Sage Restaurant In New Jersey

By Author: John Tang
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Last summer marked a homecoming for Lisa Savage. A graduate of the Mays Landing Academy of Culinary Arts, Savage also trained in Torino, Italy, built her reputation at Brittany Café in Atlantic City in the 90s and later at Savaradio, a sardine tin of a BYO in Ventnor.

In 2005, Savage transplanted Savaradio to a cavernous offshore space in Linwood. It didn't work out, says Savage, for a variety of reasons. A big one was that the food didn't taste as good as it had when you sat in a plastic chair on the sidewalk in the glow of the Wawa sign across the street. After decompressing for a year and half, Savage returned to Ventnor and opened Sage in May 2007.

The menu reflects Savage's eclectic interests, scooting from Mexico (cumin- black bean soup with feta, cilantro, and chopped red onion) to Rome (mozzarella-and-ricotta pizza bianca) to Thailand (plump mussels and littlenecks steamed in a fragrant broth of coconut, lemongrass, mint, Thai basil, and cilantro).

Fans will be glad to see Savaradio mainstays such as ethereal fried artichoke hearts in garlicky aioli and chicken roulade, layered with prosciutto ...
... and wrapped around sweet mashed plantains.

I've had the chicken roulade on the menu for eight years at my restaurants, says Savage, and I've tried to take it off a million times. I actually had a woman drive two hours just for that, and we didn't have it on the menu or the ingredients in the kitchen to make it. After that I knew we had to put it back on.

Pristine pan-seared Diver scallops rest atop a summery hash of corn, applewood bacon, bell pepper, and grape tomatoes.

In the two tiled dining rooms divided by a gauzy black curtain, Sage's 94 paisley-upholstered chairs are usually occupied. I visited before the summer rush, when the staff beefs up. But even with that minimal crowd, the staff was spread thinner than the Framani salumi sold in Sage's excellent next-door gourmet market.

Savage makes her desserts in-house, from the tart strawberry and passion fruit sorbetti to the bright blue mango- and-blueberry pie. To realize its potential, Sage needs to augment its staff—and its limited menu.
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