A Gem Set in a Strip Mall

One of the best brunch spots in the county is a little-known Newport Beach restaurant called Sage that specializes in “new” American cuisine. The name could just as easily refer to the wisdom displayed in the kitchen as to the herbs used in the cooking.

This 3-year-old restaurant prides itself on pairing exciting flavors in fresh presentations. Regular brunchgoers will be relieved to find alternatives to tired cheese omelets and hash browns. Instead, they will find sweet potato French fries, shiitake and asparagus, grilled ahi, and chicken basil sausage among the wide assortment of egg, meat and vegetable dishes.

Sage suffers slightly from its lackluster, strip-mall site, but the restaurant has managed to make the best of its cramped Eastbluff location. Its roomy dining room is decorated in handsome, warm colors and contemporary furniture.

The best seats are outside, where the landscape of hibiscus, ferns and small sculptures has been designed to enhance the dining experience. Heaters make the patio pleasant on chilly days.

Everything at Sage seems new and sophisticated. Fresh flowers, homemade scones and fancy tableware attract a well dressed clientele, but the restaurant is not the least bit stuffy. Friendly, attentive service provides a comfortable climate.

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But the best thing about Sage is the food. Soon after ordering, warm, buttery raisin scones arrived with our drinks--spicy Bloody Marys garnished with huge green olives; cafe lattes and flavored ice teas.

On the day we visited, starters included delicious wild mushroom soup with goat cheese crostini--a cheese-topped crouton with a touch of roasted red-pepper coulis--and spicy ahi spring rolls with an Asian slaw and sweet dipping sauce.

Six brunch specials supplement 11 regular offerings of slicked-up standards, such as Hawaiian chocolate-chip bread pudding; French toast with whipped cream and strawberries; smoked salmon frittata with asparagus and shiitake; a tomato basil omelet; and crab cakes and eggs on a bed of crunchy, corn-laden potatoes.

On the regular menu, our favorite was a breakfast pasta made of spinach, mushrooms, tomatoes, onions, eggs and linguine with chicken.

The best flavors are reserved for the specials, which on the day we visited included two salads, two egg dishes and two meat dishes. The “black and blue steak” was two tasty, Cajun-spiced beef filets with melted Gorgonzola cheese, which came with French fries and a green salad. Also good were creamy eggs with shiitake, asparagus and prosciutto on a crisp potato cake with Hollandaise sauce, and the Italian sausage frittata of onion, mushrooms, spinach, tomato, cheese and eggs with home-fried potatoes.

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The grilled ahi salad was the only item that disappointed. The combination of tuna with Maui onions, greens and sesame vinaigrette sounded more flavorful than it was.

Desserts are given the same expert attention as the entrees. It’s not easy to decide among the many choices, but you can’t go far wrong with any of them. Ending a brunch with a cappuccino and the warm apple walnut crumble with ice cream or the rich, dense, chocolate truffle cake is a good way to start the new year.

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Sage, 2531 Eastbluff Drive, Newport Beach, (949) 718-9650. Brunch hours: 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Entrees range from $9 to $14.