Tasty, genuine Mexican dishes off the usual foodie grid, at Sabroso.
Being an expat, sometimes I unconsciously believe that Bangkok is just what lies around the Skytrain and the subway lines. Luckily, there are always new openings that make me realize there is much more to explore when it comes to food in this gigantic city, just off more well-known intersections.
My last discovery is a Mexican restaurant named Sabroso Mexican Tapas & Bar (Tree Square, Inthra Phon Rd, Bangkok, 02 935 6800, www.sabrosomex.com). Located deep in Lad Prao—precisely at the Tree Square, a restaurant and bar area in Inthra Phon Road, Wang Thonglang— it is around 20 minutes by taxi from the Lad Prao MRT station.
Jorge, the owner, is a Mexican with a heart-warming smile and a welcoming attitude. Architect by profession, musician by skills, and chef by vocation, Jorge has been living in Thailand for 14 years now, following what started as a holiday and become a change of life. He decided to open his restaurant in this area because mainly Thai people populate it, and it is more chill than the Sukhumvit area.
The restaurant is cozy and inviting, decorated with Mexican knickknacks and painted with warm colors. In the corner they prepare cocktails and sangria, both available by the glass (THB 130) or in one-liter jugs (THB 600).
All the dishes at Sabroso are genuinely Mexican—and not the usual Tex-Mex we are used to finding—and they are available as main dishes or in a tapas version. A welcome dip set is given to all guests, offering homemade corn chips and three dips: spicy tomato sauce, chili paste, and a mix of fresh chopped tomatoes. My suggestion is to try also the guacamole and chips (THB 150), made with fresh avocados that will melt in your mouth.
It was hard to choose a main course because everything in the menu sounds so good, so we finally asked Jorge’s suggestion … and we were not disappointed. The taquitos—three small tacos—served with pork (THB 120) were magnificent. The corn tortilla was soft, and the meat well cooked. A note: most of the dishes are available in vegetarian versions.
My favorite was the vegetarian enchiladas (THB 150) made with tortillas stuffed with vegetables and topped with cheese, served with frijoles refritos, or refried beans that are thick in texture, and rice.
Sabroso’s strengths are the authenticity of the dishes and the freshness of its ingredients, which makes the difference compared to most of the Mexican restaurants I’ve tried in Bangkok. Moreover, it is Thai-friendly, since Jorge wants to share his culture with a country that has given him so much.
This is an invitation to step out of your comfort zone, to explore a new area of Bangkok, and to enjoy a lunch or dinner at this genuine Mexican restaurant, where the friendly owner will make you want to go back again.
