A new team has instilled fresh life into this attractive restaurant In the upper part of Westport town, since chef Shteryo Yurukov and front of house partner Eva Ivanova took on the ownership in 2013 - they are both from Bulgaria but have worked in the west of Ireland for over 12 years, most recently in the very successful An Port Mor.
Sage was formerly noted for its authentic Italian cooking and the present team continue to offer a few of the pasta dishes that were popular with regular diners, but - not surprisingly, given Shteryo’s experience in Irish kitchens - the focus is now on seafood and contemporary Irish cooking.
The familiar cream and light green décor in this comfortable restaurant is as pleasing as ever and, although the reception area has unfortunately not been retained, the open kitchen still allows customers to view a busy kitchen team at work.
The welcome is warm, and service both friendly and efficient - the specials board is explained when menus are presented (along with good home-made bread and water); it’s good to see local foods highlighted, with producers and suppliers credited on the menu - including fish from Achill, beef and lamb from leading Westport butcher Séamus Hawkshaw, salads from Joe Kelly's and Pat Grimes' Organic farm, and poultry from The Friendly Farmer at Athenry.
Starters like Clew Bay scallops, Jerry Hassett’s crab and Killary mussels may be hard to choose from but whatever you decide on it should be a winner – house cured salmon pastrami with egg tartar is a delicious option, for example, and so is Aran Island organic goat’s cheese and beetroot parfait, served with truffle honey caviar and butternut squash.
Shteryo’s cooking is very good and main courses allow him to flex his culinary muscles in creative dishes which are quietly impressive. Blackboard specials might include extra fish dishes - oven-baked black sole on the bone, perhaps, and grilled seatrout garnished with seared queen scallops - in addition to other fish and seafood, including pan-fried seabass with raisin caponata, polenta, chorizo and almond sauce Vierge, seafood linguine; and an interesting dish of West Coast monkfish with calves liver, Hollandaise espuma, spinach and gnocchi.
If you’re not in the mood for fish there are other equally appealing choices though, such as The Friendly Farmer's flavoursome free-range chicken ballotine with leek and apple stuffing, pan-fried chicken hearts and thyme jus. Or perhaps Andarl Farm pork fillet Wellington, with duxel, sauerkraut mushroom ragout, honey mustard tarragon sauce, which, at around €24, may well be the most expensive dish on this fairly priced menu.
Home-made desserts at around €6.50 are excellent (warm orange and vanilla baklava with vanilla ice cream; white chocolate and raspberry mousse with hazelnut cookie; chocolate and almond semi-freddo.) and there’s selection of Irish cheeses (€8.90) served, unusually, with red pepper mustard seed chutney and parmesan puff sticks - a nice savoury plate to share, perhaps.
A separate vegetarian menu is also available with a choice of 6 starters and 5 mains.
A well-chosen list of about two dozen wines is also fairly priced, mostly under the €30 mark.
With great service and excellent food served in a lovely ambience, dinner here should be very enjoyable - and good value for top class Irish produce too, probably working out at under €85 for two with wine. All of which should auger well for this pleasing restaurant.
