Sabor Peru

So me and my boyfriend came here for Valentines Day. This is our second time coming here and the food isn’t so bad.
The atmosphere is very romantic for a couple. It’s a small place, the lights are dimmed, and candles on every table. The service is great; the waiters are very attentive and kind. The food does not take too long also!
I ordered the ceviche. Now, I’m not an expert on this dish, so I don’t know what’s it’s supposed to tastes like, but I thought it was pretty good with a decent sized portion. It comes in spicy (which I honestly didn’t know it could be spicy at all) and mild. The first time we went here, the spicy was way too much for me and I’m normally a spicy eater. Luckily, the dish comes with these corn nuts and it really helps with the spice. The second time we came back for Valentines Day, I got the mild and it was a lot more bearable.
My boyfriend, on both occasions, got the Bistec a lo podre, which is a really big dish. It comes with chicken, rice, egg on top, French fries, beans, toast, onion salad, and sweet banana. This dish was really good and can obviously fill you up for the rest of the night!
All-​in-​all, I would love to come here again and will in the future. I already have been recommending the place to fiends and would advice other Unilocalers to give it a try!

Went here because there was a Groupon deal and felt like trying something new. Got seated pretty quickly and they were nice to let us use our groupon since you usually have to make a reservation to use it. Came with an appetizer or ceviche, we chose the ceviche which was quite good. Server gave us the specials on the menu which she said counted as entrees which I assumed she meant would be included in the Groupon but it wasn’t had to pay extra. I got the churrasco which was goo, not great but still enjoyed it. My friend got seafood in a red sauce which was very bland. Food was ok, service was great, would I go back? probably not.

I wish I could give this place a solid 3.5, but I’ll be nice and round up lol.
Manny and I had a reservation here the night before Valentine’s Day at 7pm, and we were seated right away. The ambiance was candlelit and romantic with red and pink balloons everywhere. So cute! I’m not sure what the restaurant looks like on a regular night, but I was feelin’ the Valentine’s Day vibes.
We had a LivingSocial deal — good for 1 appetizer, 2 entrees, and 1 dessert.
We got a special appetizer of the night — the appetizer sampler consisting of papa rellena (fried mashed potato stuffed with chopped steak and egg served with salsa criolla), huancaina (crisp yuca topped with huancaina sauce made from cheese, yellow pepper, and Peruvian spices), and coconut shrimp. Manny and I thought the coconut shrimp was really tasty and I loved the papa rellena, but we both thought the huancaina was okay. It lacked flavor.
We both got the churrasco (another special of the night; not on the menu) — mine was cooked medium, his was medium rare. I liked my steak and plantains, but he thought his entrée was nothing special and we both didn’t like the white rice and pinto beans that came with our meal.
Tres leches was our dessert of choice, and that obviously didn’t disappoint. Tres leches NEVER disappoints!
The service was great though! Our server was so sweet and someone was always around to refill our water glasses without having to ask. Next time, we’ll come back and try what they’re known for — their ceviche!

Again, I’d like a 3.5 star review here.
I had been here YEARS ago on the recommendation of a friend. It was kind of far so I hadn’t come back. Now that I moved to the area, I wanted to go again.
Staff is very friendly and helpful. The food was also quite good. We had a sampler (3 coconut shrimp, some fried yucca with a cheese/​pepper sauce, and a papa relleno), lomo saltado, and garlic shrimp tacu tacu.
All items on the appetizer were tasty. The papa relleno might have been our favorite. Though it was a special and no on the menu, so when the bill had it at $ 20, I felt it was a little pricey for what it was. I would have estimated it in maybe the $ 12 — $ 15 range, tops.
My girlfriend’s lomo saltado was delicious! I’ve had it before, and was hoping this one was of similar quality. It held up and we really enjoyed it. Price was ok on that.
I had the garlic shrimp tacu tacu. Also mentioned as a special. It was a fairly large rice and bean «pancake», and I believe 5 or 6 fried shrimp in a garlic sauce. Overall, I thought the dish was good. The garlic sauce could have been a little more garlicky, or used a little more depth of flavor, but I enjoyed my meal. Price was a bit high as I didn’t know ahead and on the bill it was $ 25.
So overall, I think the food is quite good, but some of the prices on specials seemed a bit high, not having known them ahead of time. Perhaps it was my fault for not asking, as I may have not ordered those items. I’d definitely return for the lomo saltado and really want to try the chaufa.

Very nice place and atmosphere. Who appeared to be the owner of the restaurant was always around and was very nice to us, joking and asking questions. The place is conveniently located with plenty of parking around the area. The items on the menu were a little pricey, but then again, what Peruvian restaurant around the area isn’t. Thankfully we used a Groupon which helped a lot! (lol)
The food in itself was good. We ordered Cauza for an appetizer, Vegetable Chaufa (Peruvian style rice) and Bistec a lo pobre (a steak plate mixed with a lot of goodness!) and a Tres leche cake. The «Cauza» was definitely a favorite among us. Even though the service did take a little bit of time, I believe the reason for this was because they were extremely under staff for the amount of people in the restaurant.
The place can get packed fairly quickly, especially on Fridays and the weekend so highly suggest either placing a reservation if possible or just arriving there with time. Remember this is a BYOB place so make sure not to forget that wine! ! !

My family has been coming here for years and my nephews children like the place that is a bonus when you have pickie eating children. The service here is top notch and very informative.
I have warmed up to the food and now enjoy the simplicity and freshness of the ingredients.
I am of Italian and french ancestory and tend to have heavy sause and seasoning. I have been on a new diet (i am diabetic) they have many choices, so I can make a good and healthy choice.

