Sabores brings a 100 per cent Mexican culinary experience to town
Since 2010, The United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has listed traditional Mexican food as an important contribution to the cultural heritage of humanity. Considering that real Mexican food is about layers of flavour, finding food with actual Mexican flavours in another country can be a hard task.
But in Calgary the search ends with Sabores. The restaurant uses a wide variety of food products imported from Mexico to ensure they incorporate the exact seasoning that authentic Mexican food requires.
Adrian Rivera, born in Mexico City, is the owner and head chef at Sabores. He said that he wants to, “teach Canadian people to taste and enjoy actual Mexican food.”
With two years as an established business, Sabores provides supplies to chefs and other Mexican restaurants in Calgary such as its handmade tortillas, in house salsas, and fresh guacamole.
“Most owners of other Mexican restaurants say, ‘I cook for Canadians,’” said Rivera. “I am the complete opposite; I cook for Mexicans. Because for me, if the Mexican likes it, when a Canadian asks where they sell Mexican food, the Mexican will recommend us.”
Sabores – or ‘flavours’ in English – features an mostly gluten free menu, and an organic line of Mexican food will be added in the next few weeks. Rivera, who is sure he was born to cook, said, “I will never give someone something I wouldn’t eat.”
The restaurant also has a catering service for all types of events, and an extensive menu with dishes created by him.
Make sure you try the enchiladas covered in mole.
Photo by Gabriela Castro Eating in Sabores is a culinary experience that is definitely worth trying. With dishes such as enchiladas in cocoa and chili infused mole sauce, traditional tamales, or small cakes of corn bread stuffed with meat or cheese.
And if you’re craving dessert, Sabores also has a variety of popsicles made from exotic flavors such as avocado with vanilla extract, or cake infused with three kinds of milk.
“People think that Mexican food is only one salsa for everything and it’s not, most of them think it’s only tacos and nothing else, but that’s not it,” Rivera said.
Sabores has two locations: MacLeod Trail south in the Kingsland Farmers’ Market and a second inside the Simons Valley Ranch. It is open from Thursday to Sunday, but Rivera and his team work all week long to get everything ready for the busy days.
Details available at sabores.ca.
gcastro@cjournal.ca