 SABATINO'S NORTH 14 E. Broadway, Derry 432-7999
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Arriving at 6:30, we didn’t expect a wait, but wait we did — an estimated 30 minutes before we could be seated. The restaurant isn’t very big, but a full house that early on a weeknight says a lot.
Sabatino’s North is owned by Joey Sabatino, the son of the owner of the old Sabatino’s in Boston’s North End, and Lori Sutera. The New Hampshire restaurant opened this year after the North End original shut down after several decades. In talking to the staff, we were told much of the staff had worked for both the younger and elder Sabatino and most came from the old Boston location.
The North of Boston version of the restaurant is small but airy. The space is long rather than wide, stretching out from the front door on East Broadway toward the back of the old building, reminiscent of a classic city restaurant – like in Boston’s North End. The décor is clean, modern and comfortable. There’s a nice bar and a small seating area to wait in with a couple of chairs and a couch. Get there early, however: the space fills up quickly.
Once we did get seated – in less than the predicted 30 minutes – we were put at a table for two all the way in the back next to the kitchen door. It was a bit close to the kitchen for my taste, but, to be honest, the restaurant is small enough that anything in the back isn’t very far from the door to the kitchen. Hey, someone had to sit at that table; enjoyable conversation over a nice glass of wine made the staff’s comings and goings through the swinging door much less noticeable.
But on to the food: Sabatino’s menu offers a little something for everyone – both the unique and the Italian classics you’d expect from an authentic North End restaurant.
My dining companion started his meal with the stuffed mushrooms ($7). With a standard stuffing they were not out of the ordinary, but they were very tasty nevertheless. They were moist and the mushroom caps well cooked, not like the dry, overstuffed versions you get in some restaurants.
I couldn’t resist the scampi Gran Marnier ($12) and it turned out to be a good choice. The shrimp were very large and perfectly cooked, dipped in a light egg batter and swimming in a tangy and sweet orange sauce. The dish was so delicious it made me wish I had ordered the dinner portion.
My dining companion did order the Gran Marnier for his main course – but with veal instead of shrimp ($20). It was another excellent choice. It’s a unique offering. Like the shrimp, the veal was nicely breaded and extremely tender. The flavor of the Gran Marnier brought a pleasant and unique taste to the mild veal.
 A table for two set at Sabatino's North, featuring shrimp scampi (foreground) and chicken marsala. (KATE HARPER photos) |
Finally we came to dessert: My companion ordered the chocolate tartuffo, a chocolate ice-cream ball enrobed in dark chocolate. The inside was frozen to the point of being tough to cut into, but with a little effort, one is rewarded with a sweet and tasty end to dinner.
I opted for the tiramisu, one of two homemade desserts that were offered that evening. Tiramisu is offered in many places but exceptional in only a few. Sabatino’s turned out to be among the few. The biscuits or cookies that serve as the base were soaked in just the right amount of rum and layered with a custard filling that is to die for. Highly recommended.
Our service was excellent, although a bit slow at some points. That was understandable under the circumstances: With the restaurant full and people lined up at the door, our waitress was out straight.
Adding it all up: The restaurant is comfortable, the service good, the food outstanding. We’d say that Sabatino’s is well worth the trip; in fact, we’d say it’s worth a special trip. Once there, take your time, have a glass of wine and finisci di mangiare! We guarantee you’ll come back. We know we will.
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