Ok so obviously I've been MIA...but after graduation and taking the NCLEX, it's been a blur moving back from Vegas to San Diego and the blog unfortunately fell to the wayside. I wasn't sure I'd even come back to it but now that I'm in the middle of the job hunt I've found a few minutes to update and even though I might have lost all my readers, I just can't help but find the joy in talking about food I love!
So without further delay, this post is about my favorite San Diego spot, Sab-e-lee, a tiny little Northern-style Thai food spot in the Linda Vista area that really brings the heat. The ironic thing about this place is that despite the high yelp ratings, I was never really motivated until a local blogger talked it up soo much. Boy was I glad I listened because this place is not only a favorite, but I'm a consistent regular and I have yet to be disappointed.
This is actually the dish that drew me in, spicy raw beef. I know what you're thinking, raw beef? If you're feeling brave and are into the unusual, this is your dish. A mixture of good quality raw beef, Thai spices, green and purple onions with mint and garlic slices. With the strong seasoning, you lose the iron-like flavor of the beef. You then get the strong flavors of the other ingredients that just blends to make a tremendous mix of flavor and texture. A notable seasoning for the beef is the rice powder which adds a little bit of a harder crunch which actually adds to the complexity of the dish. Obviously this dish is spicy, and being able to order on a scale of 1-10, the masochist I am, I can't help but order a 10 every time. The spice is from a blend of Thai chilis and lime juice that will make you cry in your chair, in the best of ways! This dish is definitely not common in most Thai restaurants and this definitely ranks high on my all time favorites list.
Through my various trips to Sab-e-lee, I discovered this little gem called Nam Sod. This has literally become my favorite dish, I find myself having a hard time trying the rest of the menu because I just HAVE to order this. Nam Sod is a preparation of ground beef, raw sliced ginger, purple onions, cilantro, Thai spices, pork belly and peanuts. These ingredients are all mixed with a spicy lime juice and served as a salad although I have no problem throwing it down on some rice. This is just the epitome of the flavors that Thai food is all about. A little sweet, salty and sour, spiced up with chilis. Not only is there a great contrast of flavors but the bite of fresh ginger and crunchy peanuts add great contrast to the dish I can't get enough of. The most unique part about getting the dish here at Sab-e-lee is the pork belly. Those translucent slices you see in the picture are actually the pork belly themselves, probably steamed or boiled then sliced thin. This is more of a gelatinous texture but with the rest of the ingredients just adds depth of flavor and just another welcomed contrast in texture. Again, I order this at a 10 and the mix of flavors have proved to be a perfect vehicle for the chilis and it really does burn. I've ordered this dish in several restaurants, nothing comes close to what Sab-e-lee offers.
A few notes on this place:
Take the spice scale seriously, I go with a 10 knowing it burns so good, but for those not soo inclined, start low! The spice also depends on the season of the chilis and if they are in season they are even hotter, kind of adds to the intrigue every time I order. The restaurant itself is actually very small, seats around 20 more or less so plan accordingly. A lot of the dishes are catered to Northern-Thai specialties so it's kind of cool to get past the pad thai and panang and order something a lot different than usual. And finally, one of the best things about this place is that the dishes range from about $5.95-8.95, hardly breaking the bank but definitely fills you up!
Original Sab-E-Lee
2405 Ulric St
San Diego, CA 92111
(858) 650-6868
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