Sabor Bar de Vinos is a new casual wine and tapas bar at the Novotel Manila Araneta Center. I had dinner there with some blogger friends and we had such a great time talking, enjoying the tasty tapas, and drinking sangrias that we didn’t notice how late it had gotten!
Sabor is located at the ground floor of the hotel, beside the buffet restaurant. It’s very Latin-inspired. Latino music plays in the background, urging you to get on your feet and do some samba or some cha-cha!
One corner showcases a wine collection, where some of the wines come from the personal collection of Mr. George Araneta.
There are more tables in the outdoor area at the back, should you want a more secluded location to chill and unwind. it’s like a secret garden because you have to go through this barely-noticed door off to the side.
THE FOOD
Sabor is a tapas bar – the tapas are meant to be appetizers/snacks to be eaten along with drinks.
My favorites are the Bitter Ballen, the Mushroom Croquettes, the Galician-Style Chicken Empanada with that delicious tomato sauce, the Curry Sausages, the Sauteed Chorizo in Red Wine, and the Tiramisu! They’re all really scrumptious and it’s difficult to pick just one favorite!
Bitter Ballen (Dutch Meatballs, P350) – breaded and fried balls of mashed potato and ground veal, served with mustard – so addictive!!!
Mushroom Croquettes (P350) – breaded and fried quenelles of mashed potato and mushrooms (porcini, button and portobello), served with a blue cheese dip
Beetroot Arancini with Goat Cheese (P350) – breaded and fried beetroot risotto balls with a goat cheese dip; the beet flavor is quite mild, so don’t worry if you don’t really like beets
Selection of Cheese (P650) – assorted cheeses, crackers, sangria jelly, olives, etc…
Homemade Smoked Salmon Roulade (P350) – homemade smoked salmon with dill, cream cheese, sun-dried tomatoes, caper-mandarin sauce
Galician-Style Chicken Empanada (P350) – empanada filled with cumin & paprika-seasoned chicken cubes, served with a sweet tomato sauce
Sauteed Chorizo in Red Wine (P350) – sauteed chorizo in red wine and sherry vinegar – the chorizo was good, then add in more layers of flavor from the red wine and sherry vinegar – addictive!
Curry Sausage (P250) – pan-fried pork sausage with a flavorful tomato curry sauce
Dinakdakan (P250) – white rice topped with dinakdakan (boiled and grilled pork maskara and liver, flavored with mayo, chili, seasonings and calamansi
Quesadillas (P350) – melted cheddar & provolone cheeses, and sliced ham sandwiched between toasted tortillas, served with sour cream and avocado
Tiramisu the Classic Way (P250) – light and airy mascarpone cream between layers of Ameretto-soaked ladyfingers – recommended!
THE DRINKS
Sabor has a very good selection of alcholic beverages – they have Champagne, Red Wines, White Wines, Dessert Wines, Sherries and Ports, Sangrias and Spritzes. Most wines are only available by the bottle, but some are available by the glass.
Sabor prides itself on its sangrias – and their sangrias are good. My favorite sangria is the Fortress Sangria – it’s on the sweet side but it’s delicious and I just think it’s very -ber months, you know? Perfect for this time of year.
Fortress Sangria (P360) – red wine, brandy, orange juice, spiced syrup, lime juice and lemonade
Sangria de Rosa (P360) – rose wine, tequila, guava puree, strawberry syrup, pineapple juice, lime juice and mint leaves
Local beers are P160. Imported beers are P290.
We were given a chance to mix our own sangrias! Anyone can make a sangria, just mix whatever you want. But can you make a delicious sangria? Some of us attempted to mix our own sangrias and we found a new respect for those who can make drinkable sangria. It’s really more difficult than it sounds. Most of our creations were… let’s just say, not that great, hahaha. We all went back to drinking our Fortresses and our Sangria de Rosas. 😀
SUMMARY
People who live or work in the vicinity of the Araneta Center now have a nearby hotel tapas bar where they can chill and unwind. Service is good, food is good, the place is secure, and they are open until 2AM 🙂
The food at Sabor is delicious. They don’t compromise on the quality of the ingredients and that shines through. The average price of P350 for a small plate of appetizers, no matter how good, does seem a bit expensive. But then consider that Sabor is a hotel restaurant – and I do understand why the pricing is the way it is. Compared to similar hotel restaurants, Sabor’s pricing is on the more reasonable range. Service is very good, attentive but unobtrusive.
I recommend the Bitter Ballen, the Mushroom Croquettes, the Sausages, the Empanada and the Tiramisu. For drinks, I love the Fortress Sangria!
Parking is free for the first 3 hours – just have your parking ticket validated at Sabor.
#SabortheMoment
Sabor Bar de Vinos
Ground Floor, Novotel Manila, Araneta Center, Quezon City, Metro Manila
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NovotelManilaAranetaCenter
