http://www.sagegrill.com news http://www.sagegrill.com/images/logo.gif http://www.sagegrill.com en-us Copyright 2010 Northstar Internet, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Northstar Internet, Inc.http://www.sagegrill.com/news/newsandarticles_article.php?DID=1http://www.sagegrill.com/news/newsandarticles_article.php?DID=1Sage makes the 'wow list' big time
On my personal ratings scale for restaurants, the ultimate accolade is the "wow" designation. Basically, that means I think the restaurant is so enjoyable, you won't be able to wait to get back again and again! Sage in Encinitas has made the "wow list" with flying colors. In fact, I feel this restaurant is one of the best along the entire North County coastal corridor. Located in a small center on Encinitas Boulevard, just east of El Camino Real, Sage's diverse menu entices all kinds of palates, from the contemporary and trendy sophisticates to the more simple tastes. The clientele is equally diverse. They all come for the simple elegance of a casual New York-style, bistro-inspired restaurant with modern lines, hardwood floors, recessed lights and soft beige tones. The owners are Rick Campbell, a seasoned pro with years of food biz under his belt, including gigs at Pacifica Del Mar, George's and Trophy's, and Josh Blackman, who also put in stints at Pacifica Del Mar. The two found a great executive chef in Philip Jordan and have combined to make Sage a big hit. In fact, the restaurant was nominated by the San Diego Restaurant Association for this year's Gold Medallion Award in the "Best New Restaurant" category...and won!

Sage features an all-day menu and offers a seafood bar and cocktail lounge, in addition to the dining room. Take a look at the seafood bar menu. Items from it make great appetizers, as well. Definitely try the delightful strawberry tartar (ahi sashimi, strawberries, avocado and Tobiko caviar), lobster spring rolls, or the incredible crab cakes. The regular menu also has some nice starters such as heirloom tomatoes, goat cheese won tons, salmon stack, brie and papaya quesadilla and fantastic thick-battered buttermilk onion rings. The menu has some fabulous salads like the chopped Asian chicken, a Caesar, or the spinach with goat cheese and bacon salad. There are several sandwiches, including a great blue cheese burger. Among the hot entrees, the big signature classic is the miso black cod, based on the same recipe from New York's Nobu and London's Zuma that has made this dish a worldwide sensation. The cod filet is marinated, and then pan-seared to melt-in-your-mouth precision and served in a balanced miso/sake glaze with skewered vegetables. Other great picks are the double-cut rotisserie pork chop with apple sage chutney and crispy skinny fries; spit-roasted chicken with new potatoes and vegetables; and black-eye steak with blackened seasoning and those sinful onion rings. Other picks such as tomatillo salmon, buttermilk fried catfish and the creative pasta options round out the menu. Pricing is very reasonable, from $9 to $24. The wine list is marvelous and, speaking of libations, try Sage's incredible watermelon martini! Find the "wow" at Sage, 1506 Encinitas Blvd. Call (760) 943-7243.]]>newsThu, 05 Jun 2008 00:00:00 PDThttp://www.sagegrill.com/news/newsandarticles_article.php?DID=5http://www.sagegrill.com/news/newsandarticles_article.php?DID=5http://www.aolcityguide.com/sandiego/entertainment/venue.adp?sbid=133737]]>newsMon, 16 Jun 2008 00:00:00 PDThttp://www.sagegrill.com/news/newsandarticles_article.php?DID=2http://www.sagegrill.com/news/newsandarticles_article.php?DID=2Grill serves up sophistication, taste

This story starts with a recommendation.

How does this sound? Delicious food made with an imaginative blend of fresh, high quality ingredients, thoughtfully prepared with plenty of eye-catching plate appeal, served in a sophisticated atmosphere with great customer service. A place where you can feel comfortable in casual attire or dressed up for a night out, with the kids or without, and the menu is diverse enough to offer something for everyone.

Did I mention reasonable prices, too?

