Here’s a new reason to visit Novotel Manila Araneta Center - Sabor Bar de Vinos, a wine bar where you can dine, hang, and chill. It’s not like other wine bars where you have to pretend to be all fancy; here, everyone is welcome to eat and drink their hearts out, whatever the reason may be!
From having Food Exchange Manila to Gourmet Bar by Novotel to The 6th Pool Bar and Lounge, Sabor offers something completely new (and with a completely different vibe). Food Exchange Manila is their all-day dining / buffet restaurant while Gourmet Bar is where you can go for business meetings and the like. The 6th Pool Bar and Lounge is perfect for partying the night away.. but if you want a more relaxed evening, Sabor’s definitely the way to go.
Discerning wine connoisseurs, enthusiasts and everyone who loves to savor the moment with friends are welcome to enjoy a wide range of reasonable to luxurious wines to unwind, mix and mingle.
The extensive list of wines includes the herbal and fruity Waterfalls Road Eddy Sauvignon Blanc, the premium Clarendelle by Haut Brion Bordeaux; the delicate Anna Codorniu Rosé, the dessert wine Cosecheros Y Criadores Infinitus and the Eclat de Rosé Perlant. For a momentous occasion, the Dom Perignon is ready for the party.
One Friday night, Tim and I checked out Sabor and it’s everything my Tita heart wants in a wine bar. We don’t normally stay out until midnight, but with good friends and good food (and of course, wine to go with it), we can do anything! HAHA! Kidding :P But seriously, it’s been a long while since we stayed out that late. We were there at 6pm and got home past 12. It was a pretty interesting evening and I’m glad he got to meet some of my blogger friends there. I mean, if it were just us two, we’d probably be done eating at 8 and be home by 9.
We started off with some sangria. I ordered the Fortress Sangria while Tim got the Sangria Blanco. If you’re visiting Sabor with a big group, I would suggesting getting sangrias by the carafe for Php 900, otherwise, order by the glass at Php 360.
That evening, I discovered that Sabor has some of the best tapas I’ve ever tasted. Here’s what we ordered:
VEGETARIAN
Selection of Cheese (P650)
with assorted crackers, sangria jelly, nuts, taggiasca olive, and radish
Mushroom Croquettes (P350)
an earthy combination of porcini, button, and portobello mushrooms, coupled with blue cheese dip topped with caramelized walnuts
Beetroot Arancini with Goat Cheese (P350)
creamy beetroot risotto balls stuffed with marinated beetroot from El Dorado Farm with goat cheese fondue
Among the three, my favorite is the Mushroom Croquettes. I’m always partial to anything with mushrooms though, so I’d still recommend trying the others. The Beetroot Arancini doesn’t sound as appealing, but it tastes pretty good. There’s only a hint of beetroot in there, as you can probably see in this dish’s pinkish hue. For the Selection of Cheese, I think it’s all pretty normal and self explanatory, except for the sangria jelly, which I’ve only encountered here at Sabor. It’s not something that’s to be shared though since it’s only a small piece, but personally, I still like my sangria in liquid form. Hehe.
SEAFOOD
Gambas Al Ajillo (P350)
Spanish-style sustainable shrimp sautéed in olive oil with garlic slivers, paprika, and chili, finished off with white wine topped with homegrown chopped parsley - served with tomato focaccia
Prawn Tempura (P350)
deep fried battered butterfly sustainable prawns, served with homemade tempura sauce
Homemade Smoked Salmon Roulade (P350)
roulade of homemade smoked salmon with dill, cream cheese, and sun dried tomatoes served with caper-mandarin sauce
For the seafood, I decided I’d skip the tempura and focus more on dishes I’ve yet to try, like their Smoked Salmon Roulade. It was AMAZING. Small teeny tiny bites of delicious smoked salmon, which of course, always always works well with cream cheese.
CHICKEN
Galician-Style Chicken Empanada (P350)
a Galician-style empanada stuffed with marinated chicken, Spanish paprika, roasted cumin, olives and peppers
Probably the best chicken empanada I’ve ever tried! The crust is surprisingly good, I definitely didn’t expect that. In fact, I didn’t expect much from this one but it turned out to be one of my favorites.
BEEF / PORK
Sautéed Chorizo in Red Wine (P350)
sautéed chorizo in red wine and sherry vinegar topped with chopped parsley, smoked paprika, and red onion, served with rosemary focaccia
Dinakdakan (P250)
boiled and grilled pork maskara with pork liver, mayonnaise, chilli, and seasonings, sprinkled with local calamansi
Quesadillas (P350)
slightly crisped cheesy treat filled with cheddar, provolone and ham, served with sour cream and avocado dip
Bitter Ballen / Dutch Meatballs (P350)
famous Dutch veal-based snack with chopped parsley, onion and spices, deep fried and served with mustard
Curry Sausage (P250)
pan fried minced pork sausage served with tomato curry sauce
If there are dishes worth mentioning here, it would be the Chorizo and Curry Sausages. These two made my night. My absolute absolute favorites! But if I have to pick just one, I would have to go with the Curry Sausage. I really, really, really loved the flavor of the curry sausage, especially that sauce!! I can imagine ordering a cup of rice next time and just mixing the entire thing together.
The Chorizo also stood out for me because of the sherry vinegar (anything with a hint of vinegar/citrus gets bonus points in my book) and the combination of the paprika, parsley, and red onion. The Bitter Ballen paired with mustard was really good too. I’m not sure if I liked it because of the mustard - without it, it would taste pretty plain, in my opinion.
They also have sweet tapas here - choose from Tiramisu, Cannoli Venetia, or Zeppoli.
Tiramisu The Classic Way (P250)
velvety rich layers of mascarpone, flavored with Amaretto and lady fingers dipped in coffee with a kick
It looks like a small serving of dessert, but let me tell you, this one’s good for 3-4 people. It’s a great way to end the meal, especially after a couple of glasses of wine and sangria. Haha. ;)
Sabor Bar de Vinos is easily accessible at Novotel Manila Araneta Center’s ground floor where you are set up for an intimate and relaxed vibe extending to its al fresco area for guests who’d like to enjoy fresh air to accompany their glass of wine.
By its name Sabor, derived from the Latin word sapor or sapōrem, which means flavor, reflects that the bar itself, much like its interiors, serve bold, enticing and sensual delights. Sabor Bar de Vinos is open from Tuesdays to Saturdays, 5PM to 2AM.
Discover more about Sabor Bar de Vinos on social media by using the #SABORtheMoment. For inquiries and reservations, please call (02) 990 7888 or email H7090@accor.com. More information about Novotel Manila Araneta Center, its facilities and services are available via www.novotel.com, www.accorhotels.com, or www.novotelmanilaaranetacenter.com.
