Establishments that specialize in Thai cuisine are not difficult to come across in San Diego. The appeal in dining at The Original Sab-E-Lee, therefore, does not exclusively lie in its exquisite food, but also in its comfortable environment.
Prospective diners can expect to find a relatively small and unassuming restaurant when
visiting the Linda Vista location. The establishment is often brimming with eager guests and regularly generates a group of patrons waiting outside its doors.
In reality, the charm of Sab-E-Lee lies in its friendly staff. The establishment’s humble environment allows customers to appreciate the company of their companions and the quality of their food, rather than becoming preoccupied with the decor. Furthermore, limited seating does not hinder the restaurant from serving diners in a timely fashion, nor does it create a setting where customers are pressed to eat rapidly. Employees warmly interact with customers, readily assisting them in selecting a meal if they inquire.
Sab-E-Lee’s menu is just as satisfying as the ambience it creates. It’s extensive menu includes appetizers, soups, salads, curries, rice and noodle dishes and desserts. Items from the rice, noodle and curry portions of the menu are all offered to be made with meat, vegetables, or tofu, and are served at an affordable price.
The restaurant’s soups are some of its richest menu items, though it’s challenging to pick just a few to highlight. The Tom Yum Soup includes mushroom, lemongrass, and lime juice with a choice of meat, tofu, or vegetables, steeped in a hot and sour broth. The dish truly sits well on a chilly day, warming the body thoroughly with its flavorful broth. The Tom Ka Soup has a similarly intense savory essence with its coconut broth base.
Patrons who do not eat meat will be happy to learn that vegetables are not an after-thought in Sab-E-Lee’s dishes. Curries, each with a flavor of their own, include considerably-sized vegetables, and may be ordered alongside a bed of white rice. The Panang Curry is arguably the most savory offered, while the Yellow Curry is much more mild. Each serving size is adequate for two customers.
Sab-E-Lee’s noodle dishes can not be excluded from the dining experience; their Pad Thai includes rice noodles served with ground peanuts, egg, and bean sprouts. While other Thai establishments may create a soupy consistency to this common Thai dish, drenching the noodles in sweet sauce, Sab-E-Lee serves noodles that are lighter, having retained a deeper flavor of the sauces. The restaurant’s Drunken Noodles are equally palatable, serving flat rice noodles with Chinese broccoli and eggs.
Diners will be happy to note that there are two additional locations of Sab-E-Lee in Rancho Peñasquitos and Santee. Additionally, in the near future expansion efforts will result in the restaurant’s shift from the original Linda Vista Ulric Street location to a larger building less than a mile away. Certainly, this will only increase the amount of customers Sab-E-Lee will be able to accommodate, while not forsaking the care that is manifested in its dining experience.
