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Maria Crispy Can’t Cook

Welcome to a new series here on CheapEats.ie, where our friend Maria Crispy will be writing from the perspective of someone who doesn’t really cook.  Maria will be teaching herself to cook and blogging about how it goes, and also recommending takeaways and other options for the kitchen-phobic.
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Here on Cheapeats.ie, I am an anomoly of Star Trek proportions because, even if I were comfortable cooking, I work 12 hours a day so don’t have the time or the energy. I can cook – at least two dishes! – but it takes days and days of planning and anxiety and then in a throwing-money-at-the-problem fit of hysteria I end up spending way too much doing it. The usual solution? Frozen vegetables and soup.

SabaSometimes though, if it’s the weekend and I have someone over or I’m not in the mood either for the usual solution or to go out and my wonderful housemate’s not around to feed me, that leaves the normally miserable prospect of takeaway…and that’s where Saba in Rathmines comes in.

It’s not that it’s the cheapest takeaway in the world – probably it’s a little over the odds – but the quality is so good it’s like eating in a restaurant. Fabulous value I say, fabulous. Also they deliver wine and good desserts and to my house so in effect are also my dealer.

They do Thai and Vietnamese food: the last time I ordered I got the Gaeng Karee Fuktong, described as “aromatic yellow butternut squash curry with onions and potatoes” and it was nothing short of loveliness at €11.95.  Incidentally, they also have another butternut squash side dish which, for some reason, is not listed on their online menu, and it’s possibly the nicest thing I have ever had from a take-out.  It’s also sizable enough to work as a main course if you’re not feeling particularly ravenous.

On previous, more gluttonous, occasions, I’ve shared the hoisin duck and black pepper squid starters (€6.95 and €6.50 so a little steep but really good and obviously a lot more cost-effective when shared) and I’ve tried a couple of the wok dishes (these range from €11.50 vegetarian to €13.75 for prawn and, from my experience, are of predictably high quality).  Best of all though is the Saba brown and red rice, which I strongly recommend with pretty much anything, even though it will make your dinner 80 cent more expensive.

6 Comments

  1. I second everything here – we totally love Saba to go at our house, especially cos any of the main meals will easily stretch to two people and are delish! fully recommend the pad thai.

    Also love the idea of someone who is lazy at cooking, i need all the help i can get at easy cooking or even better takeaways.

  2. Yer thats a nice summary of what you can get at one takeaway.

  3. Maria – its like your me in this article – i love food have a great knowledge on the eating and buying of it but the idea of actually something fills me with enough fear that a therapist should be called in (or a big glass of wine – much better) – cant wait for the future developments on your blog… best of luck ill be behind you all the way – may some good cooking rub off me from this…

  4. Hi Maria. It is so nice to find your blog. I am Vietnamese and I am teaching Vietnamese and Asian cookery class in Limerick. Please contact me if you’d like to know how to cook Asian food. I’d love to share my passion for cooking and people with the same interest.

  5. Saba To Go are currently are currently offering two starters, two main courses, all for €25, Mon-Thurs

  6. Hmm is anyone else experiencing problems with the pictures on this blog loading?

    I’m trying to find out if its a problem on my end or if it’s the blog.
    Any feed-back would be greatly appreciated.