Spring has sprung (hopefully), the weather is changing and as we eagerly await the return of summer, we decided today was a good day to have a random food adventure in our beloved city. After much wandering around in central London aka west end, we made our way to Sabor located in Heddon street.
Knowing we didn’t have a reservation, we got there early before dinner service started and to our surprise there was a queue. We were fourth in this queue and 15 mins in, the queue had extended to like half way down the street!
At this point I was thinking; the food is either really good or they offer a fantastic walk-in service! I was right on both counts. Walking into the restaurant, I got why there was a queue. Sabor is Spanish and offers dishes from the regions of Andalucia, Castile and Galica. It is designed into 3 distinct areas – the counter, bar (both located on the ground floor) and El Asador (on the top floor) which is predominantly for walk-ins. Initially we wanted to be seated by the counter but soon found out we needed a reservation, nonetheless, we were offered a table at El Asador. In true tapas style eating, tables were long with several chairs to encourage diners to engage with each other whilst enjoying some good tapas.
Our selection of starters included empanada gallega, Morcilla de Burgos and Txistorra, pulpo a feira and patatas fritas. These were not your ‘regular’ tapas, no sir! The empanada gallega was a puff pastry stuffed with tuna cooked in marinate sauce and looked like a steak bake from Greggs. The pasty was buttery, and the filling was so good and there was a lot if it in the pastry. It reminded me of Nigerian meat pie[1].
The pulpo a feira? was interesting. It was boiled Galican octopus with sweet or hot paprika. I have had octopus (I mean I am half Asian!) but I don’t think I have ever had boiled octopus. In hindsight, as I type this, believe me, I still have a look of disbelief on my face too! I just didn’t expect it to be boiled and served with either sweet or hot paprika and still taste good! I like the fact that they didn’t try and ‘jazz’ it all up with something random in the bid to make it more palatable. It was boiled octopus and nothing else! The squid was breaded and that too was really good.
For our mains, suckling pig was the order of the day! Suckling pig is a traditional Spanish pork dish. It is a piglet which is cooked whole over a charcoal fire and is common in former Spanish colonies. In the Philippines we call this Lechon and is usually a pig instead of a piglet. This is the first time I have been to a restaurant that offered this either whole, half or cuts of it. More importantly, it was done properly – pork was succulent and the cracking was on point! It was the closest thing I have had to actual Lechon! I really should not be surprised considering the Philippines was a Spanish colony, nonetheless, it was a good surprise which Neal and I enjoyed.
Pudding was a dollop of creamy vanilla ice cream which was the perfect way to end the meal. if you ever wanted to and / or are curious about suckling pig, then Sabor is a good place to start! Our Filipino version is better though .
Ahh Sabor thank you for giving me fond memories of home.
Salud
Ndidi
[1] Meat pie is the Nigerian equivalent to a Jamaican patty
