SABERICO: YOU’VE GOT TO TRY THE SUBANIK AT THIS LOW-KEY CHARMING RESTAURANT IN ANTIGUA, GUATEMALA
The Cost -$16 per person
The Atmosphere – After entering the building that Saberico is located in, you will need to walk all the way to the back to arrive at the charming outdoor garden that houses the restaurant. The restaurant’s tables are scattered amongst the different parts of the pretty space which also has bird cages with cute little birds inside. Saberico makes for a great dining venue for all kinds of occasions from your standard meal out to a romantic dinner to a gathering with friends. While it is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, know that Saberico closes at 8pm so if you are heading there for dinner it will have to be on the early side.
Opened in 2003, Saberico’s garden restaurant is a popular spot amongst in the know travelers in Antigua, Guatemala. While the restaurant serves several typical Guatemalan meat dishes, it is a great spot for vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free diners as the restaurant serves and identifies a variety of healthy and less healthy options to meet the needs of diners with food restrictions. For dinner on a nice spring evening, we walked over to Saberico to get a taste of some traditional Guatemalan food at a restaurant that advertises a focus on fresh ingredients.
The Order – Strawberry and Red Wine Smoothie, La Chorizada Chapina, Las Garnachas, and Subanik.
The Fantastic – Subanik is a traditional Guatemalan stew that originates from the Mayans, who used the dish as a part of ceremonies and special occasions. The base of the stew is made up of meat and chiles which give the dish a meat forward, spicy flavor while tomatoes, tomatillos and other ingredients are added in to further enhance the taste. Saberico’s subanik was made with chicken, pork, and beef and was served with rice and half of an avocado. The sauce, which was spicy, had a wonderful bold flavor that made this dish a standout. Not only was Saberico’s subanik the best dish of the night, but it may also have been the best dish of the entire trip to Guatemala.
The Great - Let’s start with the smoothie. While Saberico offers a number of fresh squeezed juices and healthy smoothie options, there weren’t many cocktail options on the menu. Thus, I went straight for the Strawberry and Red Wine Smoothie despite being a bit sketptical of how good it would be. To my delight, the smoothie was more of a slushie mixing red wine with frozen strawberries and fresh mint. Unlike a sangria or similar wine and fruit cocktail, the drink was not very sweet, and the strawberry and mint actually combined well with the wine. I went in with low expectations here and was pleasantly surprised with the outcome.
The only appetizer that was ordered was the La Chorizada Chapina, a keto-friendly plate of grilled chorizo, spiced ground pork sausage, and longaniza, spiced minced meat sausage. The homemade meats came with some onions and parsley on top and were served with guacamole, chimichurri, and a tomato-based salsa that were also made in house. Both meats were tasty and the longaniza had a really nice kick to it. The portion was not that large, but it was good enough for an appetizer and while the meat really didn’t need any of the salsas, it was nice to be able to dip and try them out.
In addition to the subanik, the other entrée ordered was the Las Garnachas. Garnachas are another typical Guatemalan dish that look like an open-faced taco. However, the corn tortillas used for garnachas are fried so that the tortilla is hard and can sustain the weight of its toppings. In this case, Saberico topped its five garnachas with beef, onions and parsley and provided guacamole and a tomato-based salsa on the side. The garnachas were tasty and given the nature of how this dish is served, it would also be a great, shareable appetizer.
The Verdict – The entire experience at Saberico was a very positive one. Between the restaurant’s preparation of nicely done traditional Guatemalan dishes, the availability of sometimes hard-to-find healthy menu options, and a low-key but charming atmosphere in which to enjoy your meal, Saberíco should be on your list of restaurants to eat at for breakfast, lunch, or dinner during your time in Antigua.