Sabor Del Caribe

The woman working the counter took the time to explain the dishes to us. I had rice, red beans, roasted pork and plantains for only $ 8.95!!! AND IT WAS VERY GOOD!

I was happy to see that a new restaurant had opened here but was somewhat hesitant at first since many of the Latin cafeteria-​style restaurants I’ve tried sometimes have very salty, oily food. I was delighted to find that it was very tasty without being overly salty and not greasy at all. I have only tried a few things so far but all have been good. It is not a fancy place, cafeteria-​type concept, but pleasant and clean, with a few tables for dining in. We have only done take out on days I didn’t feel to cook. It’s great for that. They have the food displayed cafeteria-​style in vats behind glass from which you choose what you want and they share it out for you. You can also just order from the menu which is also displayed as well as their specialsl. The fried whole fish was really saltwater snapper (not Tilapia which I hate), crispy-​skinned and moist inside. The prices are very good, I’d say in the «cheap eats» category. The stewed chicken, rice and beans, mofongo, Chicharones, pork and yuca were all quite good and at the right price for a weeknight pickup-​dinner for the family. Portions are huge as well. There is a bit of a wait sometimes depending on what you order since I believe they cook some things to order. The servers I have encountered also spoke a little English so it was fine ordering plus the food is right there so you can point to it, but it would be easier if you are bilingual. Great addition this little stretch in east Orlando.

Delicious, always hits the spot and the service is friendly. Can’t beat the prices for the great food they serve. Stop by at least weekly.

Amazing food and even better staff! Definitely recommend!!!

Cold and dry mofongo was a huge turn off. We ordered the special which was the snapper around lunch time. We waited 15 minutes to be told that there was no snapper. The restaurant was practically empty. Then we waited another 15 mins after that for our food. We got cold mofongo and to be quite honest it was not that great. On a good note the restaurant was very clean.

For starters, the sign out front says Cocina Latina, just in case you can’t find it driving by. Our friend suggested this spot and we’re happy to have something on this side of town, besides Alafaya/​Waterford.
We stopped by for a late lunch on Saturday. We ordered their special, which was $ 6.95 for rice, 1 entrée, and 2 sides. One plate was Spanish rice, beef stew, black beans and yucca. The other plate was white rice, pernil, mixed veggies, and yucca. We enjoyed it, the flavors were balanced and we noticed it was not too salty.
Very convenient if you’re looking to grab take out or a quick meal for under $ 8 with plenty left over. Portions are big.

Amazing, it taste like homemade food. I ate arroz con gandules and carne guisada and it was delicious.

I think this place is just ok. We have picked up food from this place 3 times and all 3 times I have been wowed or satisfied with the food. The mofongo is average and the meats are average. I think that I would prefer driving somewhere further out to get some great latin food. They do provide decent and quick service.

I now judge restaurants strictly by their ability to handle my family (in particular, a 3-​year-​old and twin baby boys). We create disaster wherever we go.
Here, food was quick and table was easy to grab, and the staff was very receptive and friendly despite our having trashed the place. That means a lot to me.
Oh, and great food, too. That’s, you know, important. Excellent first experience.

I agree with Jeff K. Review with regard to their organization of the set up in ordering a la carte versus what they have already made. The food is pretty good and the prices are good. We do have Guavate up the road which their prices are crazy, but their food is amazing. Rice and beans Cocina is not so great, for Cuban food.
This place has potential to stay open so long as they maintain the quality of their food and the service. Get your service game right and this place will be the next best!

