If you're the type who loves to try new things, I've got a hot tip for you. There's a new cuisine in town -- a Peruvian restaurant in Springdale. Sabor Peruano is so inconspicuous that, unless you notice the sign, you'd think it was a mortgage bank. But don't zoom by; it's worth a stop.

Refresher course: Peru is in the northwestern part of South America. It's a huge country, as big as Texas, New York, California and Maine put together. Their cuisine evolved from the Incas and Spanish colonists and has been influenced by African, European and Oriental cooking. Regional Peruvian dishes include ostrich and llama as well as the Inca delicacy, roast guinea pig.

I didn't warn any of my companions that a distant cousin of their first pet might be on the menu. I'm mean like that. Anyway, it didn't happen. There weren't any bad surprises at Sabor Peruano, just excellent value and a chance to try something new.

The most unique elements of our dinner at Sabor Peruano were familiar foods prepared in unusual ways. For example, we ordered Huancaina ($4.50) as an appetizer, and it turned out to be Peruvian potato salad. A cooked potato was halved and sliced, then sauced with homemade mayonnaise and garnished with a flavorful black olive and a section of hard-boiled egg. All the ingredients of an American picnic classic, but the flavors were just a bit more exotic since the mayonnaise was seasoned with cilantro and chili pepper.

Steak and fries? One of the signature dishes in Peruvian cuisine combines both into one. Lomo Saltado ($7.50), strips of beef mixed with onions, tomatoes, peppers and french-fried potatoes is served with rice. While crinkle-cut french fries looked really silly sticking out of this dish, it was garlicky and flavorful. Everyone at the table loved it.

Peruvian shrimp fried rice, Chaufa con Camarones ($10), was presented as a large plate of Spanish rice, topped with at least a dozen mildly spicy shrimp. It was good, but I preferred the Picante de Camarones ($10) because the creamy sauce was so delicious.

A less exotic but certainly filling choice was the Arroz con Pollo ($7). A quarter chicken, roasted and served atop cilantro and vegetable rice had a nice flavor, but was a little dry. It's better served with mild yellow sauce ($1 additional.)

The red onion salad that came with the chicken really surprised me. Although sliced paper thin and layered with chopped cilantro, it looked daunting -- an entire plateful of raw onion! I thought I'd have to sleep on the couch. Somehow, though, the light lemon vinaigrette dressing and the clean taste of the cilantro managed to totally defuse the onion's potency and render it as sweet as an apple.

We tried two desserts, Flan and Rice Pudding ($1.50 each) They were both excellent. Though the rice pudding was not like my friend's mother used to make, once she finished picking out the raisins she admitted that it was delicious. I'm not a big flan fan, but this had a caramel sauce as good as any I've tried.

Sabor Peruano is as innocuous inside as it is on the outside. The lights are very bright over small formica tables and plastic chairs, and the decorations are minimal. Minor complaints: There's no liquor license, and several of the items that were on the menu weren't available the night we stopped in. Bebidas (drinks) include Chicha Morada, purple corn juice, which is a Peruvian specialty.

It's great to have a new taste in town, and the prices were an absolute bargain. I'll go back again to soak up the sauces and to add another stamp to my global dining passport. ©

Sabor Peruano
Go: 11512 Springfield Pike, Springdale

Call: 513-772-5503

Hours: 10:30 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday-Friday; 9 a.m.-9 p.m. Saturday and Sunday

Prices: Reasonable

Payment: Visa and MasterCard

Red Meat Alternatives: Huancaina, several meatless spaghetti dishes.

Grade: B