Big Food Small World: Sage, the Restaurant, Singapore

Thursday, July 31, 2008

Sage, the Restaurant, Singapore

Of all the much lauded restaurants in Singapore, Sage wasn't one we had heard of...now it's one we will never forget! Tucked away unobtrusively on Mohamed Sultan road not much is given up from the street that should you enter, your mouth, mind and soul will be thanking you for weeks to come. We had no booking, fortunately there was a spare table for two, next time we think booking would be advisable it seems we have joined a not so small, not so secretive club all enthralled with the masterful show put on by the crew from Sage.

With so many great choices we were only left with one...the degustation. And so with that decided we were off.

An amuse of salmon tartare with truffled green pea veloute set the tone for the night ... each spoonful a mouthful of flavor and contrasting textures.

Mille-feuille of smoked duck breast with pickled red beet, sorbet of grapes and hazelnut-tarragon dressing. The sorbet melting to provide a fantastic dressing for the nicely smoked duck and just crunchy beets.

Pan seared foie gras on a pear and walnut chutney, muscat poached fig with spiced port glaze. The foie gras cooked just so, it's rich creaminess off set by the poached fig and an amazing chutney the spiced port glaze a clever switch from the balsamic reduction oft seen around.

Seared scallop on Belgium endive gratin with avruga caviar, sauce Normandy and parmigiano lace, a single fat scallop sitting a top the endive the caviar serving to draw the dish back from being overwhelmed by the rich sauce. Amazing!

Roasted quail breast and leg confit with butter cream gnocchi on tomato fondue, prosciutto and parmigiano sauce. The quail sitting in a puddle of the delicately flavored sauce along side the softest creamiest piece of gnocchi we have ever encountered it almost seemed to be quivering in effort to maintain itself as a whole.

Charcoal grilled Kurobuta pork loin with red cherry chutney on a slow cooked terrine of pork cheek topped with polenta and lavender honey glaze. If there's one thing we love more than pork, that's two types of pork .. and Kurobuta at that! Well my mouth waters still thinking of this dish and that's all I have to say about that.

Finally ... Chocolate souffle with amaretto ice cream and vanilla bean custard. We're told our desert will be twenty minutes, I love that this hasn't been pre-fired even though by now we are the last in the house. The souffle arrives puffed and proud .. and so it should be! Crunchy on the outer and so soft and warm on the inside ... the ice cream is excellent, although the vanilla custard seemed a little third wheel, not that I'm complaining.

We think of adding a cheese plate to the end of our meal but seeing through the large glass window from the restaurant to the kitchen and seeing the chefs starting on tomorrows prep we leave them with our sympathy and thanks.

The foods was amazing the wine list extensive and the service superbly professional. We think a visit to Sage would be alone worth the price of a ticket to Singapore.