I will certainly have the ceviche every time I go, but will try anything they offer with seafood as it was all so delicious, regardless of preparation. Add in the fact that the owner is incredibly friendly and attentive and I think Sabor Peru will become a mainstay on our restaurant rotation.

BTW, we shared a flan for dessert, and I'm not a huge sweets fan, but I enjoyed it. My gf, on the other hand, loved it so much I thought I saw her eyes roll into the back of her head at the first bite.