Sage Restaurant & Wine Bar

Barely open six months, Sage is already known as one of the best destinations for fine dining in the city. Much of that is due to the leadership of Chef Takashi Kimura with his unique blend of Japanese-influenced French cuisine. Sage was perhaps the most anticipated opening in fine dining and expectations are high with any visit.

The entrance through the lobby of The Gardens Hotel & Residences may be a little unusual, but such a location afforded the restaurant with excellent, unobstructed views and a spacious dining room. The atmosphere is casual and relaxed but still classy, aided by the simple and uncluttered decorations. The open kitchen breaks up the quiet sophistication.

The menu seems to reflect this theme, with quite simple and traditional French preparations punctuated with Japanese produce and sauces. A classic starter is the Vichyssoise of Artichokes, a cold and creamy soup with slices of raw scallop and tsubugai clams. While the Pané of Foie Gras with Chapon was less intriguing, it’s execution was excellent. The luxurious foie gras was sautéed till crunchy on one side while the slow-roasted chapon was moist and tender.

Main courses carried the same distinction: the Angus Beef A La Plancha, served with soft daikon simmered in dashi was full of wonderful, aged flavour; the Etuveé of Star Garoupa with King Prawn, Tapenade and Rouille was a champion of fresh ingredients and assured cooking. The slow-braised garoupa ensured a moist texture against the succulent bite of the king prawn.

Even desserts were given the utmost attention with the Peach Granité using Japanese peaches with that unique blend of sweetness and sour notes and a Chocolate and Banana Soufflé that was so moist and endearingly light that it had to be consumed in a matter of seconds. The Earl Grey Ice Cream that came with the soufflé provided a creamy and slightly tart flavour that went with it. The only drawback was the lack of choice of wines by the glass. Sage had a healthy wine cellar with a spacious cigar room to boot. But neither the Etienne Guigal (RM26) nor the Maison Trimbach Merlot (RM28) was the best of house wines. A crisp and refreshing Perrin Fils Reisling (RM22) salvaged the situation and the Yalumba Y Series (RM23), a medium-bodied red, matched the Angus’ subtle flavours.

Still, RM140 for a three-course meal reflects good value for such high standards of cooking. For those who don’t mind eating under the scrutiny of the chef, choose a seat at the chef’s table, a counter right beside the open kitchen and be enthralled by Kimura’s creations for a mere RM240.

But the best thing of all is the service at Sage. We often disregard the level of service in our pursuit of the best food, but Sage shows that a good meal can become an excellent experience with top-class service. They were so well-trained that even the junior waiters were able to guide you through the intricacies of the wine list and the myriad of French words found all over the menu. Sage must certainly be one of the best places in Malaysia to enjoy the finest cooking and the most creative cuisine.

Text & Photo Chan Wai Lee