Have been coming here for years and never once had a bad experience. Friends & family I have brought here have always loved it.
Had family members visiting from overseas and wanted them to try Peruvian food, brought them here on a Sunday night back in June. As always the food was delicious & they loved it.
Remains one of my fave go-​to spots on week nights when I am craving their food.

Usually when you’re asked how you want your steak cooked at a restaurant, you’re under the impression that they aim to be a fine dining spot. Sabor Peru, however, does not make the cut. Speaking of cuts, the cuts of steak offered here are far from premium. Their steaks were dry, thin, and well done regardless of what you asked for.
This place is pricey for the quality of food. I agree with other fellow Unilocalers when they say tasteless. Peruvian dishes are known for their seasoning. Nothing memorable here though. Best thing I consumed was the chica morada.
I ordered the tallarin saltado especial with chicken and steak. The noodles were good. They appeared to be fried which is awesome considering I rarely come across that. There’s where the goodness stopped. The beef was dry. The chicken was dry. Big downer. Only thing saving my entrée was my appetite as I hadn’t eaten all day and the touch of ginger they added giving the noodles a sweet and sour taste.
The ceviche appetizer is $ 17 a plate! Insane for the portion and even crazier for the quality! The spice was lacking. It needed salt and the acidity level was off. Ceviche should be tangy not bitter.
The papa a la huancaina sauce was an orange yellow (like mustard) color instead of a light creamy canary yellow — I’ve never seen that in my life! We all agreed it tasted like cheese wiz. Gross. Growing up in an authentic peruvian household, most dishes on Sabor’s menu are easy to make at home but I’m always willing to dish out a few dollars for a taste of culinary greatness. Sabor, however, misses the mark. I would’ve been better off buying all the ingredients myself and had my mother prepare all the dishes we ordered.
Onto the service… on a positive note the waitresses were friendly but not very attentive. We found ourselves waiting around for someone to take our order. The first thing they brought to the table were fried crackers like the ones they give away at Chinese restaurants. Whattt? I’m not sure how it all fits in the fine dining experience Sabor’s menu prices try to create.
Went in with a Groupon deal dinner for four and still left with a $ 18 bill. When you add on tip, we realized we racked up $ 140+ bill (without the Groupon) for a meal that was mediocre.
You’re better off going to Montclair and eating at another nice little BYOB restaurant that starts with a C and ends in A. Trust me your money is better spent there.

Let me tell you a little story about a Peruvian restaurant called Sabor Peru.
Let’s start with the meaning «Sabor». It means flavor and sadly only my purple corn drink had flavor. What bothered me the most was the ceviche. Any expert in ceviche understands limes are a key element to the dish. So why serve a super acidic ceviche? It’s suppose to be tangy!
Here’s an idea: how about testing the limes first. Misrepresenting a ceviche dish like this is very disappointing.
Tallarín verde with steak. Here’s what was right about the dish. The green color of the pesto sauce because the «Sabor «in the pesto sauce didn’t exist. You know who makes better pesto sauce, my sister. One who never cooks but knows how to follow a recipe. When it came to the steak, its similar to a beef jerky. Not good. The hucanicana sauce on the side was more like a cheez whiz out of a bottle. Oh and the Fried potato and fried yucca was totally unnecessary. Pick one.
Bistec a lo pobre dish had the same problem when it came to the steak and lacked flavor. I think my fried eggs and rice was the best part of this dish. Oh, Ore-​Ida brand frozen fries are better than fries served.
Tallarín Saltado with chicken and beef. An Asian style noodle dish turned out to be simply ok but the beef; still beef jerky. The chicken; dry.
Lastly, the Chaufa Especial dish (fried rice) was not tasty either. At this point, you may be asking what’s going on? Or thinking I am too harsh. No. I am telling you the food here is just edible. Nothing was amazing! Nothing lived up to my normal standards when eating Peruvian cuisine.Unacceptable.

Really awesome spot! I ordered their whole red snapper which was amazing. I asked for the fish grilled and it came out fried but I didn’t complain and ate it anyway (it did take a bit for the food to come out on top of a wrong order). Needless to say it was still very DELICIOUS! Place is also byob. It was very crowded when we went on a Saturday which is always a great indicator of a good restaurant. The service was slow but servers were well informed of their menu options. Their ceviche was outrageous! Highly recommend. Perfect location a bit off the main strip in Rutherford for easy parking (which is rare for the strip). It’s a cozy environment for a casual dinner out or a romantic spot for 2.
They may have been short staffed and their lack of speed is what brought my original 4 star rating to a 3. Took us 3 hours to finish our dinner out for 2. Regardless I had a pleasant time and may shoot to go back during the week when it’s a bit less crowded and more manageable for their small staff. I love a crowded environment but it’s a bit of a downer when the staff can’t handle it. I do highly recommend visiting this restaurant. Just know it’s a small place with lots of customers so it’s not ideal for an efficient dinner. All in all it was a nice night out!

Tried out this place to see if there is an alternative to Costanera in Montclair, which I love but am interested in other Peruvian joints with a different selection of entrees.
Sabor was average. Ceviche was good but a small portion (considering the fact that nearly 20% of the plate is taken by a mountain of yam and potato). I was asked how I wanted my steak but it didn’t seem to matter since it came out well done anyway. Fried seafood was good but as long as one as fresh ingredients it’s kind of hard to mess up anything battered and fried…
The desserts were ok and not too memorable (I don’t even remember what I ordered). Service was polite, and like the food, just seemed average.
It wasn’t a bad experience and it wasn’t a fantastic one, so unfortunately overall a forgettable experience. I’m not familiar with Rutherford so I don’t know if there is another comparable place close by, but I would not make a drive out just to come here.