Munchin’ with Mark
‘Sabuddy’ proves Mideastern cuisine can thrive here, tooBy M.V. Moorhead
How many restaurants are there in Tempe or Chandler where you can find both hummus and schnitzel on the menu? Probably only one—Sabuddy Israeli Restaurant.
And it’s not to be missed. Appropriately reflecting the cuisines of the Middle East and Europe, which have contributed to contemporary Israeli culture, Sabuddy (the name, reportedly, is a common Asian greeting) serves up a triple threat—delectable food, super-friendly service and very tolerable prices.
The free-standing building, which shares its parking lot with a strip mall at the southeast corner of University and Hardy, offers both indoor and outdoor seating.
Both are pleasant; the clean interior is sunny, and decorated with a selection of peculiar but cheerful paintings.
The servers are outgoing and enthusiastic, and the crowd of college kids and refuge-seeking business types is lively but not obnoxious.
Now, to the menu: We’ve established that both hummus and schnitzel appear on it, but it should also be said that both dishes are well worth trying.
The smooth yet substantial hummus, available in large or small orders with piping-hot pita alongside, can make a quick meal in itself and is also a superb side dish for anything else on the menu.
The pricier schnitzel—it’s in the $8 dollar range, high for Sabuddy—is a thick, juicy chicken breast, breaded and batter-fried, served, as are the other larger entrees, over rice, with savory stewed veggies, a fresh Israeli-style salad, and the inevitable pita. It’s a good choice for a hearty, dinnertime appetite.
Not that anything you order is going to leave you hungry.
For those craving Middle Eastern fare, the falafel dinner, featuring the crusty fried chick-pea spheres with salad and a choice of side, is highly recommended.
The combination platter—falafel, salad and two sides—is even better, though the choice between the tabbouleh, the baba ghanoush and a splendid Mediterranean-style eggplant puree isn’t easy. My favorite of the side dishes, though—probably my favorite dish at the place, period—hearkens back to the Eastern-European side of the menu: the glorious Russian Potato Salad, packed with fresh peas, carrots, eggs and tangy mayo.
I find I can’t do without it, whatever else I order at Sabuddy.
Those with Eastern-European tastes should also pay close attention to the daily specials, which often include such delights as goulash and beef stew.
Even these treats, however, always have a nod to the Middle East—the sauces are lighter, more fitting to our own desert climate.
And if you can’t wait until Thanksgiving for a taste of our own continent’s noble pioneer bird, then Sabuddy’s shishlik is an excellent choice for lunch.
Available either as a pita sandwich or a platter, it’s a tasty grilled turkey shish-kabob, served with a wonderful light cream sauce on the side, and a salad pepped up with pickled beets.
Turkey on an Israeli restaurant’s menu, I hear you wondering?
Well, presumably it just reflects one more cultural influence. In any case, it’s delicious.
Getting there: Sabuddy, 825 W. University Drive, Tempe. Phone (480) 894-8387.