Review of Sangria Bar & Grill - Baton Rouge

First trip to Sangria. The menu is a peculiar mix of Tex-Mex, Central American, Caribbean, South American and Spanish dishes. I ordered their signature fajita dish, the steak is hardwood grilled and with a marinade similar to the Soy sauce version that Ninfa's uses. The meat is tender and delicious, served over sliced bell peppers and sauteed onions, but the quantity is disappointing. For $16, you only get a sparse number of thin steak strips which is about equal to the "Jackie" plate ($12) at Ninfa's. I chose the black beans and cilantro rice as one side, Sangria patatas as the other. The black beans were fairly bland, the rice was good, but better suited for pinto beans (you're not getting Caribbean black beans and rice). The patatas are hashbrowns, rough cut and standard Louie's Cafe fare.

I also tried some of the Havana Sandwich ($9.50), and was a little discouraged as soon as I noticed panini grill marks in the bread. A traditional Cuban sandwich is always made with a flat sandwich press, and never with a panini grill. The sandwich came with the trademark ham slices, roasted pork (though too finely shredded), swiss cheese, sliced pickles, and mustard. Their own twist involved using very spicy brown mustard, a faux pas that detracted from the flavors that would normally make this a standout sandwich.

Service was mixed, a few waiters seemed to be noticeably more attentive than others (my order was botched in several ways, but the waitress did her best to fix things).

Other dishes there included empanadas, tapas, tamales, tacos, jerk chicken, Honduran pupusas, Latin-themed sandwiches, seafood and South American style steaks. Sangria is more of a Latin fusion restaurant than the contemporary Mexican tag the owners billed it with.

The restaurant interior is something of an upscale sports bar, there are just as many booths as there are tables (white tablecloths). The inside is dark wood and some exposed brick, with vaulted ceilings, six flat planel TV sets on the walls. The bar is a good 25 feet long, with another bar counter opposite with stools that runs about 20 feet, so they seem to be banking on a Superior Grill atmosphere.

My verdict is that this could be a fun place to watch a football game, but not a destination for weekend dining. The prices seem to high for the quantity and quality, the same two-pupusa plate at Sangria ($13) would set you back $6 at an authentic Honduran restaurant across town. An eight-ounce Argentine Steak will run you $24. I'll go back in a month or two after they've had the chance to get situated, but it's not encouraging that they're already charging more than Ninfa's at the gate.