If all this sounds good to you, then you should check out Sage Grill in Encinitas. Only nine months old, Sage is a restaurant in its infancy, but oh baby! Owners Rick Campbell and Josh Blackman have their concept down pat; a true mid-market restaurant where you can dine with a grilled T-bone of lamb and a nice bottle of wine, or stop by for a hamburger and a nice bottle of wine. Campbell says one of the regulars does just that; a bottle of Cakebread Cabernet ($86) with his cheeseburger ($8).

"It's in between a Chili's and a Pacifica (Grill)," said Campbell, who was with Pacifica for several years. "It's a nice décor, but not over-the-top upscale. It's casual but it's still nice."

What makes Sage special is the attention to detail given by Blackman and Campbell; from the chunky silver napkin rings they designed to the wine cabinets they built in Campbell's garage. The streamlined design of the restaurant's interior has a spacious, open feel to it. Black napkins contrast against light wood tabletops and bottles of premium liquor sparkle behind the mirrored bar (happy hour starts at 4 p.m. every day, with $4 you-call-it martinis and special prices on beer, wine and appetizers). To the rear of the dining room, the wine room can be reserved for parties and it's also the spot for wine tastings every Tuesday night (five tastes for $10).

This week, they plan to introduce a raw seafood bar featuring oysters shucked to order, tuna tartare, grilled head-on prawns, New England clam chowder and several other seafood selections.

The attention to detail carries right over to the menu, which is the same for both lunch and dinner. Executive chef Philip Jordan, an alumnus of the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco, worked with Blackman and Campbell to create a simple menu, allowing his enthusiasm to shine through in the special touches he gives to each dish.

From the starter menu, I tried the cilantro prawns ($9); plump, peeled shrimp in a cilantro cream pesto, drizzled with a port wine reduction. The combination of flavors was subtle and savory with no one ingredient overpowering the other.

Next, the salmon stack ($9); arugula dressed in champagne vinaigrette, layered under a mix of chopped heirloom and roma tomatoes, squash chiffonade and topped with a gravlax-style salmon which they cure in-house. This time, Jordan paired his port reduction with a buerre blanc, for a velvety sauce combination. This colorful appetizer looked as refreshing as it tasted.

As far as entrees go, the grilled portobello mushroom with polenta and vegetables ($14) is one of the most elegant vegetarian dishes I've had. The Portobello is baked then grilled, placed atop a slab of seared basil polenta and served with zucchini, eggplant and bell pepper. Balsamic reduction and red pepper pesto takes this dish to another flavor level. And, as if that wasn't enough, special sparkle is added with a drizzle of honey truffle oil over the top. Who the heck needs meat?

Carnivores will find plenty of choices, however. "I think our menu has a lot of variety," said Campbell. "I mean, there's lamb, there's pork, there's two different chickens, there's three different fish, pasta, two different steaks, a variety of salads, sandwiches, the whole nine yards."

I tried Sage's signature miso black cod ($22). Not a true cod, butterfish or sablefish is known as "black cod" and is more moist than real cod. After making special arrangements with their purveyor to carry black cod, Sage serves it seared and lightly glazed with a marinade of miso, sake, mirin and sugar, with skewered vegetables on the side. The buttery texture of the fish is showcased by the simple preparation, both delicate and delectable.

Dessert was caramel apple crème brulée ($6). Jordan flavors his custard with apple juice, then layers the top with thin-sliced Granny Smith apple. Sugar is torched for a crunchy crust, but on top of that, a layer of caramel sauce makes this brulee sticky, chewy and ooey-gooey. A wickedly sweet treat.

Even after dessert, Campbell told me not to leave without trying the buttermilk onion rings ($6). Leucadia residents and Sage regulars Maria and Sofia Capri were sitting at a nearby table having a mother-daughter brunch of Caesar salads ($9) and tri-tip dip sandwiches ($9). "Everything we've had is wonderful," said Maria, who added that the crew at Sage is "genuinely sweet … passionate about everything that they do."

