Durham Restaurant Guide

Gran Sabana Restaurant
5 stars (1 ratings)

* BUSINESS CLOSED *

Triangle Sq. Shopping Ctr I-40 Exit 278, 4853 Hwy 55 [intersection With Hwy 54]
, Durham, NC 27713

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Restaurant Description

This chef-owned and operated restaurant serves delicious Puerto Rican, Cuban, and other Caribbean favorites. Chef Nellys and her caring staff are dedicated in making your dining experience relaxing and pleasurable.

Whether you bring your family in for quality time together or gather with your friends for a hearty meal, this is the perfect place for you!

Gran Sabana shall satisfy your Caribbean cravings, this spot offers an incredible menu of Caribbean-style foods for lunch and dinner. They take great pride in serving the finest Puerto Rican, Cuban and a variety of authentic Caribbean dishes. With mouthwatering aromas and bursting fresh flavors you can enjoy a scrumptious meal for Lunch or Dinner.

For Lunch Monday through Friday until 2:30 p.m. there's their Lunch Specials for $4.99-$6.95. Absolutely the Best Pernil, Yucca, “Arroz con Gandules”, Plantains, Mofongo, Pastelillos [Puerto Rican Empanadas] and the best “Cuban Sandwiches” North of Havana.

Catering with a Spanish Caribbean Flair
Whether you are planning an intimate business luncheon or a lively family reunion, they can help you! They offer catering services for groups both large and small, so let them prepare their home-style menu favorites or create a special menu just for you and your event.

Contact them about catering or simply stop in for great Puerto Rican or Cuban food!
November 16, 2004 @ 4:42 PM
5  out of 5 stars
a diner from Durham, NC
Food at Gran Sabana is simply delicious

By BEN EVANS: The [email protected] Nov 16, 2004: 11:35 am ET DURHAM, North Carolina

A cruel, confusing irony takes hold in southern Durham most weekend nights. At The Streets at Southpoint Mall, throngs of people wait in one- and two-hour lines to eat at corporate-chain restaurants that serve the same mediocre food across the country. Down the road at the intersection of N.C. 54 and N.C. 55, husband-and-wife team Ralph and Nelly Nunez serve homemade Puerto Rican pork roast and shredded seasoned beef that will send you evangelizing to friends and family. But there are no crowds at Gran Sabana -- just a few occupied tables. The Nunezes wear the proud faces of people who know they're creating something delicious and just don't understand why more people don't get it. Nelly is the cook, a stout Venezuelan woman who wears her hair pulled back in a ponytail and smiles demurely when complimented over her cooking. Ralph is the frontman, an outgoing Puerto Rican who loves to talk about food. Their menu is all over the map. From Puerto Rico, there's the pork roast ($6.95 lunch/$9.95 dinner), a shoulder that's been liberally seasoned and cooked for hours until it falls apart on contact with a utensil. The outer "skin" is particularly delicious, browned and crusty with the flavors of garlic and oregano. Another Puerto Rican specialty, the Mofongo -- fried plantain balls stuffed with shrimp or pork ($12.95 or $10.95) -- looks like giant Italian meatballs, two baseball-size mounds covered in a slightly spicy red Creole sauce. Their unusual texture comes in the form of crushed green plantains, which are still firm to the bite and haven't turned soft and sweet like the ripened, fried slices served as sides. Several shrimp are nestled inside, delivering a fabulous combination of flavors when you get there. From Nelly's Venezuela comes the shredded beef, a mainstay on the menu that's served with several different dishes, including as a stuffing for Empanadas or Arepas (both $2.50), two types of ground-corn pastries the restaurant serves. The beef is slow-cooked into a soft, molten stew that's subtly seasoned with pepper, onions and garlic, with the succulent texture of pulled-pork barbecue and the flavor of an expertly cooked homemade beef roast. It comes as the main feature in a platter of rice, beans and plantains for $10.95. Continuing across the map, Cuba is represented by its namesake sandwich of ham and roast pork ($5.50). Back in Puerto Rico, the escabeche de pescado --fried fish pickled in a citrusy olive-oil dressing with olives and raw onions ($11.95) -- may not be for everyone, but adventurous eaters will be happy they tried it. Gran Sabana's food is remarkable in its simplicity. Most dishes aren't spicy. Instead their flavor comes from patient, made-from-scratch preparation. The red or black beans served as sides, for example, don't have a pronounced individual spice. But they've simmered in a pot long enough with peppers, onions, garlic and perhaps a little pork to draw a delicious, earthy flavor. I would easily pay several dollars for a plate of the rice and beans alone, particularly in the company of the restaurant's fiery homemade hot sauce. The Nunezes opened Gran Sabana in February after Nelly was laid off as a computer technician at IBM. They don't yet have a beer and wine license but plan to get one soon. They serve several homemade desserts, including flan and a fabulous tres leches, a homemade shortcake swimming in a mixture of sweet creams. One area where the mall chains have an advantage is atmosphere. Gran Sabana's interior looks like an old fast-food chain, brightly lit and filled with rows of booths and tables. Then again, the Nunezes might win that contest too if they had lines of people waiting outside to buy their food. Gran Sabana Triangle Square Shopping Center, 4835 N.C. 55 (Next to Big Lots) 544-5855 Prices: $2.50 to $12.95 Hours: weekdays, 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.; 5 to 9 p.m. Saturdays, 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Smoking: No Handicap accessible: Yes Payment: Cash and credit cards

