Hoping for more

Hector Santiago earned a loyal following among Atlanta foodies for his unique Pan-Latin cuisine at Pura Vida and Super Pan. And though he is now doing strong work running the kitchen at Abattoir, fans long to see him return to cooking with total freedom, rather than adapting his style to an established menu.

So, when word got out that Santiago was consulting at a new fast-casual concept in Buckhead, there was rejoicing that he could once again build a menu from the ground up. However, poor execution and even worse service place this restaurant a notch below his owner-operated restaurants.

I didn’t hate the fried chicken tender tips, but I saw nothing that justified the price tag versus a trip to Zaxby’s. An adobo roasted pork bowl fell flat, offering little more than an unappetizing pile of pork chunks atop mushy mounds of rice and black beans, with a barely noticeable sour orange mojo sauce.

Best to stick to Santiago’s famous coconut steamed buns. Try the Cubano, a twist on the traditional Cuban sandwich, with juicy slices of roasted pork, clove-infused ham, and the requisite Swiss, mustard and pickles.