Buen Sabor - Salvadoran in Lincoln Square

Moved from Openings, Closings, Comings & Goings

A new Salvadoran restaurant called Buen Sabor recently opened in Lincoln Square. In my opinion they have very good pupusas plus other tasty antojitos (I'm still working my way through the menu. Since they do not have their own website, I am recycling parts of my Center Square Journal review here.

Buen Sabor
4911 N. Western Avenue
773-878-1001

Pupusas have landed in Lincoln Square, along with several other tasty Salvadoran treats, at Buen Sabor (which loosely translates to “good taste”). Pupusas ($1.75-$2) are made by encasing a variety of fillings in corn dough (masa) and pan frying them so that they are slightly crunchy on the outside. Filling options at Buen Sabor include pork, chicken, beans, cheese and loroco (small unopened buds of a Central America with herbal overtones). They are served with mild and spicy salsas and vinegar-based Salvadoran slaw called curtido.

Antojitos range from $1.75 to $6: tamales, pastelitos, fried cassava/yucca with various toppings, and Salvadoran tortillas topped with black bean puree, ground meat and fresh veggies. I really liked the Empanadas de Leche: plantain-lined turnovers stuffed with “pudding” (a dense custard that reminds me of eggnog).

In addition Buen Sabor serves egg dishes for breakfast ($6), lunch specials for $5 and entrees such as flank steak ($8.50), chicken stew ($7) and fried fish ($9). Weekend specials include “Salvadoran style” chicken sandwiches ($6.50), fish soup ($10), and fluffy corn tamales ($5). As soon as the weather cools down I will sample their corn atol (a thick, sweet beverage made with fresh corn).