Sage 2008

Revisits usually mean that there was something that I liked about a particular place and that it was worth the effort getting another post up. Sage (11 Unity Street, #02 -12 Robertson Walk, S237995, tel:6333 8726) was one of the places which I've been to a couple of previous occasions and so far, the restaurant has always had something up their menu that had impressed me. So we're back today because I said "I'd like to come back" the last time I was here for dinner.

That being said, I'd like to digress into the topic of consistency. That was something Anthony Bourdain mentioned once to be an important trait (I personally felt it was under rated characteristic) that should be ironclad because that would be what customers return for. A remembered experience that they would like to re-live again. Barring bad experiences obviously.

Being popular raises the bar for maintaining consistency.

Service would be subject to the experience as well. Speaking of which, service at Sage was very pleasant and still teemed with what I define as a human touch. The friendliness was never mechanical or cold.

Culinary standards or food gets more scrutiny. These are affected by availability of ingredients, the skills of the chef and cooks, discipline in the kitchen and numerous strings of chaos theory which introduce variables. Food is the more often remembered experience because they are the core of a restaurant's business. Pretty glad that the variables at Sage do not stray far.

amuse bouche of chilled green pea soup with lemon cream and lumpfish caviar

Compounded with increasing expectations and needless hype, much of the sense from the above rationale above is lost. But I digress...

...on with the dinner and the poor pictures my phone camera can manage in subdued lightings.

The Appetizers

A risotto of Burgundy escargot and tiger prawns flambéed with pastis, Parmesan crusted poached egg and Italian parsley foam

Pan-seared duck foie gras with roasted Granny Smith apple mille-feuille crusted with walnuts, fig compote and spiced glaze of port wine and balsamico

The parsley foam looked subdued. I assumed that the kitchen either took too long to plate or that the foam didn't turn up the way it was planned to. Or I assumed wrong. I remembered their foie gras being creamier and had a more crisp surface. The char was done better previously too. Today felt flakey. I preferred the accompaniment of the apple puree then to this apple mille-feuille and the old pistachio crust was also decidedly more fragrant. Still it was a pretty nice foie gras.

The Soups

Chestnut mousseline topped with double boiled consommé of oxtail, parmentier of oxtail meat with shavings of black truffle

Veloute of butternut pumpkin topped with pistachio froth, confit of foie gras and Navel orange marmalade

I am compelled at this point to extol the sublime virtues of their flavours of their soup. Lol. Starting with the oxtail consomme which was interesting pairing of the crystal clear savoury broth topped with it's foam and a sprinkle of fragrant pepper. That was accompanied with a rich sweet creaminess from the chestnut mousseline. The oxtail consomme tasted like a richer chicken essence/Borvil drink while chestnut was luxuriant and not overly sweet. Impressive. The butternut veloute was piping hot and likewise, a cup of sweet richness like the oxtail consomme. I could certainly return just for the soups.

It is my opinion that the soups could not be understood through words. One has to experience it.

The Mains

Australian grain fed lamb short loin with a cassoulet of summer beans scented with garlic, thyme and lardons, crispy Parmigiano Reggiano and Roma tomato puree

Charcoal grilled U.S. Black Angus beef sirloin resting on pommes gratin topped with horseradish cream, glazed vegetables with smoked bacon and jus gras

I was slightly disappointed with the mains. While I didn't have much in the way of complains and the doneness was quite spot on, I thought it could have been better. The lamb could have tasted stronger and I've decided that sirloin isn't so much my cut. I'll prefer a tenderloin or a ribeye anytime. Still there were winners in the form of the crispy Parmigiano Reggiano and the potato gratin topped with charred cheese.