Sabor is a marvel that lives right here in Edmonton;  “classy with a family feel”.   It is listed as one of the top 100 restaurants in Canada for the “Open Table” reservation app.

Located near the Boardwalk in downtown Edmonton, Sabor is run by Chef Lino and his childhood friend Christian.  Chef Lino is very passionate about what he does, and influenced by growing up in Portugal.  Christian is the showboat of this partnership, and can sometimes be seen singing for the guests in the restaurant.  It is a treat, he has a lovely voice!

The food at Sabor “features the flavours of Iberian coastal cuisine using sustainable seafood—served alongside the passion and energy of live music with a Latin flare”.

The vibe can be casual or dressy.  There are always both when we go.

The live music is on Wednesday thru Saturday.  There is a grand piano or a musician of some sort to serenade you and your sweetheart during dinner.  Pro tip:  bring cash to tip the musicians.

You don’t need to be a seafood lover to visit Sabor, but it certainly helps!  Iberian coastal cuisine features a lot of seafood.  What is different about Sabor though, is that they use Oceanwise sustainable seafood.  This means that they are using seafood that is in season and not at risk of being extinct.  It was actually quite interesting to learn about, and I now ask before I order at other restaurants.

There are daily lunch specials listed on the website.  They are very good about keeping everything updated.  I would highly recommend phoning ahead and finding out what the “Family Style” dinner is that night.  It is a daily 3 course menu which is awesome to make into a date night with your sweetheart.  This is what my husband and I did for our last anniversary and it was awesome!  The price-tag is $55 per person, but worth every penny and you are not walking away hungry!

The “Family Style” meal is served exactly like you would have it at home.  The food comes out on a serving plate and you help yourself.  It really does make it feel like a more intimate meal than having it come out plated.  I love this about Sabor.

The food is amazing!  I am from the West Coast, so I am used to fresh seafood.   Sabor does not disappoint. The seafood is fresh and cooked to perfection.  It can be difficult to cook scallops, calamari and prawns.  A lot of restaurants tend to overcook and make them rubbery, which turns a lot of people off those particular items.  Chef Lino and his team only turn out perfection.  The Piri Piri Prawns and the Lobster Risotto were favourites at our table.

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The beverage list is equally amazing.  The “Chocolan” house wines are really good to this “not wine” palate.  Your servers are all very knowledgeable about what pairs well with what you are eating, so if you don’t know, just ask and they will give you some great options.

Let’s take a moment and talk about the service.  Our server the last time we went was named Darren,  he was amazing.  When he found out it was our anniversary, he went above and beyond.  He brought out a Triple Chocolate Slab on the house complete with sparklers, AND he took photos of us on our phones.  All of the servers at Sabor are attentive, taking care of every little detail and making you feel at home.

Sabor is on my “Special Occasion” favourites list.  If you have a special someone and you want to surprise them with a romantic date night, this is the place!

For more information, please give the website a look: http://www.sabor.ca

All of the menus and daily specials are online.