Buffet restaurants are usually nothing to get excited about. With the exception of some brunches at high-end resorts, buffets often showcase bland, watered-down food for those who value quantity over quality. What kind of restaurant, then, can be an exception to the rule -- a buffet worth a special trip? Sabor Cubano, a Cuban buffet restaurant on Camelback just west of the 19th Avenue / Camelback Station, exceeds the limitations of buffets by doing three things right: offering an affordable venue for a national cuisine that is underrepresented in Phoenix, maintaining a generally high level of food quality and freshness, and augmenting the buffet with a limited selection of a la carte items prepared to order.
Each day's buffet offerings at Sabor Cubano represent the essential flavors and ingredients of Cuban food. The food is not spicy, but blends Spanish, African, and Caribbean tastes into a flavorful amalgam unique to the island. Black beans, rice, yuca root, plantains, beef, chicken, pork, and fish are among the essential ingredients, and the common flavorings are garlic, onion, bay leaf, and cumin -- but seldom chilis. Since this is Phoenix, where many diners are accustomed to fiery salsas and the heat of Mexican food, anyone wishing to add some spice can find bottles of hot sauce at the tables and a chili paste at the condiment bar.
As with any buffet, some dishes are stronger and more authentic than others. Sabor Cubano's version of ropa vieja, a popular dish made of shredded flank steak in a sauce of garlic, tomato, and spices, is right on target with tender meat and lively flavor. Likewise, the black bean soup (center photo below) excels by combining a thick broth with hearty chunks of potato. Vegetarians should be warned, however, that most of the black bean and chick pea dishes at Sabor Cubano contain some meat as a flavoring. A chicken dish seemed a little dry during a recent visit. That's a potential issue with buffet food, but a minor complaint when weighed against the overall strength of Sabor Cubano's food.
Rice, one of the staples of Cuban cuisine, is offered daily in three forms. There's always plain white rice, cooked to perfect texture, but other types of rice at the buffet may include a mixture of black beans and rice cooked together into a dark blend or a dish of rice and pork. Vegetable dishes include yuca, a very starchy root also known as cassava, and a dish of stewed cabbage. Both complete a plate at the buffet line nicely and are much more interesting than an steamed vegetable assortment that seems out of place among the zestier alternatives.
The dessert station at first glance does not seem worth the calories. The canned fruit and puddings can be found in any institutional cafeteria. Two exceptions are the rice pudding, which is sweeter than the version found at various Indian lunch buffets around town, and a cake that sometimes makes an appearance. The best dessert option, however, may be to order a serving of flan from the small a la carte menu.
The off-buffet selections are worth exploring, not as a replacement for the all-you-can-eat experience, but instead as a way of experiencing dishes that need to be prepared to order. Tostones (right photo below), made from fried plantains, work as an appetizer. The order of three pieces is small, but each one is so filling that the tostones last, and at $1.50 per order, it's easy to order as many as desired. For anyone interested in bypassing the buffet entirely, a filling Cuban sandwich can be made to order.
The beverages at Sabor Cubano include sodas, bottled beer, and a pleasing watermelon drink. The restaurant is casual and has enough high chairs to make it fine for dining with young children, who enjoy the buffet for half the adult price. The staff vary in their English proficiency, but all are welcoming and eager to explain Cuban food to first-time visitors. Sabor Cubano is open every day except Monday for lunch and dinner.
2030 W Camelback Rd., Phoenix, AZ, 85015
(602) 841-2822
Reviews from Other Sites:
AZ Central
Phoenix New Times
Yelp
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