Sage in Eastbluff debuted in 1997. Sage on the Coast, set in the Newport Coast environs, came along in the fall of 2004.
Owner and chef Rich Mead has brought to each location a love for good food that was honed in his childhood. He has a talent for reinventing American classic dishes.
For the past three years, he’s had Kris Kirk, a fine chef de cuisine, at his side to execute his visionary food. Chef and staff are a team that’s as close knit as a family.
Rich’s philosophy is to keep it simple, fresh, affordable and interesting.
He builds relationships with his suppliers. Rich believes that supporting the local purveyors and food artisans is paramount to success. It allows him to back up his commitment to cook with nature’s freshest and best and give customers the healthy and flavorful food they deserve.
In refining his menus along the way, Rich has moved to organic produce and higher quality foods. Rich, in response to a question wondering if it is easier now than in past years to run a restaurant, said that it’s never easy. While money is less of a problem now, the challenge to keep the menu fresh and intriguing and the restaurants moving forward remains constant. Part of that move forward is in the catering, done out of the Eastbluff kitchen, which accounts for 20% of sales.
I’ve worked my way through a decent part of Rich’s menus thanks to many forays with friends and my husband, Patrick.
Gazpacho is one of the most perfect dishes for warm weather months, especially these two versions. At Eastbluff, it’s a chunkier affair. At Sage on the Coast, it’s a smoother puree. Both have the same flavorful vegetable intensity and cool demeanor in the bowl.
Both restaurants feature sashimi, always a good appetizer. At Eastbluff, it has a garnish of cherry tomato, Persian cucumber, Maui onion, avocado, butter lettuce, ginger, fresh wasabi and soy rice vinaigrette. At Sage on the Coast, green papaya plays a supporting role.
Also at the Crystal Cove location, you will find grilled lamb on skewers with hummus, lavosh, feta cheese and salsa verde on the plate. Both restaurants feature grilled Asian barbecue beef short ribs with Asian slaw and a Thai sweet and spicy sauce. Eastbluff features a roasted summer vegetable salad that brings the best of the garden to your palate.
For an entree, I’ll take Rich’s roasted duck breast with grilled peaches any time. It’s a feature at either restaurant. Picture the color and taste of al dente French green beans, roasted fingerling potatoes and cipollini onions on that same plate.
Both restaurants also have fresh striped bass that is panko-crusted and served with Asian vegetables, saimen noodles and a soy and fresh wasabi broth.
Other great dishes: grilled natural rib eye steak with goat cheese lasagna and colorful garden vegetables on the side, pan-seared double-cut pork chop with apples and brussel sprouts and lamb tenderloin with couscous.
The wine list is larger at Sage on the Coast, with 200 choices. Eastbluff features about 75 labels.
At the Crystal Cove restaurant, try the 2005 Saxon Brown Flora Ranch Vineyard Ros & #233;, a bottle of 2005 Fincas Albarino or the Terraces 2002 Napa Valley Zinfandel.
Worthy of discovery at Eastbluff are Boncaillou Ros & #233; from the Languedoc-Roussillon region of France, 2005 Kunin Viognier from the Central Coast and Lamborn Family 2003 Napa Zinfandel.
AT A GLANCE
SAGE
Address: 2531 Eastbluff Drive Newport Beach
Phone: (949) 718-9650
SAGE ON THE COAST
Address: 7862 E. Coast Highway (in Crystal Cove Promenade)
Newport Beach
Phone: (949) 715-7243
