Decadent Desserts and Tasty Treats Galore
Local couple Renata and Fernando Antao have delighted visitors (and a good many locals) for over ten years with their decadent desserts and tasty treats straight from the kitchens of Sabor Dessert Bar.
This month we caught up with one half of the dynamic duo to find out how the business has grown and what visitors can expect when they visit.
What is your connection with the Hunter Valley, and how long have you been here?
Renata and I always loved coming up to the Hunter Valley for our getaways when we lived in Sydney. We'd visit at least four or five times a year and always felt sad when we had to return home. Then, during one visit, just over ten years ago, we had the crazy idea of "why don't we move up here?"
For those who've never been to Sabor in the Hunter Dessert Bar, what can they expect to find?
Well, when you first walk in, you are greeted by the smell of coffee being made and one of the best views in the Valley through our 5-metre high glass wall facing the vines below and the mountain ranges in the background. Then as you turn around to face the counter, you see our dessert cabinets filled to the brim with over 40 different desserts from which to choose, with another 20 or so on a menu for you to choose from. All are made individually and can be paired with a Hunter Valley wine if you choose. Something for everyone.
Sabor in the Hunter is known for its out of this world desserts – how have you kept your passion for creating for as long as you have?
We have such a huge range of desserts, so that alone keeps us on our toes most of the time. We have desserts which we've had from day one as they've always been favourites of visitors and locals alike. We also have desserts that come and go with the seasons, and then we have desserts that move with the times and trends, and this is where our passion thrives. We often travel overseas for inspiration of flavours, colours and shapes. We believe that all the senses should be tickled when it comes to dessert.
How many desserts are on your menu?
We have over 60 desserts to choose from at Sabor. From your traditional desserts like Lemon Meringue, Apple and Raspberry Crumble or Caramel Cheesecake to our more extravagant and original desserts like our Green Apple Royale, Lychee and Summer Berry Cheesecake or Biscoff Bonanza. We also have our wow desserts like our flaming Choc Caramel Brownie and the What the Fudge! giant ice cream sundae.
What is the most popular dessert on your menu?
We have a few popular desserts for different reasons. Our Green Apple Royale and Chocolate Mousse Crown desserts are very popular, firstly because of their appearance and then for the flavour. Our Lemon Curd Meringue and Passionfruit Meringues are also popular as they have a special marshmallow meringue on top.
What are your favourite ingredients to create delicious desserts with?
I suppose our favourite ingredient is the newest one we are experimenting with. Of late, we've loved working with Biscoff quite a bit - it's a caramel and cinnamon flavour and comes in a biscuit or a spread form. We love working with chocolate, too, white, milk and dark alike. We also love playing with different glazes to cover our desserts in.
What would you consider your 'signature' dessert?
We would have to say our Lychee and Summer Berry Cheesecake would have to be our signature dessert. It's the dessert we get asked most about. And because it was so popular, we had to make sure it was gluten-free. It also pairs beautifully with Savannah Estates Botrytis Semillon.
Can we expect anything special for Easter? What about Mother's Day?
We'll definitely have our signature Easter Egg dessert for Easter this year. It's a chocolate and honeycomb eggshell filled with a choc chip dark chocolate and raspberry mousse, topped with a nest of toasted coconut and speckled candied eggs sitting on a bed of green chocolate soil. We are still working on our Mother's Day dessert for this year, but rest assured it will be worth waiting for!