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Avg Rating: 5  out of 5 stars

Number of Reviews: 1

November 16, 2004 @ 4:42 PM
5  out of 5 stars
a diner from Durham, NC
Food at Gran Sabana is simply delicious

By BEN EVANS: The [email protected] Nov 16, 2004: 11:35 am ET DURHAM, North Carolina

A cruel, confusing irony takes hold in southern Durham most weekend nights. At The Streets at Southpoint Mall, throngs of people wait in one- and two-hour lines to eat at corporate-chain restaurants that serve the same mediocre food across the country. Down the road at the intersection of N.C. 54 and N.C. 55, husband-and-wife team Ralph and Nelly Nunez serve homemade Puerto Rican pork roast and shredded seasoned beef that will send you evangelizing to friends and family. But there are no crowds at Gran Sabana -- just a few occupied tables. The Nunezes wear the proud faces of people who know they're creating something delicious and just don't understand why more people don't get it. Nelly is the cook, a stout Venezuelan woman who wears her hair pulled back in a ponytail and smiles demurely when complimented over her cooking. Ralph is the frontman, an outgoing Puerto Rican who loves to talk about food. Their menu is all over the map. From Puerto Rico, there's the pork roast ($6.95 lunch/$9.95 dinner), a shoulder that's been liberally seasoned and cooked for hours until it falls apart on contact with a utensil. The outer "skin" is particularly delicious, browned and crusty with the flavors of garlic and oregano. Another Puerto Rican specialty, the Mofongo -- fried plantain balls stuffed with shrimp or pork ($12.95 or $10.95) -- looks like giant Italian meatballs, two baseball-size mounds covered in a slightly spicy red Creole sauce. Their unusual texture comes in the form of crushed green plantains, which are still firm to the bite and haven't turned soft and sweet like the ripened, fried slices served as sides. Several shrimp are nestled inside, delivering a fabulous combination of flavors when you get there. From Nelly's Venezuela comes the shredded beef, a mainstay on the menu that's served with several different dishes, including as a stuffing for Empanadas or Arepas (both $2.50), two types of ground-corn pastries the restaurant serves. The beef is slow-cooked into a soft, molten stew that's subtly seasoned with pepper, onions and garlic, with the succulent texture of pulled-pork barbecue and the flavor of an expertly cooked homemade beef roast. It comes as the main feature in a platter of rice, beans and plantains for $10.95. Continuing across the map, Cuba is represented by its namesake sandwich of ham and roast pork ($5.50). Back in Puerto Rico, the escabeche de pescado --fried fish pickled in a citrusy olive-oil dressing with olives and raw onions ($11.95) -- may not be for everyone, but adventurous eaters will be happy they tried it. Gran Sabana's food is remarkable in its simplicity. Most dishes aren't spicy. Instead their flavor comes from patient, made-from-scratch preparation. The red or black beans served as sides, for example, don't have a pronounced individual spice. But they've simmered in a pot long enough with peppers, onions, garlic and perhaps a little pork to draw a delicious, earthy flavor. I would easily pay several dollars for a plate of the rice and beans alone, particularly in the company of the restaurant's fiery homemade hot sauce. The Nunezes opened Gran Sabana in February after Nelly was laid off as a computer technician at IBM. They don't yet have a beer and wine license but plan to get one soon. They serve several homemade desserts, including flan and a fabulous tres leches, a homemade shortcake swimming in a mixture of sweet creams. One area where the mall chains have an advantage is atmosphere. Gran Sabana's interior looks like an old fast-food chain, brightly lit and filled with rows of booths and tables. Then again, the Nunezes might win that contest too if they had lines of people waiting outside to buy their food. Gran Sabana Triangle Square Shopping Center, 4835 N.C. 55 (Next to Big Lots) 544-5855 Prices: $2.50 to $12.95 Hours: weekdays, 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.; 5 to 9 p.m. Saturdays, 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Smoking: No Handicap accessible: Yes Payment: Cash and credit cards
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Gran Sabana Restaurant Map

