I believe it was the great American thinker, Cher, who postulated, "do you believe in life after love" and I had to consider the same conundrum when it came to trying Sabor Taqueria & Tequila Bar on Harmony of the Seas following a recent menu change.
Ever since the Sabor specialty restaurant debuted on Navigator of the Seas in 2014, I fell in love with the whole menu, but the tuna crudo tacos held a special place in my heart. They were as flavorful, and my go-to order each and every time I dined at Sabor.
However, with the recent menu change the tuna tacos were removed and I began to wonder if the food at Sabor would be able to stack up with my previous experiences. On our recent Harmony of the Seas sailing, I had to investigate the new menu change and determine if anything could fill the void in my heart that the tuna tacos once occupied.
Atmosphere
While the Sabor menu and pricing has changed, the look of Sabor remains intact. Sabor is located in the Boardwalk neighborhood and encompasses a large area, with ample indoor and outdoor seating. The restaurant is open air, although there is some air conditioning blowing on guests inside, there are no walls to contain it. The restaurant is safe from rain (unless it is really blowing in sideways), but the temperature and wind can still be felt.
Sabor is imbued with bright colors, primarily blue, magenta and yellow. Sabor has that feel of a Mexican restaurant, but without the over the top common motifs. After all, Sabor is meant to be more a more modern take on Mexican cuisine.
Much of the seating in Sabor is at standard tables of varying sizes, but there are booths along the back wall as well.
Unlike Oasis of the Seas or Allure of the Seas, the Sabor bar is attached to the main restaurant, and offers additional seating on the left side of the restaurant.
Most guests opt to grab a beer or cocktail from the bar, but you can also order off the menu.
Eats
As I mentioned, Sabor changed from an a la carte menu to a cover charge menu earlier this year on Oasis class ships, which mirror the pricing found on Voyager and Freedom class ships. With the pricing change came a new menu, with some items removed from the old menu, others added and most of the menu remaining the same. I would estimate half the menu contains the same items as before, but the other half has seen items swapped it out in some manner.
Many Sabor fans relished the margarita menu for the creative and extremely tasty beverages offered. I am pleased to report the margarita menu has not changed at all, and guests can continue to order their favorites. The avocado and Sabor Grand margaritas are my wife's and my favorite drinks, but I encourage you to try them all, especially if you have the deluxe beverage package that includes them.
The new Sabor menu on Harmony of the Seas has a lot to offer, and with your cover charge, you are at liberty to order as much as you like. We have met no resistance in ordering multiple entrees, appetizers or anything else on the menu. With larger groups (more than 4 people), your best bet is to order a lot and share. Much of the menu comes in a very shareable manner.
No meal at Sabor is complete without a bowl of handmade guacamole. Sabor's reputation has been built on its guacamole, and while the guacamole is no longer crafted at your table (health regulations emerged last year that curbed that practice), your server will still ask you how you like it and prepare it in the kitchen. Our favorite is medium spice, extra lime juice.
Suffice to say, the guacamole is still exceptional and the pico de gallo salsa is especially good. The only downside is all too often I fill up on this stuff before my food arrives.
Moving onto the appetizers, you will find some good starters offered. The menu refers to them as "small plates" and it is appropriately named, as these are great for sharing and wont fill anyone up on their own.
The red snapper ceviche is a light starter that goes great with the chips they serve at your table, or just enjoy on your fork.
The spicy beef empanadas are terrific. The flaky crust they are baked in is lovely, and it has just the right amount of "kick" to set the tone for the meal.
Many of our readers swear by the chicken-stuffed jalapeños wrapped in bacon, and while we did not order them, we would be remiss if we did not mention them as something to try if you are a bacon lover.
Moving onto the tacos, it was time to find a new love. The tuna tacos are no longer available on the Sabor menu on Harmony of the Seas, but there is still a fish taco option in the grilled cobia. Over the course of my cruise, I decided to employ the Love Connection methodology and try out three different tacos: the shredded beef short rib tacos, the spicy chicken tacos and the grilled cobia tacos.
Shredded beef tacos
Spicy chicken tacos
Grtilled cobia tacos
Another change to the tacos from the old menu is the tacos are now build your own. This means you are served the protein of your taco in a bowl that you can fill your soft tortillas with, along with an assortment of toppings, such as lettuce, salsa and sauces. Be sure to save some guacamole for this part of the meal to use that too (or just ask your server for some more if you lack the ability to not eat every last ounce of guac in your bowl).
I was not too sure about the build your own tacos, but I ended up really enjoying the idea. I am the kind of person that goes into "mad scientist" mode when it comes to crafting my own food, and I loved lopping on as much as I can into my tacos before eating them. Granted, my tacos probably ended up looking more like burritos, but making them was half the fun.
The grilled cobia tacos ended up being my favorite of the three I tried, and I suppose it shows I am truly a fish taco lover at heart. The spicy chicken was also quite good, and a close second.
In addition to tacos, there are a few quesadillas to try.
My advice is take the quesadillas and top them off with guacamole, salsa and anything else on your table to essentially make them into Mexican pizzas. Regardless of how you eat them, they are really good and flowing with melted cheese.
If there is one area of the Sabor menu I never bother with anymore, it is the sides. I have never found them particularly compelling, but perhaps you will find them to be different. The new menu features a grilled corn on the cob option, so if you have tried that, feel free to share your thoughts in the comments.
By far the most under appreciated aspect of Sabor's menu are the desserts. No meal is complete without a few, and you should save room for them, even if that means turning down another serving of guacamole.
If you are new to Sabor, order them all and sample them.
Our favorites are the banana and chocolate chimichanga and café con leche.
Overall
Looking at the new Sabor menu and pricing, I really enjoyed the new offering. As a repeat cruiser, getting some new choices on the menu is a welcome change and I found the menu to remain true to what made Sabor so wonderful all these years.
It seems the biggest issue some folks have with the new menu is not the food, but the pricing. There are a number of vocal guests that enjoyed Sabor, but preferred the a la carte pricing structure so that they could drop in for quick bites to eat at a cheaper price than the all-inclusive model. I cannot deny the virtue of that concept. Frankly, I do not mind the cover charge pricing, perhaps because I first tried Sabor on Royal Caribbean ships that had a cover charge so I was indoctrinated into that concept early on. For those that refuse to pay a cover charge, you can still grab some guacamole and chips during happy hour.
For the cost, I feel guests can get a lot of value out of the meal. Sabor is still among the least expensive specialty restaurants on Harmony of the Seas, and I cannot complain I have ever left Sabor hungry. Moreover, the strength of the appetizers and guacamole make for a compelling dining experience.
Cost: The price for Sabor on Harmony of the Seas is $19 per guest for lunch and dinner.
