Our punter says…
On the Saturday evening of Sabor’s opening week, we were hosted at the counter which tightly frames the open tapas kitchen. Our waiter exuded warmth, sweetly indulging my attempts at chatting away in Spanish. Though he served our surrounding covers, he felt like ‘our’ personal waiter, as he told stories of the artwork on our wine bottle, and the Rueda bodega who produced it – we felt immediately welcomed around the family table.
To start, I opted for a Cloudy Cava – an inventive almond bellini, with the pudding-like sweetness of a Bakewell tart. My guest was served a crystalline-smooth Gin Mare, garnished with a single juicy caperberry, that delivered a sharp punch of mineral refreshment.
From the specials menu, the monkfish tempura was air-like in its lightness, with a batter so crisp that the tender monkfish could still robustly shine. It arrived with a moreish chilli aïoli, tropical and tart. We had high hopes for the butterfly langoustines as the star turn, and with two at £19.50 I expected more from their delicate frames, but we couldn’t fault the finish – the darkly farmyard-esque tang of the brown meat was offset with white meat so sweet and supple that it was almost liquefied, melting in a peppered, herby butter dripping.
The carne (meat) section was equally compelling – the delicate pig’s head croquetas and the slow-cooked rabo de toro in a rich oxtail jus took us past the point of satisfaction. Yet the mussels ‘a la Bilbaina’ proved the standout sensation – tender shellfish swollen with a tomato, sage, garlic and shallot broth. This was a flavour hit in full technicolour.
The dessert of fragrant honey and saffron ice cream was a real decadence, so dense and pigment-rich – an arresting end note.
THE BOTTOM LINE
Sabor is a careful curation of hearty regional Spanish home cooking, though there’s an unsettled feel to the space that might relax in time – lights need to be lowered, music needs to feel more native and present. Though its tourist-trap location may prove a challenge, Sabor’s culinary creativity hits the spot if you’re seeking revelations and surprises.
Total for two, excluding service: £141
FOOD: 9/10 SERVICE: 9.5/10 VIBE: 7/10
TOTAL 25.5/30