Great Sage

Ages ago, I tried vegetarianism. I lasted about a month, after succumbing to the scent of bacon. Later still, I gave up red meat, only to fall back into regularly eating burgers and steaks. But a recent trip to Great Sage almost makes me want to try vegetarianism again. Almost.

The restaurant is in a shopping center that is full of related earth-friendly shops: Roots Market; Bark! (pets); and Nest (clothes and gifts). We stopped into Roots Market after dinner and I was somewhat disappointed that they sold meat. Maybe because I felt so healthy and good after eating an entirely vegan meal.

I started out with the raw beet ravioli. Everything in this dish is raw - the beets, the filling, which is made with raw nut "cheese," the basil pesto. The "cheese" didn't taste like cheese, but who cares? It was delicious.

Mr Minx originally ordered the soft pretzel, but they were out, so he opted for the black bean and corn quesadilla instead. The "cheese" in this dish was a bit more like dairy cheese, but not quite as gluey. The sour "cream" on the side was really amazing though - even when tasted on its own, it wasn't apparent that it was not an actual dairy product. The flavors were all very good, but my one criticism is that the tortilla was toasted a bit aggressively, which dried it out.

One of the restaurant managers, Katie, had recommended the "crab" cake to me, and I have to admit it was one of the best crab cakes I've eaten. Ever. Even though there was absolutely no crab anywhere near it. The damp, slippery texture of good blue crab was replicated by shredded hearts of palm, which were combined with a bit of breading and a good, old-fashioned, Old Bay-like seasoning. The fat cake was served on a bed of arugula and roasted red bell peppers and topped with a tangy remoulade, all of which went together perfectly. And it was an absolutely beautiful plate.

Mr Minx tried the etouffee, which had chicken-y bits of what I think was gluten, and a tasty mound of dirty rice with black beans. It had a nice kick of red pepper to it, which made him happy that he had ordered a root beer float. The ice "cream" helped calm the burn.

We skipped dessert this time, but we'll be back to try the Mahalo cake and perhaps some cherry pie, too. Really amazing stuff - almost enough to convert an avid meat-eater.

Great Sage
5809 Clarksville Sq Dr
Clarksville, MD 21029
(443) 535-9400
great-sage.com


Posted on Minxeats.com.