Last Friday night, for my
nineteenth birthday, I was graciously treated to dinner at Saba-restaurant. I
was expecting the restaurant to be packed, like many other restaurants in the
area at seven o’clock on a Friday night. Saba was surprisingly empty, given its
unquestionably stellar reputation among Emory students for its affordable
prices, high quality food, and convenient location. There were only a few
people in Saba, which created a pleasantly patient and personal atmosphere.
Anytime I go to a restaurant, I
prefer to select risky appetizers—something that I have never tried before.
This leaves the uncertainty of whether or not I will actually enjoy the food. Optimally,
the selection leads to the discovery of new and delicious flavors. Furthermore, I find that the anticipation of blindly trusting the chef’s expertise can be equally as
thrilling.
When I glanced over the menu, many
of the appetizers were familiar, an assortment of salads, hummus, meatball sliders,
bruschetta, and fries. Nevertheless, what stood out over the others was the
honey ricotta with pecans, prosciutto and sliced apple. The pecans and sliced
apple combination of taste was familiar to me. But, I had an urge to discover how
it would taste alongside ricotta, prosciutto and honey.
 |
| Honey ricotta with pecans, prosciutto, and sliced apple. |
When the appetizer came, I was dazzled by both the presentation
and the quality. The plate was covered with a thin layer of prosciutto, which
made it easy to cut and chew. The ricotta cheese was presented like an
ice-cream scoop, which created a dessert like appearance, especially when the
crunchy pecans were chopped and scattered across the dish. Sliced apples were
used to separate the bites or ricotta and to set the foundation for the dish.
The honey was drizzled in an unorganized but evenly distributed layer.
Nevertheless,
the appetizer was as delicious as it appeared. The ricotta was fluffy, and
complimented the faint taste and texture of the prosciutto. The apples and
pecans gave the dish a crunchy and fruitful taste. The honey was able to bring
the whole dish together, similar to how caramel holds together a sundae.
Overall, I wasn’t sure if this was a better appetizer or a distinctive healthy
dessert. But nevertheless, it served as an excellent spectacle and it quenched
my desire for both discovery and exploration.
