Moveable Feast
In its new digs, Sage is more satisfying than ever.
- FIT TO BE TIED: South End space, North End taste. Photo by Noah Jewell.
Even though chef Tony Susi grew up in the North End, his restaurant, Sage, always seemed out of place there. Instead of big and boisterous, Sage was intimate (just 28 seats). Instead of passable red-sauce pastas, Susi pushed the envelope with the refined likes of savory panna cottas and foams. In its new South End space, though, everything at Sage at last makes sense.
The modern décor—exposed brick walls hung with gauzy curtains and iconic photos of Italy, plus three times as many seats—matches Susi’s inventive fare, which includes the beloved gnocchi, now served with braised rabbit; ultrarich cod cheeks sautéed with fava beans and pancetta; and a stunning subtly smoky duck served with braised chard and a wonderfully creamy fennel custard. For a well-rounded finish, try any one of Susi’s desserts, which he calls, quite accurately, “Happy Endings.”
1395 Washington St., Boston, 617-248-8814, sageboston.com. $$$$
The modern décor—exposed brick walls hung with gauzy curtains and iconic photos of Italy, plus three times as many seats—matches Susi’s inventive fare, which includes the beloved gnocchi, now served with braised rabbit; ultrarich cod cheeks sautéed with fava beans and pancetta; and a stunning subtly smoky duck served with braised chard and a wonderfully creamy fennel custard. For a well-rounded finish, try any one of Susi’s desserts, which he calls, quite accurately, “Happy Endings.”
1395 Washington St., Boston, 617-248-8814, sageboston.com. $$$$
Originally published in Boston magazine, July 2007
