Outside view of Sage, an Asian-inspired Cuisine. Credit: Natalie Boggs | Arts and Life Photo Editor
SAGE is bringing more than a new menu to downtown Columbus, combining Asian-inspired cuisine with live music, art and other rotating experiences.
Located at 114 N. Third St., SAGE held its grand opening Sept. 23 in the former Rishi Sushi space, after owner Sudhir Dubey closed the longtime restaurant and reconnected with chef David Kim, with whom he originally opened Rishi in 2014.?
Dubey said a few months after he made the difficult decision to close Rishi, Kim reached back out, and the two realized they had, independently, been considering similar ideas for a new restaurant concept.?
“We wanted to create a place where people could come together, hang out, have a conversation [and] experience things that they may not have experienced before,” Dubey said.
Kim said Columbus already has plenty of places to eat and drink, but he saw an opportunity for a space that combines dining with other activities.
“There’s no place to really kind of do both,” Kim said. “People go out and eat more than go see a show, so [it’s] just kind of that hybrid thought or the concept.”
Signature dishes of Sage, an Asian-inspired Cuisine. Credit: Natalie Boggs | Arts and Life Photo Editor
In addition to food and drinks, Kim said SAGE plans to host rotating musicians and DJs, featured artists, wine and bourbon tastings, omakase dinners, guest chefs and other event programming. Guests may also eventually be able to suggest experiences they would like to see at SAGE.
Dubey said? the restaurant’s events are intended to encourage interaction rather than simply provide background entertainment.
“People go out to eat, but I think more important, they go out to connect,” Dubey said. “They go out to spend time with others. They go out to talk and listen —be around other people.”
Programming will continue to change while following a recurring cycle, Dubey said, and SAGE plans to use community feedback to help determine what kinds of events it offers. Ideas could include Indian musicians, visual artists, cooking classes and theatrical table reads.
Kim said the restaurant expects to begin regularly promoting its event schedule on its website and social media.
The restaurant’s experiential focus is paired with an Asian-inspired menu, influenced by Korean and Japanese cuisine.
Kim, who is of Korean descent and previously worked as a sushi chef, said SAGE takes a more elevated approach to familiar dishes.
Even dishes such as crab rangoon are made in-house with lump crab meat and fresh seasonings, Kim said. The restaurant also makes its sauces from scratch, including a teriyaki sauce, based on a family recipe, that takes more than 12 hours to prepare.
“We’d like everyone to understand that everything’s made to order,” Kim said. “Everything’s made fresh. We use high-quality ingredients.”
Signature cocktail sitting on the bar counter of Sage, an Asian-inspired Cuisine. Credit: Natalie Boggs | Arts and Life Photo Editor
The restaurant’s interior was completely redesigned to create something distinct from Rishi, Dubey said. The upstairs, for example, is arranged with clusters of chairs and tables, designed to feel more like a living room than a traditional dining area.
As SAGE establishes itself, both Dubey and Kim said they hope the restaurant can become another reason for people to spend time downtown.?
Kim said SAGE adds another piece to? downtown Columbus,? which already includes restaurants and entertainment venues, while offering customers a new place to “eat, drink, socialize and just spend time.”
Dubey said he hopes SAGE can develop partnerships with other local restaurants, artists and venues, rather than compete solely for customers. He plans to periodically partner with Columbus charities to raise money and awareness — spotlighting organizations supporting families and children.
For Dubey, success will ultimately come down to whether customers leave curious about what SAGE will offer the next time they visit.
“I want them to feel like, ‘Wow, this was really interesting,’” Dubey said. “I haven’t had this before, and I can’t wait to come back and see what they’re doing next.”?
