Sage Restaurant is
located in a lovely courtyard just off the Main Street in Midleton and as I
approached it, I could feel my mood lifting. We were greeted warmly, and led
into the restaurant which is decorated in warm, muted tones and has an
intimate, cosy feel. The soothing surroundings were the perfect antidote to the
stresses experienced on our ill-fated journey.
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| Selection of Breads |
Sage proudly promotes its
‘12-mile’ ethos which is based on sourcing as much of the food served as is
possible, from within a 12 mile radius of the restaurant. This emphasis on
using the finest ingredients from local producers is evident throughout the menu
which is simply constructed and has a good range of dishes on offer for each
course which are designed to tempt and delight the diner.
The wine-list is
thoughtfully chosen with something to suit most budgets and there is also a
small but lovely selection of Craft Beers and Ciders on offer. Being a
cider-lover the hubby chose some Longueville House Cider to sup on. This
is produced in nearby Mallow and is packed full of complex, rich apple flavours.
He loved it.
Breads, consisting of wholegrain
rolls and thick slices of a brown soda were presented to us on a wooden board along
with a plentiful amount of a salty herbed butter and we happily feasted on it
as we waited for our starters to arrive.
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| Salmon from the Smoker |
My starter of Salmon
from the Smoker, Potato Bread, Fennel & Samphire was excellent. I
loved the assertive smoky flavour of the meaty slivers of oily-rich salmon which
were beautifully presented alongside some lightly pickled shallot rings,
delicate fronds of fennel and just the right amount of salty samphire.
Accompanied by a large bullet-shaped roll of potato bread, this was a seemingly
simple dish but one that was so deftly balanced. Even the peppery nasturtium
flowers which had been used to decorate the dish added something in terms of flavour
and were not merely an irrelevant adornment.
The hubby’s Swede,
Leek, Smoked Cheese Dumpling & Crispy Onion Soup was hearty fare and
came served with more brown soda bread. Swede is one of my favourite vegetables
but unfortunately you rarely see it on restaurant menus. Here it imparted an
earthy-sweet but slightly peppery flavour to the soup which was attractively
served, drizzled with a herb oil and crispy onions. This was a satisfying dish
full of recognisably ‘Irish’ flavours brought together in a flavoursome soup.
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| Soup |
For his main course, the
hubby chose the Beef Fillet, Beef Dripping Chips, Onion, Spinach, Béarnaise.
Looking around the restaurant, I could see that this was a popular choice with
other diners and it was easy to see why. This was a dish that celebrated the
quality, flavour and tenderness of the beef that was used. The steak was
perfectly cooked medium-rare to order and was served with wilted spinach and a portion
of chunky chips that had been arranged in a Jenga-like
formation on the plate. Whilst the accompanying béarnaise sauce was fabulous, the
onion purée with its rich, almost caramelised flavour was simply stunning and
complemented the beef perfectly.
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| Turbot |
The moment I saw Turbot,
Samphire, Shitake, Young Spinach on the menu, I knew that I had to order
it. Turbot is a succulent fish which is best treated simply. Here, it was
flawlessly cooked and seasoned perfectly so that every mouthful was a sheer delight.
Served nestled in some wilted spinach with a celeriac purée, pan-fried shitake
mushrooms and a restrained amount of samphire this was a dish that it would be
impossible to improve upon. The separate serving of very buttery mashed parsley
potatoes which also came with the dish was delicious.
For dessert I chose the Seasonal
Berry Trifle with Strawberry Macaron whilst the hubby was happy to sit back
and just enjoy a coffee. The trifle consisted of a layer of berry jelly which
was so intensely flavoured that I thought a fruit liqueur must have been used
to make it. On inquiring, I was told that this was not the case and that it had
been made using homemade fruit cordials from foraged berries. On top of this
was a layer of velvety, vanilla-rich custard and some softly whipped cream.
This dish was a perfect example of how home-spun dishes, when well executed,
legitimately deserve to be included on fine-dining menus! With the added treat
of the lovely macaron on the side, the trifle was the perfect finish to a superb
meal.
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| Trifle |
It is hard to fault the
food served in Sage Restaurant and I really enjoyed the whole experience. Whilst
the 12-mile philosophy might seem aspirational to some, Head Chef Kevin
Aherne delivers on it in the most effective way possible by serving
delicious food in a creative way. Many of the ingredients he uses are
relatively humble and often overlooked by other chefs but here they are embraced
and used inventively in a memorable way.
Our bill for the meal
came to €100 with optional service.
Sage
Restaurant
The Courtyard
Main Street
Midleton
County Cork
Telephone: 0214639682
Website: sagerestaurant.ie
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