Sabroso Cocina Mexicana serves authentic Mexican cuisine in St. Ann

Sabroso Cocina Mexicana opened earlier this month at 11146 Old St. Charles Road in St. Ann, as reported by St. Louis Magazine. Featuring industry veteran and former Mission Taco Joint culinary director Miguel Pintor as the restaurant’s co-owner and chef, Sabroso aims to serve the food that Pintor knows and loves – authentic Mexican dishes.

“In Mexico, I learned to cook with my mom and my family,” said Pintor. “[But] I’ve been living here a long time. I know a lot of Tex-Mex, Cali-Mex [restaurants], but not [authentic] Mexican. [That] made me decide to [cook] different dishes from different states of Mexico.

“I’ve been working in the restaurant industry for 22 years, for other people,” he added. “It was time for me to do something on my own and to do exactly what I want.”

And with Pintor’s newfound independence over the menu, Sabroso’s options don’t disappoint. Among the restaurant’s entrees are a spicy beef birria hailing from Jalisco and a pork carnitas recipe from Michoacan, seasoned with “a splash of Mexican Coke.” Pintor’s favorite dishes can also be found on Sabroso’s entree menu. “Cochinita pibil and [carne] a la Mexicana—those are my two favorites,” said Pintor. “[And with the] Cochinita recipe, it is originally from Yucatan, but I use the recipe I know from [my home state of] Tabasco.” Regional differences between the Mexican states often influence recipes in unique ways, he explained.

Sabroso’s a la carte menu features staples such as quesadillas and empanadas, as well as Sopa Azteca, a chicken- and chile-based broth topped with Panela, tortilla strips, chili secos and avocado, and chiles rellenos, queso-stuffed poblano peppers. Various burritos and tacos filled with such meats as chicken, steak, pork and chorizo can also be found on the menu. And as always, Sabroso’s emphasis is on authenticity. “I want to keep it authentic Mexican,” Pintor said. “[For example,] we don’t have ground beef for tacos because [that] isn’t Mexican.”

While no alcoholic beverages are served at Sabroso due to a proximity-based liquor law, Pintor hopes to expand to another location better suited for drinks in the future.“There’s a church next to me that’s not far enough away to allow us to serve liquor. … If things go well, [we’ll be] looking for a different space for authentic drinks,” Pintor said. “I want to do everything, food and drink, from scratch, so [we could] start bringing Hispanic drinks for those in the community.”

There’s about 1,800 square feet of dining space, with just over 80 seats available. Sabroso Cocina Mexicana is open Monday through Thursday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. and on Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.