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Published on July 29, 2007

Those of you who shop at Tops on Soi Thonglor or the Villa Supermarket in Soi Aree Phaholyothin may have already noticed a little brightly-lit shop named "Sabroso Mexican Grill".

These two branches are the brainchildren of Sawut "Bat" Kamolratanapiboon, whose dream is to bring Mexican fast food to Bangkok's diners.

You'd think that Bat's family heritage might be playing a part in his passion for food. His father, after all, helped found the Seafood Restaurant, with the memorable slogan, "If it swims, we have it".

However, Bat has never actually been involved directly in the restaurant's operations, though he did spend his early years in Singapore, when his father set up a branch there.

After returning to Bangkok and graduating from Ruam Rudee International School, Bat went on to the US, where he graduated from the University of Massachusetts in computer science.

Even though he spent time working in the computer and construction industries upon his return to Bangkok, he found himself responding to the allure of food, especially Mexican food, which he had first encountered in Massachusetts.

So, he decided to take over the kitchen in his mother's home, and instead of objecting, she joined in, giving him pointers on how to make dishes taste good. Together, they searched for recipes, refining them to meet their own high standards and what they thought the Thai public would enjoy.

They soon learned that there was no substitute for some ingredients.

The chillies that go into Sabroso's fine sauce had to be the "real deal" - jalapenos for the medium-hot sauce and habaneros for the super-hot sauce. The jalapenos are imported, but the habaneros are grown on a farm near Chiang Mai.

These beautiful, red fruits resembling tomatoes are so lethal that you must wear gloves to even touch them. Talk about dangers in the kitchen.

Bat, however, has created a very fine salsa with just a touch of pepper in it. Depending on your taste and your comfort level, any of these sauces go well with the food Sabroso offers.

The menu may be limited, but it's good. Tacos, burritos and quesadillas, nachos, chips and side orders, all priced reasonably.

"This is fast food," Bat explains, "not fine dining."

A large dish of Nachos Supreme, with your choice of beef, pork or barbecued chicken, goes for Bt80. Tacos (either soft or classic) come filled with beef, pork or chicken and are sold by the piece (Bt55 for one, Bt99 for two, Bt139 for three).

Another must is the taco salad (Bt80), brimming with fresh vegetables, your choice of beef, pork or chicken and a very fine salad dressing that Bat himself created. The salad is served in a taco dish that you can munch on along with the veggies.

Apart from these delicious items, Bat is planning to add more delectable dishes to the menu, and by the end of next year, he hopes to have opened five more branches. Plus he's thinking of running a delivery service - provided his dishes look and taste like they've just come out of the kitchen.

"I'm a bit slow with decisions," he admits. "It's my nature to be hands-on, just to make sure everything's perfect."

Laurie Rosenthal

The Nation