More than anything, Blackman and Campbell hope Sage has wide appeal for local residents as a place to come for every occasion. "A lot of our regulars feel very much at home," said Blackman.

Incidentally, the crowning detail for Campbell was choosing the name Sage for the restaurant. It is also his daughter's middle name. Her first name is Madison, after the Madison River in Montana. Sage is the brand name of his favorite fly fishing rods. Coincidentally, Blackman's father owns a fly fishing store in Washington state. After working for almost a year straight to get Sage Grill up and running, I'd say plans are being made for a vacation spent in hip waders, grilling some fat trout over an open fire.

Open from 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. every day, Sage Grill is located at 1506 Encinitas Blvd. (on the corner of Village Square Drive). For more information, call 760-943-7243 or visit their Web site at www.sagegrill.com.
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Outstanding food, reasonable prices and a sleek interior that includes a bar lounge and private wine room have become the winning trademarks inside this surprising gem with the modest facade. If Sage were to flaunt its unpretentious head in Hillcrest or downtown, you'd see hordes of repeat customers banging at the door for more of the kitchen's fresh and lively fare, which smacks of gourmet quality without relying on strange garnishments and vertical presentations to win you over.

Urbanites could, in fact, see the restaurant emerge on the beaten track because the owners, a five-man partnership, are banking on the continued success of the Encinitas location before expanding outward with their ravishing repertoire of fish and meat entrees, toasted sandwiches and ultra-fresh salads. Rule number one if you come here - start your meal with an order of Boneless BBQ Spareribs, which are grizzle-free and superbly tender. My dining companion, who normally abhors the texture of rib meat, suddenly ended up with 10 sticky fingers after helping me polish off the order. A slathering of sweet, smoky sauce helps give these boneless wonders their unmatchable quality.

We also went nutty over an appetizer portion of Vegetable Slaw, a superior medley of cabbage and carrots spiced with rice vinegar, a touch of oil and raw horseradish. An order of zippy Lobster Bisque with distinguishable chunks of lobster floating throughout impressed us too. And we loved the steel bowl of complimentary rustic bread brought to our table with three different types of pesto bursting with olives, cilantro and sun-dried tomatoes.

Making an entree choice at Sage can be as difficult as deciding on drinks because temptation strikes from everywhere. In addition to a long-nosed wine list, the cocktail menu features "New Era" drinks such as Hypnotiq liquor served over ice or a Blood Orange Crush made with Cointreau. Another page offers "Short and Long" concoctions, where you'll find the tequila-based Prickly Pear and semi-tart rum Mojito. Even better, the bar uses muddled fruit instead of those "puckered" liquors for making things like Watermelon Martinis, which tasted like a summer breeze gliding over our tongues.

The lure of a half-pound Blue Cheese Burger with applewood bacon got passed up for three entrees that we couldn't resist trying. The big seller here is Miso Black Cod, a beautiful pan-seared filet marinated in miso and sake to the point where it becomes partially cooked. The deep tangy flavor was extraordinary. Ditto for the accompanying skewer of sweet grilled veggies that are brushed with Italian dressing.

The kitchen's chef, Philip Jordan, clearly shows off his Mississippi roots with a Pan-Fried Catfish that's too good to be true. The fish is soaked in buttermilk and then coated in a batter containing smoked paprika and cayenne pepper. Additionally, the Santa Ynez Grilled Tri Tip sated my carnivore yearnings with a pile up of dry-rubbed beef slices that were as buttery-soft as filet mignon. The plate also included some terrific roasted potatoes accented heavily with rosemary. Not a single gram of food we ate lacked flavor or freshness.

