How a popular Edmonton tapas restaurant found a new home in Calgary
When news travelled that one of Edmonton’s most popular restaurants would be opening its first Calgary location, it was met with excitement by many.
Bodega by Sabor, a Spanish-style tapas bar, was opened by co-owners Christian Mena and Adelino Oliveira, the duo behind the beloved Sabor restaurant. After opening several locations across YEG over the years, the restaurant has finally found a home in Calgary.
Starting up
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Mena and Oliveira opened their flagship Edmonton restaurant, Sabor, in 2008. Speaking to Dished, the pair said at the time that the thought of expanding across Alberta hadn’t even crossed their minds; they were just focused on the restaurant surviving, especially in the wake of a global recession.
However, Oliveira, who also serves as Bodega’s executive chef, added that the slow start to the restaurant actually helped with its overall success and longevity, giving them the time to refine and learn what the community wanted.
“That, being a slower time for us, gave us the opportunity to correct, to learn the service that people wanted, the food that people wanted, and we managed to mould into that without jeopardizing any integrity. It helped to bend a little bit, enough to make it successful,” he explained.
Once Sabor was established in the Edmonton food scene, the pair opened their first Bodega, a Spanish-influenced tapas bar, attached to the original Sabor location. As its popularity grew, Mena and Oliveira were able to secure more outposts, now operating seven across Edmonton and the surrounding area.
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Bodega in Calgary
According to Mena, the idea of opening a Calgary location was driven by fans in the city, many of whom would eat at the Edmonton restaurants whenever they were in town.
“The people who like our restaurants here in Calgary, they’re the ones who planted the seed in our brain,” he said.
After years of pleading, Calgarians’ prayers were answered when Bodega by Sabor finally opened in June, setting up shop in the Mission neighbourhood. Oliveira said that while they had been looking for space for some time, it was essential to find the right spot before introducing the brand to a new city.
Finally, they hit the jackpot when they found a location at 2204 4th St. SW. The space, which was previously home to Bincho Sushi and Izakaya, felt right from the second they walked in, Oliveira said.
“The building itself is very attractive, and the location. I don’t think we could have found better.”
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As soon as the space was secured, Mena and Oliveira got to work, taking a hands-on approach to building it out, something that has become a passion project for the two of them over the years. They carried out a lot of the work themselves, from painting the premises to securing the decor.
While they wanted to ensure the Calgary location was unique, one Bodega signature that was important to have was its signature white wall, covered in artifacts, adding a personal touch to the space.
“We go out and we curate those artifacts and collect them from the marketplace, from Value Village, you name it,” Mena explained.
“People are donating them to us now. We have pieces that people have actually bought that mean something to them, but they’d rather see it on a wall than put in a box,” Oliveira added.
What to expect
Serving up an extensive menu of both tapas and larger plates, Bodega prides itself on bringing the Spanish tradition of enjoying good wine and food, as well as sampling flavours from Chef Lino’s Portuguese heritage.
“It’s a very big menu. We have things from grilled to fried to braised. We try to do a bit of everything to please everyone, instead of having a small menu that changes,” Oliveira explained.
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While the menu is extensive, with everything from Spanish-style croquettes, salt cod fritters, cheeses and charcuteria, he added that some of the simplest dishes are the ones that resonate with diners.
“The most simple ones are the ones that people always come back for. Our bacon-wrapped dates have become a monster success,” he said.
The dish started as an offering at the Taste of Edmonton festival a few years ago, and while the team pre-wrapped 50,000 dates in advance, they sold out within two days. Following their success, they were added to the Bodega menu.
Other signatures include its piri-piri prawns, lobster risotto, and enormous pans of paella loaded with meat and seafood, all of which have been a hit with its customers over the years.
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No visit to Bodega by Sabor would be complete without its Sangria, the classic Spanish drink complete with wine, juice, triple sec and brandy. But as to what makes Bodega’s sangria so special, we’ll never know.
“We have one secret ingredient in our sangria […] but it makes our sangria spectacular,” Mena teased.
Regardless, if you’re looking for a taste of Spain and Portugal this summer, Bodega by Sabor may just be the place to visit.
Bodega by Sabor
Address: 2204 4th St. SW, Calgary
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