On my way home last year I remember walking down Street 288 and reading the sign “Salsa Cabana Buena. Tokyo since 1995” perched atop a small, narrow wooden cabin. The place wasn’t open yet, and I wondered what might be inside. I mean, judging from the name alone, it was impossible to tell if it was a restaurant or a Latin dance studio. Plus, the word “Tokyo” next to that string of Spanish and pseudo-Spanish words (cabana is not actually a word) threw me.
Today I got a call from a good friend, who invited me to join him and his wife at Salsa Cabana Buena. I accepted, but since I still didn’t know what I was signing up for, I brought both an appetite and my dancing shoes.
It turns out that SCB is actually an Asian-Latin fusion restaurant and bar. It looks like the type of beach bar you’d encounter on the white-sand shores of an island off Sihanoukville; only there is no ocean or beach anywhere. This beachside feeling is recreated by the bamboo bar that you encounter right up front, by the wooden floors and tables, by the pastel-coloured walls, and by the colourful paper decorations hanging from the ceiling.
But, to the point. The menu is mainly Tex-Mex. There are also Caribbean dishes such as jerk chicken with fried banana ($4), Asian dishes like vegetable tempura ($3), and pure fusion cuisine such as Cambodian deep-fried shrimp tacos ($4).
I skim the menu and settle for chilli with potato ($4), or as you and I probably know it: French fries. I get a mojito ($3) to make it go down easy. The fries are not spectacular by any means. “Meh” is the only adjective that comes to mind. I think the chilli has been toned down to account for Japanese tastes, and the result is a sauce that is neither spicy nor particularly savoury.
The mojito, on the other hand, is decent, striking a good balance between sweetness and pungency.
The sizzling fajitas ($7.5) come next. And let me tell you, they are good enough to erase the unpleasant memory of the chilli fries. The beef and chicken strips are delicious, tender and juicy. The plate comes served with some tangy pico de gallo. It is worth every penny.
My friend orders a burrito with salsa Mexicana ($5) and I, of course, have to try it. It is good, but not mind-boggling good. The chicken and the vegetables are dainty, but the dish is missing flavour. The salsa Mexicana helps, adding taste and spice.
Overall, SCB is a good Latin-Asian establishment, with quality dishes at prices that are reasonable, but definitely not cheap. Don’t come searching for authentic Mexican or you’ll be disappointed. Rather, come for Japanese Tex-Mex. If you don’t know what that is, come for a new experience. The drinks and cocktails are well-priced, the staff is nice and helpful, and the atmosphere is charming.
Finally, my friend drops the bomb: “Adolfo, we invited you tonight because we are worried about you.”
With deep apprehension, he tells me that they are concerned about my lack of energy, enthusiasm, and, most worryingly, an unwillingness to shave my month-old beard.
“Heartache,” is my only response. “Somebody told me they saw her walking along the riverside, holding hands with a man with a despicable goatee.”
Salsa Cabana Buena: Latin Oriental Bar
#46, st. 288, BKK