Sambuca - More than your Grandma's Hooch of Choice

... If your Grandma is anything like mine, that is.

 I have walked past Sambuca pretty much every day in the two and a half years I have lived in my totally awesome Upper West Side pre-war elevator having apartment.  You might think I'm bragging, but you would definitely not say that if you knew how much rent my broke social worker ass is spending to live in said apartment.  Anystupid, I have walked past Sambuca literally every day.  Most of those days, if I happened to look in the general direction, I'd think to myself - Hey! I should take my cousin here! She is, after all, the family's pioneer of the gluten allergies.  Since her diagnosis a few years back, myself, and several of our second cousins have followed suit.

A month ago, that thought changed from a casual "hmm, I should go here with Amy" to "EFF a place that serves gluten free pasta and southern italian food that I don't have to go near a stove during this summer of the perpetual 95 degree heat wave to enjoy? sign me up!" My parents were in the city after lending a helping hand and a dozen mouse traps for my darling pre-war and it was our destination of choice.

They accomodate gluten, dairy and soy allergies with relative ease.  They had gluten free bread, pastas and all sorts of delectable southern Italian composed main and appetizer courses.  They even put allergy safe food on different color plates to guard against dreaded cross contamination.  And they deliver!  I was in the mood for a super rich Carbonara that day, which even after family style sharing it with three (though they had their own gluteny pasta dish that I wasn't jealous of) I got two additional meals out of.  And quite happily.  Damn good.

Don't be fooled by their ghetto, lackluster website.  Sambuca is g-o-o-d for the gluten allergic and gluten friendly in your posse.  Makes for happy, conflict free allergic tummies all across the Upper West Side.  Only strike against it?  I prefer my carbs separate from my disruptive yet adorable babies.