Sage by Yasunori Doi

Orchard Plaza and Cuppage Plaza seem to be an ever-evolving carousel of little Japanese hole-in-the-wall eateries begging to be discovered.

A few months ago, as I was eating at Kemuri Yakitori with a friend, we got chatting to some locals beside us who spend their lives similar to myself - devouring Japanese food. When asking about their favorite restaurants in the vicinity, they mentioned Sage.

Somehow, this was my first time hearing about Sage, a French restaurant run by an extremely passionate Japanese chef located on the ground floor of Cuppage Plaza.

Almost immediately, I booked a reservation for a Friday night, which in retrospect was extremely lucky to get.

Upon entering Sage, you realize almost immediately that the restaurant is entirely run as a 'one-man band'. This wouldn't be uncommon for a small sushiya, but for a restaurant offering French cuisine, which can be a lot more complex, this is surprising, yet very cool. The small kitchen is carefully fitted out with loads of equipment, but somehow, everything looks in perfect order.

The chef seats us at the counter, which caters to about eight people. In order to sufficiently serve the entire restaurant, he spaces out the seatings by the hour (7pm and 8pm).

Sage is very much a destination for wine and sake lovers, having a very extensive menu for both. Knowing we would be drinking a bit, we brought our own bottle of Pontet-Canet 2016 and also ordered a few extra drinks on top.

The restaurant offers omakase (set courses) only with two options - Classic Course and Premium Classic Course.

Premium Classic Course:

• Bread and condiments
• First Appetizers
• Second Appetizers
• Fish Dish
• Meat Dish
• Dessert or Cheese
• Curry Rice (extra $)

After a short period of some pre-drinks and decanting of the wine, the oven timer dings and freshly baked focaccia is placed before us with French butter and cheese. This was a huge amount of bread, more than any other Singapore restaurant would give you. Stopping at just a few bites was one of the hardest things I've ever done.

The chef then presented our first appetizer: a Bacon and Onion Ice Cream and Taro Espuma with caviar and edamame. It was a rich and creamy dish with a cool center of savory ice cream and hints of the edamame which you could only just sense at the back of your tongue. I've never had anything like it. You could feel it line the insides of your stomach with every bite.

Next was an 'open sandwich' which consisted of homemade brioche with marinated mozzarella in saikyo miso and mortadella. The bread was toasted, crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside with a hint of what tasted like orange zest. Quickly devoured, and at this point, I was getting a bit nervous about how much more food I could fit in, given we were only at the second course.

Our second appetizer was a seafood boudin blanc with mushrooms and root vegetables. The best way to describe this is like the consistency of a fish-based terrine - moist, light, and packed with huge flavors from start to finish.

Our first main dish was a spring roll with Japanese salmon and snow crab served with salad. Crispy on the outside, this spring roll encompassed complete chunks of sweet Japanese seafood throughout. I've never tasted a spring roll with such amazing quality ingredients. Hands down the highlight of the night.

Now being sufficiently full, we still had the main (meat) course to come: a generous piece of A4 wagyu with truffle-scented Madeira sauce topped with foie gras. Chef Yasunori had these morsels sitting in the sous vide from the moment we arrived. Rich would be an understatement. Bursting with flavor, fat, and oil, it could be sliced with a fork.

At this point, he asked the guests whether they would like to add his famous beef curry rice. As much as we truly wanted to, there was simply no space to participate. One of my biggest regrets of the night.

For dessert, we had both the Valrhona Chocolate Yokan with marron glace ice cream and the French cheesecake. The cheesecake was small (thankfully) but dense and rich. The Chocolate yokan was much more flavorful and thicker than traditional Japanese versions, pairing nicely with the marron glace ice cream which balanced the rich texture.

With dessert done and our bottle finished, it was time to wrap up.

Gaijin's review

• Food quality: Freshly cooked, japanese ingredients, on the heavier side
• Ambience: Small and cozy late night izakaya vibes
• Value: Very cheap
• Overall rating: ★★★★☆ (4.1/5)
• Price: $$

This meal wasn't our usual Japanese escapade. Despite a lot of Japanese ingredients being used, it was very much a French food experience from start to finish. While I'm not generally a huge fan of rich and creamy food, dining at Sage was a first-class experience and a refreshing change for us.

Speaking only from my experience that night, you can tell that Chef Yasunori Doi has an immense amount of passion for his work, his food, and a desire for each customer to have the best dining adventure possible. He has somehow managed to pair the intimacy of a Japanese-style omakase with a complex, unique, and foreign menu as a solo operator. It's amazing to see, and I can't quite think of another venue in Singapore that compares in this way.

Before we left, he was nice enough to give us a parting gift of freshly baked sourdough to take home!

Sage is fantastic value and should be a go-to for any French cuisine fans wanting an intimate experience. I've never left a restaurant so full in recent memory, opting to walk home afterward in a bid to burn off a dish or two.

We will probably wait until next year to revisit Sage, as it's likely that the menu will constantly change, particularly with ingredient seasonality.

If French cuisine isn't to your liking, drop by Sage for a glass of wine and a curry rice in the later hours of the evening, as they are open until after midnight.

Sage by Yasunori Doi

a: 150 01-36 Orchard Rd, Orchard Plaza, Singapore 238841

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