My family ate the mofongo, pollo and carne guisado with rice and beans. Everything was delicious except for the red beans which were missing much needed Puerto Rican flavor. Our entire bill was $ 20 cheaper than their competition (Guavate) which is 6mins away. Portion were so good we ate leftovers the next day. You folks have my business as long as you can improve your red bean flavor. #ChicagoApproved #boricuastrong

Any time I see a sign go up that a new restaurant is coming to this particular strip, I think to myself, «Oh, look — it’s the next soon-​to-​be-​out-​of-​business restaurant on Lamberton Blvd.» There should be a warning in the lease agreement that odds are, you’ll already be out of business by the time the paperwork goes through. This particular suite (#110) shares about half the blame, previously housing Red Mountain BBQ, Kebab Grill, and Quiznos, as well as some place called «City-Boy’s Urban Café» that opened and closed so fast that I never actually saw it, despite the fact that I live down the street and pass by here regularly.
Anyway, I digress. Sabor del Caribe is the new tenant, and based on the head count when I walked in, they’re not too worried about becoming the next in a long line of Ghosts of Restaurants Past. It’s a bit hectic in here, maybe because they haven’t yet figured out a system to keep traffic flowing smoothly. People coming in, people leaving, people waiting in line, people paying, and people trying to get their drinks and utensils. Everyone is in each other’s way. Walking in the door, I had to stop and look around for a few seconds just to figure out where I needed to be. How do I order something that’s made to order? At the register? With the guy working the buffet counter?
They might want to streamline the ordering process a bit — there was a real disconnect between the ordering process and paying for the meal. The woman at the register had no idea that I had ordered but not paid, until I told her I needed to pay for my meal. There was no record of what I had ordered at the register. Had I been an unscrupulous type, I could easily have eaten for free.
So I paid and sat down, and when my name was called I went up to get the meal. I ordered the pork mofongo, which was big and filling. I almost couldn’t finish it, but it was delicious so I made it happen. The mofongo is garlicky and flavorful, and the pork inside and out was very tender. It’s not my favorite mofongo in town, but it’s great nonetheless, and the price is right; the mofongo and a drink cost a total of about $ 10.
This isn’t the only game in town, obviously. Rice & Beans on Alafaya and Estrella Latina on Goldenrod are both the same style counter service Puerto Rican restaurant. But if Sabor del Caribe can keep the quality up and keep people coming through the door, I don’t think we’ll be taking bets any time soon on the next restaurant to set up in suite #110.

This has become a new favorite of mine, my friend and I go every week and love everything from the pernil to the empanadas. The staff is super friendly and food fresh, definitely a place to try if you are in the area.

This is my new mofongo spot! I had the mofongo stuffed with pernil (pork), and it was great! The meat to plantain ratio was incredible! Bear in mind that they use chicharrones (pork rind bits) in the mofongo. Since they make the mofongo fresh to order, they should be able to exclude them if you prefer. At first serving they’re kind of chewy, but upon reheating they melt away.
I’m used to paying over $ 10 for mofongo. My order was less than $ 8 for a nice sized portion. I’m looking forward to trying the lunch specials here. I’ll definitely be back!

Great lunch special. Large portions. Great tasting food. It brings back some great home cooking memories for this New York PR.
The roast pork was perfectly spiced. I haven’t had yucca in a long time. Delicious. Yellow rice and black beans was very good. This place is not for those on a low carb diet.

First time today. Great tasting food .
We had the pork yellow rice beans yuca and plantains .
I will definitely be back soon .
Try them — highly recommended

I have been watching this place like a hawk to see when they will finally open, and the day has come.
This is in the former location of Red Mountain BBQ and upon walking in you will see not too much has changed. They added some very nice murals of Puerto Rico and flags representing Caribbean countries, with Latin music playing in the background a nice and inviting space.
We ordered the pork mofongo and also a dinner plate that consisted of chicken, yellow rice, and plantains. They have several combination platters to choose from, but selecting from the hot line is fast and easy.
The dinner plate was very good. Yellow rice had pieces of pork mixed in, chicken was in a delicious tomato based sauce with spices and the sweet plantains were done just right.
The mofongo took about 20 minutes as they are freshly made, but they had said 10. Turns out they were calling my name but the music was too loud so I didn’t hear them. They apologized profusely, gave me my food, and offered us two free flan deserts. The owner also came by an apologized and lowered the music. They just opened so you can tell everyone is still getting their bearings.
The chef came out and asked if everything tasted good. He was an older Puerto Rican man that did not know too much English, basically exactly what you would hope for in a place like this.
Overall it was a great experience that I feel will only get better as they are open more days and the staff learns the menu.