A Whole New World at Sage General Store

A few weeks back, Meg, Mackenzi and I ventured out to the new, refurbished Sage General Store.  In May, we mentioned that this Long Island City staple would be undergoing a renovation, which was completed quickly and efficiently.  The new space is lovely and still feels very comfy, conjuring up feelings of the old place we knew and loved.  We enjoyed our visit immensely and look forward to making new memories in the pretty, renewed space.

The gracious staff, including Sage’s General Manager, Nina treated us to a delicious dinner, which featured some of their new and tried and true stand-outs.  Here’s the play-by-play synopsis, featuring each of our two cents.

Homemade Guacamole

We started with this gorgeous platter of homemade guacamole, which was the perfect combination of smooth and chunky.  The fresh cilantro added a nice zing of flavor and I loved both the waffle chips and the homemade tostones, which came as a side.  – Judith

I basically could eat good guacamole—emphasis on the word good—every day, and I would gladly eat this particular guac regularly. I loved using tostones in place of chips—such a nice change of pace! The chips were also quite tasty. -Meg

Crispy Fish Tacos

I love a quality fish taco, and this one definitely delivered, boasting some lightly fried fish, a crunchy jicama slaw and a shot of heat from the chipotle crema.  The tortillas were lovely too, and boasted some nice grill marks, which made them slightly crunchy.  – Judith

Coming from California, fish tacos are (along with guacamole) an informal official state dish. These fish tacos were excellent and everything was very fresh. Love that there was more guac on them! And plenty of cilantro, another favorite flavor of mine. I also loved the jicama slaw on the side. I’d absolutely eat these again. -Meg

Tarte Flambe Veggie Pizza

Cooked in Sage’s beautiful wood burning oven, this pizza was topped with all sorts of veggies including onions, peppers, tomatoes, olives and more.  While I liked it, it didn’t stand out for me as something I’d be running back for.  I’m much more inclined to try their Nueske’s Bacon pizza with creme fraiche, caramelized onions and scallions. – Judith

Roasted Beets

Although this was a simple dish, it showcased the star ingredient really well, which are these beautiful fiery-red beets.  A little tart and still tender, the beets are a great choice if you’re looking for something light to pair with your hearty Sage meal.  – Judith

Beets are one of my favorite things to eat and these were just lovely. I tasted what seemed to be some kind of citrus juice, which pairs well with beets in general (I’d eat them with lemon, lime, orange, or grapefruit juices!). The beets were well cooked (undercooked beet chunks are seriously unappealing), so the texture was excellent as well. I loved them. -Meg

5 Cheese Mac & Cheese

Sage is known for their 5 Cheese Mac & Cheese, and it’s for a good reason, as it’s an absolute stand out.  Just look at that golden, crumbly crust of cayenne breadcrumbs!  It’s hard to resist having a few forkfuls, and you’ll quickly notice this generous dish getting emptier and emptier with each passing second.  – Judith

It’s true- this was a stand out for me, and I’m an avid mac & cheese devotee. In fact, I dare say this is one of the better ones in all of Western Queens. -Mackenzi

Even as I write this during today’s devil heat, this mac and cheese sounds really good. It was carby and cheesey and well-balanced—exactly what I want in my mac and cheese. Yum yum. -Meg

Spit-Roasted Organic Chicken

Yet another signature plate, this one featuring the famous Diners Drive-Ins and Dives organic chicken, set our taste buds aflutter.  The crust is golden and crispy yet the inside is tender and juicy and pairs perfectly with the aforementioned mac & cheese.  It also came with a side of sauteed spinach that added a bit of delicious earthiness.  – Judith

This was wonderful! I loved the accompaniment of sauteed spinach, too. Definitely a winner. -Meg

Mushroom Polenta

I was eager to try the cheesy polenta with mushrooms, as it’s one of my favorite comfort food sides.  The creamy consistency was just perfect and the taste was mild yet still a bit tangy from the cheese that was laced into the cornmeal.  A yummy sprinkling of sauteed mushrooms sealed the deal for me. – Judith

I like creamy polenta quite a bit, and this fit the bill. I’m also fond of mushrooms mixed with polenta—they really seem to be a match made in heaven. They use Anson Mills polenta, which is of stellar quality, and has wonderful flavor. For something as mild as polenta can be, this had a lot of flavor (the cheese mixed in was an excellent touch). -Meg

Peach Almond Tarte

The dessert at Sage is something else, and definitely a major highlight.  The peach almond torte was one of my favorite desserts just after the butterscotch pecan cake.  The crust was the best part, as it was the perfect combination of crumbly and buttery goodness.  – Judith

This was my absolute favorite dessert of the night, and that’s saying quite a bit as chocolate is my typical go to. -Mackenzi

Butterscotch Pecan Cake

An absolute show-stopper for me, this was a beautiful log of sweet goodness that rested in a pool of butterscotch sauce.  Each bite was a burst of texture with crunchy, smooth, sticky and gooey all happening at the same time. – Judith

I love cake and caramel things, so this really appealed to me. The butterscotch sauce was a wonderful accompaniment to this crazy awesome cake, what with its creamy frosting. So good. -Meg

Cupcake Trio

This cupcake trio was a nice sampling of their classic cupcakes, including a vanilla; chocolate filled with rich cream; and a carrot cake.  I enjoyed the lightness of the frosting in each cupcake and the moistness of the dough that didn’t feel too dense or heavy. – Judith

I have always loved Sage’s cupcakes, and am a super fan of their homage to the Hostess cupcake, many of which I ate in my youth. So, they definitely appealed to the kid in me. All the cupcakes are excellent, though, and that’s saying a lot in a town that makes a lot of unremarkable cupcakes. -Meg

Blackout Cake

Not sure how we had room, but we finished things off with this rich-looking chocolate blackout cake.  Just like all the other dessert, it was to die for, the chocolate being semi-sweet and the frosting served slightly chilled, creating a very memorable last bite.  – Judith

YUM! Their Blackout Cake is everything it promises to be- chocolatey, moist, and perfectly dense. It’s a great dessert to share. -Mackenzi

“Hello chocolate, GET IN MY BELLY!” That’s pretty much how I felt when I encountered this. It is chocolatey and chocolatey and chocolatey and full of awesome. This is a chocoholic dream cake and probably my favorite dessert of the evening. -Meg

We’d like to thank Sage and their generous staff for taking such great care of us.  We hope you check out these as well as their other delicious dishes at their new, refurbished space during their dinner hours:

Tuesday – Thursday 5:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
Friday – Saturday 5:30 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.

Sage General Store – 24-20 Jackson Avenue, LIC.  718.361.0707

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THE WICKER MAN OF LONG ISLAND CITY | LICtalk July 26th, 2013

[…] A Whole New World At Sage General Store – a recent visit to the newly revamped restaurant …it was pretty good to begin with, and now they have booze and dinner …and booze […]

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