Taste of the Coast…..Hilton Head’s Sage Room

This month we wanted to pay a visit to South Carolina’s Hilton Head Island, located just across the river from Savanah itself. The island is known for its many world-class golf courses as well as great fishing for species like Redfish and Tarpon. Hilton Head is also known for many fine dining establishments. With that in mind, we decided to visit what many consider to be the best the island has to offer. We weren’t disappointed!

The Sage Room is a one-of-a-kind experience in fine dining. It made its debut in March of 2003 and has been a landmark at the south end of Hilton Head Island since then. It’s not the stuffy pretense you may think when you hear “fine dining”. This restaurant is anything but that. My husband and I wanted to treat ourselves for a special accomplishment and chose The Sage Room. Chef Matt Jording greeted us with his big smile and a simple nod while doing his magic in the kitchen that is situated in the middle of the room. We chose our seat at the bar where all the cooking was taking place. The first thing that was brought to us was a Snow Pea Martini. I know that caused your eyebrows to raise so I’ll explain. It is the signature appetizer. It got its name because it is served in a martini glass with chopsticks. What’s in the glass?…. Snow peas, pineapple and ginger with a soy glaze. Unbelievably good! This specialty appetizer has become the restaurant’s mascot, and the funny part is that it actually started as a joke.

I’m a seafood lover so that was my choice of an entrée. I chose wisely when I ordered the Almond Crusted Tuna…absolutely delicious. All the seafood there is either locally caught or flown in fresh. My husband is a beef lover so he chose the House Filet, which was a large portion of the best steak out there. Definitely a specialty of the house. As we chatted with those around us and watched the chef prepare his elegant meals, we sipped on our glasses of wine that the Sommelier had suggested. When you are there, you’re part of the show. It’s a fun place to eat and be a part of.