How to get in: I am really excited to write this post! San Sabino is the new sister restaurant to Don Angie, located on the same block in the middle of my favorite area – the West Village. If you know anything about Don Angie, you know reservations are nearly impossible to get, and San Sabino is no different. If you go on Resy, you will see that there are no reservations available at all. Don’t let this deter you though. They release their reservations 7 days in advance at 9am and, if you are quick, you might be able to snatch a table. I managed to get a table for 2 people at 5pm, but the easiest option is to walk in. They save their bar seats for walk-ins and when we got there on Monday, there were not many people there so I think walking in when they open is definitely the best move.
Vibe and drinks: The inside of San Sabino is just beautiful! It is very airy and bright with a modern feel. The place itself is small and there is only one dining area with a bar, which makes it feel intimate. For drinks, I ordered the Scottie’s Martini and the Benny. The martini was out of this world! It was garlic bread vodka (!), spicy brine and huge olives stuffed with cheese. I’m definitely a huge dirty martini girl, but this took it to another level. It was garlicky, pickle-y, savory and perfect. The Benny was a spicy margarita with prickly pear and Italian Bergamot. I thought the flavors of this drink were great but in my opinion it was a bit too sweet.
Food: For our appetizers, we ordered the Crab & Mortadella Dip and the Cheesy Frittelle. The crab and mortadella dip was made with pistachios and dill, served with some Ritz crackers and chili jam. I was so pleasantly surprised by this dish. The dip was so fresh and flavorful especially with the dill. Adding it on top of the crackers and a little bit of their delicious chili jam was just the ideal flavor combination. Next, the cheesy frittelle were probably one of my favorite bites. It came with three big, crispy raviolis, stuffed with cheese and topped with orange blossom honey, saffron, pepper and plenty of fresh parm. I loved the different textures of the crunchy outside and the warm and gooey cheesy inside. To top it off, the orange honey added a subtle sweet taste that balanced out the pepper. Sooo good!
We went a little crazy and ordered three main courses: the Stuffed Farfalle, Lobster Triangoli and Shrimp Parm. The farfalle were stuffed with smoked chili crab and topped with tobiko (fish roe) in a foam-y buttermilk sauce. I really enjoyed this pasta, but it was probably my least favorite of the three. I thought the sweet sauce paired nicely with the smokiness of the crab, however the tobiko didn’t really add much to the dish and I just wish there was another flavor. The lobster triangoli are a whole different story! Four big ravioli-like pastas stuffed with lobster, in a white vodka sauce with black garlic and lots of pepper. If you’ve been reading my posts, you know I’m a HUGE vodka sauce girly and this one did not disappoint. I don’t even know how they made white vodka sauce, but it was creamy, peppery and delicious. The pasta itself was also cooked perfectly and the lobster was nice and tender. Lastly, the shrimp parm was such a unique dish, in a sweet and sour arrabbiata sauce, with melty mozzarella and plenty of fresh basil. I loved the tangy and spicy sauce and how different the texture of the breaded shrimps were versus the chicken parm that I am used to.
Somehow, we managed to fit dessert into our super-full bellies. We ordered the Caramelized Crespelle which were mini crepes with key lime and rum crema. Another amazing dish! The crepes were crispy and caramelized on the outside and so fresh and citrusy inside. It wasn’t too heavy, which was perfect after all the pastas we ate!
Overall: San Sabino is a great place to come for a fun, creative, seafood/Italian meal. I’ve never had such interesting dishes and I will definitely be back to try out more things on the menu! Come at 5pm if you can and secure a table at the bar, have some fun drinks and food and just enjoy the vibe!
Must-orders: Cheesy Frittelle, Lobster Triangoli, Shrimp Parm, Caramelized Crespelle and Scottie’s Martini
That Shrimp Parm is calling my name 😍