Sage in Fairhope used to mean an herb in the Thanksgiving turkey and a little in the dressing, but honey, this isn’t your typical South Alabama sage!
Sage Lebanese Cuisine and Cafe‘ is now open in downtown Fairhope, and people in our small town are all a-buzz! You’ve never had such a delicious combination of not only sage, but herbs and spices from around the world.
One of the owners, Marwan, who was originally born in Jordan, raised in New York and in the last few years, found peace and quiet in beautiful Fairhope, looked for seven years to find the perfect location to make this restaurant a reality. The night my husband and I were in his new restaurant, Marwan looked so happy as he poked his head out of the kitchen to say hello and to make sure all the customers were enjoying their meals.
The other owner of Sage, Nader, who is originally from Beirut Lebanon, and his wife Marissa, worked with Marwan and the three meticulously remodeled the perfect location in the heart of downtown by moving walls, renovating the kitchen area, adding bathrooms and creating a beautiful atmosphere. We arrived a bit early to snap some photos, but by the time we left, the place had filled up.
Serving lunch and dinner, but still testing a temporary menu, the food was phenomenal. Above is the Meza Mixer appetizer which combines a tasty plate of Hummus, Labneh, stuffed grape leaves (which I usually don’t like, but these were great), eggplant and falafel.
Our server Zoe was very helpful and knew details about each dish. She recommended this NYC style chicken over rice, and it was so flavorful and savory I loved it (not sure why it was NYC style – am I missing something?). The dishes were so large, I couldn’t finish it all, but my son was glad to help with my take-home plate.
My husband’s plate was the Kabob Mixer, which gave him a sample of beef, chicken and Kafta, which is grilled ground beef with spices, almost like little meatballs – but so much better. He loved every bite, and said next time said he wants to try the Lamb Chops.
The menu also includes a large selection of salads, sandwiches and vegetarian entrees.
If you are in the Fairhope area, I can highly recommend you try Sage Lebanese Cuisine and Cafe’. It’s so great to live in a small Southern town, but not have to eat grits and fried chicken every day. I’m so very happy we are growing a real restaurant scene and a global vibe in our little corner of Alabama.
One last thing I’ll mention, is the Lebanese Iced Tea. I didn’t get a photo, but it looks deceivingly simple, and in a way, it is. But the combination of a green tea with a tiny bit of mint, lemon and who knows what . . . is refreshing and my favorite new cooling summer drink.
Their web site isn’t ready just yet, but click HERE to see their facebook page. Visit Sage Lebanese Cuisine and Cafe’ at 319 Fairhope Avenue, next door to Ken and Vernon’s Barbershop.Â
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Click HERE to see all the Fairhope Restaurant Reviews. And click HERE to see my Gulf Coast Businesses Pinterest page or HERE to see my Southern Recipes and Food page!