How many restaurants that have been open for over eight years can claim to have a queue of people waiting outside for them to open on a weekday lunchtime? Sabor is part of this elite club. Securing a booking at the venue is still difficult. And for good reason. Chef Nieves Barragán and her team make the best suckling pig in London.
Every diner probably has their Proustian food moment. Your reviewer still remembers his first visit to Sabor and just how phenomenal the restaurant’s suckling pig tasted. This time it was just as good. What’s the secret? Perhaps it’s in the authentic Segovian preparation. The beast (diners can order a whole half or quarter pig depending on their appetite and group size) features incredibly crispy wafer-thin ski and intensely moist, succulent meat. It is slow-cooked in a traditional wood-fired oven and carved tableside on a plate to showcase the texture. A savoury, light gravy accompanies it. Writing those sentences is enough to make one’s mouth water all over again.
Rewind. There’s a lot more to Sabor than its suckling pig. Downstairs is a more informal dining area where countertop dining is available. Guests have the option to ascend to El Asador (the grill room) for a more expansive experience. Look around at the décor on either floor, and it’s almost possible to believe you’re in Spain. Plaudits to the aesthetics, but then JKS (of nearby Ambassadors Clubhouse fame and many more top venues) is behind Sabor.
Beyond pig, there are lamb and cow mains. Before, there is also an impressive range of tapas options, some half dozen permanent features and a similar number of daily changing specials. We loved the Galician empanada and the morcilla (black pudding) especially. Final plaudits to the wine list: detailed, with a good focus on emerging regions such as Priorat.
In summary, Sabor must rank among the best Spanish places in London. Long may it endure.