Nobody in his or her right mind could possibly envision a heart-healthy meal at a Brazilian steakhouse, right?
Wave after wave of succulent meats, presented by Gaucho cowboys in their flamboyant outfits. Three-foot skewers piercing large sections of top sirloin, bottom sirloin and Filet Mignon are just waiting to be carved at your table.
For those meticulous dieters who have earned the right to cheat for a night, don't hesitate to go for the ultimate splurge and do the roasted meats. A guilty pleasure for sure, but worth every cent!
It's a carnivore's heaven, to be sure. But wait, beneath all the hype surrounding the prime cuts of beef, there lies a piece of vegetarian heaven: the salad bar.
Sabor's is truly one of the best in Milwaukee. If you have enough self-discipline to bypass juicy sides of beef, the salad bar can be had at a fraction of the cost. (Go for the lunch at $14.50.)
Set up in a circular fashion, the salad bar starts with fresh romaine lettuce and several dressing options. Multiple varieties of olive oil (a great source of monounsaturated fats) are made at the restaurant, including sage, garlic and rosemary, which go very well with the fresh salad.
Next are shitake mushrooms in a white wine vinaigrette, which are staples at most Brazilian steakhouses. An Asian slaw made with a sesame-soy vinaigrette hit the spot and was a nice warm up to the rest of the meal. The roasted red and yellow beets added color to the salad bar -- and years to my life.
If you're craving grilled veggies , check out the zucchini, yellow squash and mushrooms. Delicious. Other healthy choices include asparagus and carrots lightly seasoned, a vinaigrette salsa, tomatoes with a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese and a pickled olive and cauliflower salad.
My favorite was a dish of artichokes in a lime and caper dressing surrounded by hearts of palm imported from Brazil. I've even heard rumors (from Chef David) that one can find sushi at the salad bar in the evenings. So go ahead and "eat your heart out" (so to speak) and enjoy one of the best salad bars in the city.
Bon Appetit.
Dr. Kevin Derus is a Board Certified Emergency Physician staffing the new Aurora Urgent Care Center at 946 N Van Buren St. in downtown Milwaukee. He is also an attending physician in the Emergency Department at Aurora Sinai Medical Center. He completed his undergraduate training at UW Eau Claire, and then attended Medical School at the Medical College of WI in Milwaukee. He completed his specialty training in Emergency Medicine in Akron OH.
Born and raised in Madison, he now resides in Hartland with his wife, Vicki and two sons, Nate and Nick. His interests include dining, exercise, snow skiing, water-skiing, fishing, Packers and Badgers Football, scuba diving, golf, travel and music. He is a singer/songwriter and does the lead singing in Madison's classic rock band Axle Grease.
Dr. Derus has been a confirmed foodie since 1985, always looking for new and interesting cuisines. As a partner in the Aurora Health and Wellness Initiative, he now works out five days a week and seeks great food that is delicious, as well as nutritious. What could be better than eating scrumptious food, while keeping an eye on one's cholesterol and waistline?