Sage's bright cuisine corresponds respectfully to the dining room's stylish ambience, which features monorail lighting, lustrous hickory-wood flooring, metallic accents and a plasma-screen television in the teak-framed bar area. It's an inviting establishment with friendly service that I won't mind seeing multiply in more places around town
Gay & Lesbian Times]]>newsMon, 16 Jun 2008 00:00:00 PDThttp://www.sagegrill.com/news/newsandarticles_article.php?DID=8http://www.sagegrill.com/news/newsandarticles_article.php?DID=8http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2004/04/02/special_reports/food/3_31_0421_42_28.txt]]>newsMon, 16 Jun 2008 00:00:00 PDThttp://www.sagegrill.com/news/newsandarticles_article.php?DID=7http://www.sagegrill.com/news/newsandarticles_article.php?DID=7
Sage Grill is in a building formerly occupied by Chin's Chinese Restaurant, just off Encinitas Boulevard (at El Camino Real) and just behind Trader Joe's.

According to co-owner Rick Campbell, formerly of Pacifica Del Mar, Sage Grill "fills the gap between a place like Chili's and the Pacifica Grill."

Says Campbell, "You can come to Sage Grill in shorts and feel casual and comfortable, or in a dress for a special occasion."

The decor is smart: a mostly beige, understated interior. The dining room itself is dressed up considerably by the appearance of the big wine glasses set on the tables at any time of the day. Black cloth napkins are placed in chunky silver napkin rings, and the flatware is of an unusual sleek, modern design. The floors are of polished wood, and the red leather seats complete the trendy look.

The view of the parking lot from the window seating may leave a little bit to be desired, but the good food, casually elegant ambience and welcoming demeanor of the staff easily make up for the less-than-stunning views.

The same menu is offered at lunch and dinner: a simple assortment of sandwiches, salads and entrees, and a simple wine list (bottle prices ranging from $20 to $79, by-the-glass offerings from $6 to $8).

An Old-Fashioned Cheeseburger is $8. Add blue cheese, applewood-smoked bacon and garlic aioli and it's $9. A California Club is $8, and a Salmon Sandwich on Italian Herb Ciabatta is $9. The Tri-tip Dip is also $9.

Salads range from the club ($12) to the Spinach & Goat Cheese with Bacon Vinaigrette ($12), to the Smoked Salmon, Arugula & Sun-Dried Tomato ($12).

Entrees include Pan-Fried Buttermilk Catfish ($14); the "Black Eye, a marinated rib-eye steak with blackened seasonings and buttermilk onion rings ($24); various pasta dishes ($12); and a vegetarian entree of Grilled Portobello Mushroom, Polenta and Vegetables ($14). There's also a Tomatillo Salmon ($19), Braised Lamb Chops ($22) or Double-cut Rotisserie Pork Chops ($19).

The restaurant has an attractive wine room/private dining room where it will sponsor the "Grape Escape," a biweekly wine tasting geared to the entry-level wine drinker. For $10, you will get five tastes of any given week's subject. (One week the subject was California cabernets.) There are also monthly wine dinners.

The staff is friendly. Says Campbell, "The secret to success is your staff. If you take care of your guests and your employees – in that order – the rest will fall into place."

A full menu is also available in the bar.

Sage Grill is located at 1506 Encinitas Blvd.; (760) 943-7243. The restaurant is open from 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily. Happy hour is daily from 4 to 6:30 p.m. and Sunday from 4 until closing, with $1 off all beer and wine by the glass.
]]>newsMon, 16 Jun 2008 00:00:00 PDThttp://www.sagegrill.com/news/newsandarticles_article.php?DID=4http://www.sagegrill.com/news/newsandarticles_article.php?DID=4http://www.sandiegomag.com/issues/may04/dining30504.asp]]>newsMon, 16 Jun 2008 00:00:00 PDThttp://www.sagegrill.com/news/newsandarticles_article.php?DID=3http://www.sagegrill.com/news/newsandarticles_article.php?DID=3http://www.ranchandcoast.com/April2004/wine-dine-entertain.html]]>newsMon, 16 Jun 2008 00:00:00 PDT