Gird Your Loins: Sa Za's Outstanding

Justin Gaines

Something is amiss with Urban Spoon-Montgomery.  Mimerton, home from Ole Miss, wanted to try Sa-Za's for dinner Saturday night. Being an avid Urban Spooner, I checked it out and saw three "awful"/"terrible"/"disgusting" reviews of Sa-Zas posted this month (March 2010) and tried to talk her out of going there.  Thankfully, she was determined so, along with Toadpot and Tayteese, we made reservations, girded our loins and proceeded down to Gumptown and Sa-Za's Serious Italian Food. We were, simply said, blown away and now skeptical about the motives behind the recent terrible reivews. [I note that Araess--a very finicky eater--had given the place a good review not long ago].

Fortunately, many in the Gump ignored the negativity and joined the crowd at Sa-Za's for dinner Saturday night. The place was buzzing with energy.  The "alley" bar was open and high-tops outside and under the awning on the Commerce Street sidewalk were full of patrons eating and drinking in apparent satisfaction.

Our table, thanks to "Zeke", was waiting for us at 8:15 p.m. and we were seated and immediately greeted by Jennifer who was perky, cute and attentive.  There was no sign of poor service or a poor attitude by anyone I observed working the room.  There behind the "chef's table" was Justin Gaines fresh from winning the Choppped chef competition on the Food Network. Maybe he was not there when the Urban Spoon reviewers were eating, but he was there tonight and everything--I mean everything--was outstanding. 

I started us out with the peppers appetizer. Plenty for four and very tasty.  A bottle of the house pinot noir chased it as the girls discussed the men they saw at the bar who had dumped their friends. Women in the Gump protect their own.

I then ordered the pork loin covered in a white wine butter sauce with thin-sliced potatoes and peppers. I wanted to lick the plate. If I had not been seen by my probation officer, I would have.

Toadpot ordered the raviioli.  She allowed me to try one.  It was light and delicious.  She raved about it. I understand why.

Mimerton ordered some flattened chicken with pesto sauce and she loved it. She could not eat it all and, contrary to her usual position on "go-boxes", was not ashamed to take home lunch for Sunday.

Tayteese ordered something off the menu that came in a large bowl. It was a heavier pasta dish but extremely good.  Ditto for her on the "doggie box" no doggie would ever see.

The girls twisted my arm and forced me to order the cheescake and termasu (sp?) for desert.  Both were lighter than expected and devoured quickly.

I was happy to pay the $120 tab for four and left with the thanks of the group for a wonderful meal in a cool place where--when I could tear myself away from the remarks about men dating younger women--the NCAA tourney was on the flatscreen over the bar. (Did some nobody really beat Obama's pick to win it all: Kansas?)

The whole experience was so much better than average that I have to again mention that you cannot always believe the reviews you see on the Spoon.  Perhaps some have ulterior motives.  I, for one, can recommend Sa-Za's performance on this night without hesitation. This place deserves higher than a 69% approval rating (as of tonight).