There aren’t many restaurants in London that offer this kind of pan-South American menu. Might Sabor give us some clues as to why?

The Venue
Its huge number of restaurants, plus destination venues such as Ottolenghi, means that it's Upper Street that attracts most of the hungry folk who find themselves in the Islington area. But Essex Road, Upper Street’s slightly edgier twin, has some notable addresses of its own. Sabor is one of them. It offers dishes with flavours as big and loud as Carnaval, but does so with a degree of English reserve, at least in terms of décor. From the street, the exterior is London-appropriate grey, and an understated font is used for the name.

Inside, the space is long and thin, but much care has been taken to make the most of what they have. The front section to the street is almost entirely glazed to let in light (you might get a little warm here come summer), whilst mirrors enhance what roominess there is. The colour palette feels cool overall, except for the tables (pink, yellow, orange, green) and a selection of traditional, painted masks on the wall. A curved ceiling captures the restaurant’s lights and softens the space. They call this feature a ‘golden canopy’: it’s intended to evoke indigenous South American veneration of gold and the sun.

The Atmosphere
It feels surprisingly low-key in here, given that the menu represents a coming-together of all that Latin America has to offer. They’ve certainly avoided fostering any kind of clichéd hip-slinking, hand-clapping vibe. All the exuberance is on the plate. Service is excellent – attentive and knowledgeable.

The Food
Sabor’s kitchen is concerned with the myriad ways that Latin American ingredients can be combined: they’re not slaves to authenticity. Many classics are found on the menu – they’re classics for a reason – but dishes like ropa vieja and tangy ceviches are executed with as much care as if they were being made for the first time.

The set menu £15/£17.50 for two or three courses at lunch or dinner, is good value although it’s available at dinner on Tuesday to Thursday, and Sunday only. It features many of the à la carte menu’s highlights, including starters of salt cod bolinhos de bacalao and sweetcorn fritters. From the main menu, starter highlights include home-made sausage flavoured with saffron and coriander served with arepas (Andean corn bread) at £6 and tabacos habaneros (smoked chicken and capers wrapped in filo pastry and served with cassava hash). Brazilian classic kale and potato soup (caldo verde - £5.25) is deeply satisfying, especially since it’s served with an optional chunk of chorizo, and green plantain tostones.

The set menu’s mains also come from the à la carte selection. Humitas (£10.50 on the main menu) – the Andean region name for the steamed corn husk parcels popular in much of South America – offer a taste of indigenous South America. Another Brazilian classic, moqueca soup (£14 à la carte) is a generous addition to the set menu, a bowl of rich broth brimming with seafood. The final set menu main (£13 à la carte) is chicken breast with saffron potato mash, rocoto chilli and salsa de maiz ahumado (smoky corn salsa).

Cuban ropa vieja (£14.50) – shredded beef brisket, braised with tomatoes and peppers – comes served with congri (Cuban rice and beans), white cabbage salad and maduros. A favourite with staff is the Argentinian beef (£16.50 for rib-eye; £19.50 for fillet). Sides (all £2.50) include yuca fritters, papa criollos, salad and maduros. Desserts included home-made rum and raisin ice cream, and banana bread with rum caramel and guanabana sorbet.

The Drink
Cocktails are classics (South American or otherwise), often with a twist of some sort: Pineapple and Ginger Martini, Guayaba Rum Punch, Mora Caipirinha, Margarita de Maracuya. They run from £6 to £7. Spanish and South American wines by the glass start at £4.50 (bottles from £16), and regional beers by the bottle are available from a pretty respectab;e £3.25.

The Last Word
For a restaurant with such ambition – unifying the culinary heritage of a whole subcontinent – Sabor has an impressive lightness of touch.

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