Address: 6511 Greenleaf Ave.
Whittier, CA 90601
562.945.1204
The Basics: Fortunately for many, the L.A. Gateway area’s nightlife is slowly but steadily booming. Blame it on high demand for local party hotspots or on the fact that people are less willing to drive long distances because of both traffic and unstable gas prices. When you think of Whittier you think of everything BUT partying, unless it’s a house party of some sort, Whittier is not known to be a party destination. With its recent remodeling, “Sage Restaurant & Lounge” is set to stir things up a bit and start veering partygoers towards Whittier.
The venue itself is quite appealing both inside and outside. The façade and the décor are kept to minimum, which works to its advantage- giving it a clean-cut modern look.
“Sage” is divided into two sections, the “restaurant-ey” and the “loungey” area. They’re pretty much the same- on the “restaurant” side there are a few tables but there’s also a small dancefloor, now on the “lounge” side of “Sage” there are booths and plenty of sitting and “chilling” space.
While “Sage” is a chill spot, unlike other low key lounges, you certainly can’t go there looking like a hot mess, but you don’t have to dress up and go all out either- it’s pretty casual.
Tapas Galore
When my friends and I arrived to “Sage” the “restaurant” was still working in full mode… and while we weren’t necessarily hungry, we decided to check out their menu.
After a quick look, we came up to the conclusion that we were to stuff our faces with tapas. And so we did. We ordered “Empanada Trilogy”, “Steamed Jumbo Asparagus”, and “Meatballs & Wild Mushrooms” to go along with our drinks.
Our first round of martinis quickly arrived, and they did not disappoint. They are not too expensive and they amount of alcohol is just right- enough to get you going but not too much to overpower the flavor and taste like rubbing alcohol.
All three items arrived at the same time, thus making it harder for each and everyone of us to decide where to begin. The “Empanada Trilogy” has a combination of pork, lamb, and vegetable empanadas. While the pulled pork and seasonal vegetable empanadas were good but not memorable, the lamb empanadas definitely made a good impression; the roasted bell aioli gave it a distinct flavor.
The “Steamed Jumbo Asparagus” was a pleasant surprise: steamed asparagus wrapped with ham, seasoned with sea salt and topped with béarnaise sauce. While the ham had a pleasant zest, the asparagus was not steamed properly, making it a bit on the hard side.
Other than the empanadas, the other dish that was popular and quick to go was the “Meatballs & Wild Mushrooms”. They were pretty much chorizo and beef meatballs tossed with wild mushrooms sautéed with garlic, shallots and a special house glaze. The chorizo meatballs are a must.
Chill-out
While “Sage” is a pretty decent place to chill and grub on some scrumptious tapas, as a lounge and social networking place it kinda falls flat. It’s not because of its looks or because of the drinks and food that’s served. It’s because of the music- not the music selection, but the music volume… it’s way too loud for a lounge, you’ll find yourself screaming and attempting to communicate through sign language. Either way, “Sage” will do the trick on a lazy weekend or as a plan “B”, it’s definitely worth checking out just because of the tapas… valen la pena.
