Salo Bar & Grill

You've never seen a seafood platter like this, and you've never tasted Cape Verdean cuisine like this. We are in Brockton, Massachusetts, where the Cape Verdean community is strong, and this is a different kind of restaurant that has those great island vibes and lots of bold flavors, all with an upscale American comfort food twist. Welcome to Salo Bar and Grill, where I’m about to get a taste of everything.

The story of Salo starts with chef and owner Salo Afonseca. He grew up on the islands and moved to the States when he was 12 years old. It was always his dream to open his own restaurant so people wouldn’t have to drive into Boston or Providence to experience the real flavors of Cape Verde. A couple of years ago, he opened Salo Bar and Grill, and it’s a beautiful, sleek, and modern spot. From the green Instagram-worthy walls to the cool marble bar and spacious dining area, it’s the perfect place to enjoy a great meal and an awesome craft cocktail.

The menu is wide-ranging, and the flavors are completely insane. It’s a mix of Cape Verdean, Portuguese, and American comfort food favorites. We started with three outstanding seafood appetizers you absolutely have to try: the calamari, the mussels, and the lobster mac and cheese balls.

First of all, just look at the size of these lobster mac and cheese balls. They’re about the size of a softball, stuffed with creamy homemade macaroni and cheese and loaded with chunks of lobster meat. It’s macaroni and cheese masterfully done.

I’m always a sucker for mussels, and what makes these special is the sauce. It’s rich and creamy with parmesan cheese sprinkled all over the top. The mussels are sweet and succulent, and of course, they serve it with plenty of bread because the sauce is perfect for dipping. Honestly, it’s basically drinkable.

The number one selling appetizer is the calamari. Beautiful calamari rings are perfectly breaded and fried to a golden brown, with peppers mixed in for extra flavor. The key is the house-made aioli on the side — the perfect dip for an already perfect calamari appetizer.

Here’s the ultimate example of Cape Verdean and American fusion: the Island Burger. It starts with an eight-ounce hand-pattied burger on a seasoned brioche bun, stacked high with two kinds of cheese, thick-cut bacon, grilled pineapple, garlic aioli, and their famous house-made Henny barbecue sauce. Yes, barbecue sauce made with actual Hennessy.

There’s a lot happening in every bite. You get the caramelized sweetness from the pineapple, the smoky flavor from the bacon, and the rich kick from the Henny barbecue sauce that somehow makes everything even better.

Another favorite among Cape Verdean customers is the Bife Casa. It’s a beautifully seasoned and seared skirt steak served with rice, fries, and a small salad, all drenched in a rich pan gravy and topped with a perfectly fried egg. It’s one of those dishes where you want a little bit of everything in every bite, and somehow each bite keeps getting better.

If you’re coming here with a big group to celebrate, you definitely want to order one of the platters — and I mean a serious platter. Salo has become famous for its epic seafood platter. It comes loaded with a whole lobster, shrimp, massive snow crab legs, piles of mussels, grilled octopus, corn, and potatoes. But the real star is the sauce: buttery, creamy, slightly spicy, and packed with Cajun flavor.

I honestly can’t believe people order this and still get more food afterward — but I guess that’s exactly what I’m doing too.

The seafood platter became so popular that they eventually created a meat version as well. This massive platter includes steak, ribs, chicken, lamb, vegetables, homemade sausages, and multiple sauces. The highlight is definitely the picanha steak. Picanha has the flavor of sirloin with a rich fat cap around the outside, giving it incredible flavor while staying tender and juicy.

And that’s only one of the meats on the platter. The lamb chops are beautifully cooked, the pork ribs are packed with flavor, and once again, the homemade Henny barbecue sauce steals the show. I never knew I was a Henny barbecue sauce person, but now I absolutely am. It’s addictive.

This place is a ton of flavor, a ton of food, and an unforgettable experience. On this show, we always encourage you to go somewhere new and try something different, and I guarantee you won’t regret checking out Salo Bar and Grill in Brockton.