Recent Gran Sabana Restaurant Reviews

November 16, 2004 @ 4:42 PM
5  out of 5 stars
a diner from Durham, NC
Food at Gran Sabana is simply delicious

By BEN EVANS: The [email protected] Nov 16, 2004: 11:35 am ET DURHAM, North Carolina

A cruel, confusing irony takes hold in southern Durham most weekend nights. At The Streets at Southpoint Mall, throngs of people wait in one- and two-hour lines to eat at corporate-chain restaurants that serve the same mediocre food across the country. Down the road at the intersection of N.C. 54 and N.C. 55, husband-and-wife team Ralph and Nelly Nunez serve homemade Puerto Rican pork roast and shredded seasoned beef that will send you evangelizing to friends and family. But there are no crowds at Gran Sabana -- just a few occupied tables. The Nunezes wear the proud faces of people who know they're creating something delicious and just don't understand why more people don't get it. Nelly is the cook, a stout Venezuelan woman who wears her hair pulled back in a ponytail and smiles demurely when complimented over her cooking. Ralph is the frontman, an outgoing Puerto Rican who loves to talk about food. Their menu is all over the map. From Puerto Rico, there's the pork roast ($6.95 lunch/$9.95 dinner), a shoulder that's been liberally seasoned and cooked for hours until it falls apart on contact with a utensil. The outer "skin" is particularly delicious, browned and crusty with the flavors of garlic and oregano. Another Puerto Rican specialty, the Mofongo -- fried plantain balls stuffed with shrimp or pork ($12.95 or $10.95) -- looks like giant Italian meatballs, two baseball-size mounds covered in a slightly spicy red Creole sauce. Their unusual texture comes in the form of crushed green plantains, which are still firm to the bite and haven't turned soft and sweet like the ripened, fried slices served as sides. Several shrimp are nestled inside, delivering a fabulous combination of flavors when you get there. From Nelly's Venezuela comes the shredded beef, a mainstay on the menu that's served with several different dishes, including as a stuffing for Empanadas or Arepas (both $2.50), two types of ground-corn pastries the restaurant serves. The beef is slow-cooked into a soft, molten stew that's subtly seasoned with pepper, onions and garlic, with the succulent texture of pulled-pork barbecue and the flavor of an expertly cooked homemade beef roast. It comes as the main feature in a platter of rice, beans and plantains for $10.95. Continuing across the map, Cuba is represented by its namesake sandwich of ham and roast pork ($5.50). Back in Puerto Rico, the escabeche de pescado --fried fish pickled in a citrusy olive-oil dressing with olives and raw onions ($11.95) -- may not be for everyone, but adventurous eaters will be happy they tried it. Gran Sabana's food is remarkable in its simplicity. Most dishes aren't spicy. Instead their flavor comes from patient, made-from-scratch preparation. The red or black beans served as sides, for example, don't have a pronounced individual spice. But they've simmered in a pot long enough with peppers, onions, garlic and perhaps a little pork to draw a delicious, earthy flavor. I would easily pay several dollars for a plate of the rice and beans alone, particularly in the company of the restaurant's fiery homemade hot sauce. The Nunezes opened Gran Sabana in February after Nelly was laid off as a computer technician at IBM. They don't yet have a beer and wine license but plan to get one soon. They serve several homemade desserts, including flan and a fabulous tres leches, a homemade shortcake swimming in a mixture of sweet creams. One area where the mall chains have an advantage is atmosphere. Gran Sabana's interior looks like an old fast-food chain, brightly lit and filled with rows of booths and tables. Then again, the Nunezes might win that contest too if they had lines of people waiting outside to buy their food. Gran Sabana Triangle Square Shopping Center, 4835 N.C. 55 (Next to Big Lots) 544-5855 Prices: $2.50 to $12.95 Hours: weekdays, 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.; 5 to 9 p.m. Saturdays, 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Smoking: No Handicap accessible: Yes Payment: Cash and credit cards