Saje Kitchen
They say variety is the spice of life.
“People are familiar with certain things. And sometimes it might be challenging to get them, try a new flavor or try a new ingredient. And I always take that as a win when someone might not have tried something before and try it and they really enjoy it.”
And you’ll will find the unfamiliar, familiar at Saje.
Located on Federal Hill in Providence, Saje is a southern inspired restaurant in a neighborhood known for its Italian.
“That's always the first question. Oh, is it an Italian restaurant? We are not Italian. You know, the street is traditionally Italian. And so we like to bring in that diversity of food into the mix as well. So we have our American classics, but we like to put our spin on things. Use a blend of local and authentic ingredients, and take all that and put out a really vibrant and exciting dish.”
That’s owner Ethan Jaffee, a passionate restaurateur who wanted to create a fun, comfortable space to match his creative menu.
“When you walk in, you're met with warm blend of colors nice marble bar, stylish wallpaper, and some fun decor. We really designed it so people can be very wowed at first and then come in and feel comfortable without being over the top. But keeping that style on trend.”
Starters at Saje take your palate on a culinary trip around the globe. With options like Jerk Chicken sliders topped with pico de gallo and Crispy Lobster Wontons- Saje’s spin on Crab Rangoon.
“We get fresh wonton wrappers in and we do a cream cheese filling with some chives and lemon zest. And then we get in fresh lobster and fill it with the wonton. Flash fry. And then it comes with a saffron pepper jelly. So you get a little bit of creaminess definitely pronounced lobster and then some of those unique flavors with the sauce. I'm jealous of every plate going out.”
Other Asian-inspired dishes include these Brisket Cheddar Spring Rolls.
“We smoked the brisket overnight, mix it in with some cheddar, rolled up in a crispy, spring roll wrapper with a garlic sauce. It's everything you think it is and more. It's really delicious.”
Of course, there are plenty of southern staples like these Baby Back Sticky Ribs served with napa cabbage slaw. And the Hennessy BBQ Triple Fried Chicken Wings.
“We brine them for 24 hours, then they are actually fried three times that delivers what we believe to be a crunchy or crispy or coating to them. We offer a few sauces but our most popular is our housemade Hennessy BBQ and it's a nice smokiness tangy with a little bit of sweetness on it. Perfect for the chicken wings.”
The Southern staples continue right through the entree section of the menu, with Seafood Jambalaya loaded with shrimp and fried catfish in a Creole sauce. Chicken and Deep Fried Waffles topped with bourbon butter and creamy, dreamy Lobster and Shrimp Grits.
“You get a nice butter poached lobster tail. And then we have remoulade grilled shrimp around and then we do a lobster cream sauce and some scallions, some chili oil so you get the buttery creaminess of the grits. You get a really nice umami from the lobster and a little lift from the chili and from the scallion. It's like getting a hug in a plate.”
You may also want to hug a big bowl of Creamy Cajun Pasta.
"This is a fresh tagliatelle in our homemade Cajun cream sauce. And then we do some blackened chicken and some seared shrimp with roasted red peppers as well as some parmesan cheese. And all that coming together makes a really nice bite."
And for a little bit if the south meets Federal Hill, order Saje’s Southern Fried Chicken Parmesan.
"That is our marinated chicken breast fried in a in a southern style chicken dredge and instead of a marinara sauce, it's a Cajun cream sauce with fresh rigatoni and it gets topped with some parmesan cheese. The chicken breast gets covered in some pepper jack cheese and some fresh tomatoes, basil. So the best of both worlds.”
And for a dish giving you the best of both the land and sea, try the surf and turf.
“You get a beautiful choice tenderloin with a housemade compound truffle butter. We do our Yukon Gold mashed potatoes or grilled asparagus and our butter poached lobster tail and a little bit of Demi. And all that together. It's exactly what you want.”
This dish hits your nose before it even hits the table.
“We have the rosemary sticking out. Torch it comes out smoking. And so people smell that what what is that? And they see big surf and turf plate and probably a little jealous if they didn't order it.”
And everyone in the room will be jealous of you if you order the Southern Fried Banana Bread Pudding.
“This hits everything you want at the end of the meal. sweet, savory rich. It gets topped with a maple cream sauce, some crushed candied Pecans, and then some vanilla gelato. And all together it is just the perfect way to end a meal”
And whether it’s a dish you’ve been eating for years. Or something you’re trying for the first time. It’s bound to be delicious at Saje Kitchen.
