**** This location of Sab-E-Lee has closed
I've been wondering why I crave spicy foods when the mercury rises…… it's a strange thing. Eating spicy food can make you sweat, which I do more than my share of, inducing the body's cooling mechanisms. Or perhaps it's the endorphins released by capsaicin, creating that "chili -high"…. who knows. I do know that I crave certain spicy dishes when it heats up; Sichuan Hot Pot need not apply, but by all means bring on the Larb! Since Sab E Lee made our rotation, I've pretty much stopped taking photos. Really, how many Sab E Lee posts can one deal with.
However, on some recent visits, I managed to whip out the camera, so here goes. My brow is damp already…
I'm pretty sure regulars readers are just waiting to see a photos of Koi Soi/Koi Nua, the spicy raw beef salad that is probably my favorite dish at Sab E Lee. But I've decided to leave that out of this post….mainly because everyone knows Ilove the stuff, it's become kinda, well, predictable. So predictable that when some FOYs dropped by for some drinks and eats, they brought along… youguessed it Koi Soi from Sab E Lee. And not just one order, but two!
Speaking of predictable, I've long noticed that most of my photos, like this one of the excellent Catfish Larb ($6.95), all look the same. It's the eye from above look….
So here's a better shot, of the savory, salty, citrus-y, Catfish Larb. The flavors are pushed along by the roasted rice powder. There have been times when the catfish was less than stellar, but when it's on, the combination of textures is wonderful.
And of course, I just can't get away from that up from above shot, like in the case of the Bamboo Shoot Salad($6.95):
The savory fish sauce, when combined with the bright citrus flavor and crisp bamboo makes this a refreshing dish. The woodsy and mildly smoky flavor of the bamboo, I believe from the chemical para-cresol adds depth to the dish. When JohnL, a FOY (Friend of Yoso) had dinner with me one evening, he enjoyed this dish so much, went back for more the next day. Unfortunately, it was Monday, and Sab E Lee was closed. He had to wait an entire day for his fix.
I've covered our little dilemma of which beef salad to order before, but we still have the same problem. On some days, it's the Nahm Tok ($6.95):
Yes, yet another "bird's eye view". The Nahm Tok is a nice, savory, mildly sweet beef salad, the heat is slow burning, provided by dried chilies and chili paste. With nutty accents provided by the roasted rice powder. It is more suave and subtle (perhaps not the right term) than the Yum Nua, the Beef Salad ($6.95):
Fresh chilies, onions, and raw garlic give this dish some teeth! As you see, on occasion, the addition of Thai Eggplant adds a mild astringency, though it is nowhere near as bitter as Lao versions of this dish. It is upfront, in your face, and plain delicious.
And of course, you'll need an "eye in the sky" shot, right?
In the end, though my photos may be, as the Missus calls it, "boring and predictable" (I call it consistent), what Sab E Lee puts out on a daily basis is definitely not boring……
Here's a few other photos, just because:
The Salted Fish Fried rice….sooo good, but politically incorrect, don't take it back to the office with you.
Chicken with Spicy Mint Leaves:
Hope everyone had a great Monday….. I gotta go practice some new camera angles!
Sab-E-Lee Restaurant
2405 Ulric St
San Diego, CA 92111