Sage Gourmet Cafe and Market

[cherrylane]

Hey, I haven't seen a review of this restaurant yet, so I'll give my 2 cents...if you haven't been, then GO! The gourmet mac is great and the club is the best I've ever had. On the market side, they've got some decent cheeses and spices. Apparently, they are still adding items everyday. My favorite so far are the pickles! The staff is friendly and the decor is trendy, very NY style. I got a tweet that their patio has opened, so that should be good too.

[Midtowner]

It's quite nice... just a tad pricey. It costs around the same amount of money to have lunch at Nonna's.

[metro]

OKCBiz >> Print Article > OKC's Deep Deuce district is jazzed once more

OKC's Deep Deuce district is jazzed once more
Christina Nihira
6/23/2009 12:00:00 AM

Perhaps not as well-known as other historic neighborhoods in the metro, Oklahoma City’s Deep Deuce developed and flourished during the early 20th century. This was where the spirited heart of African-American life pulsed in the 1940s. A few decades later, much of the neighborhood had all but disappeared.

Today, only a modest amount of its original character remains. But thanks to the current city-center renaissance, the area is attractive once more.

Appealing lofts, tony brownstones and upscale apartments are now trendy and commonplace. Yet, finding a decent grocery requires driving and significant effort. The result means that the simple task of restocking the pantry becomes an arduous task.

Enter Kevin and Charifa Smith.

The couple has brought the recently opened Sage Gourmet Cafe & Market, 228 NE 2, to its neighbors. Some have likened the plan to smaller versions of the popular Texas-based Central Market or Whole Foods, but with more concentration on Oklahoma-made products, as well as organic ones.

The new grocer on the block doesn’t sell typical detergents, cleaning products or pet food. However, an array of entrées, soups, salads, pastas, sandwiches and spreads freshly prepared by chefs working kitchen detail are offered, including signature dishes such as Monkey Bread and Sage Mac and Cheese. For the sweet tooth, pastries, breads and desserts are baked from scratch.

On the market side, delectable cheeses, olives, fruits, spices, milk, salad dressing and locally roasted coffee are sold.

“We have gotten a lot of people excited,” says Charifa Smith, an Oklahoma City native. “People want a super store. People also want something cozy and comfortable. We provide a niche.”

This new business venture was a homecoming for her. Following graduation from Millwood High School, she went on to Spelman College in Atlanta and settled in New York City. She worked in the Big Apple as a financial analyst, real estate developer and attorney. There, she also met her husband.

PROMISE KEEPERS
From afar, the couple was intrigued by Oklahoma City’s renewal and saw much promise. More importantly, they noticed an absence of neighborhood cafés and groceries. The Smiths then decided to relocate to the Sooner State to be closer to family and explore new careers.

In 2006, they purchased the building at the corner of NE 2 Street and Central Avenue primarily as an investment. Two of its three tenants moved, leaving a lot of vacant space. They toyed around with several ideas before deciding to pursue their culinary dreams.

“I can see a lot of people shying away because our concept is not the easiest adventure to take on,” says New York native Kevin Smith, who oversees the food and menu for the restaurant. “Providing organic produce and all-natural foods [is challenging] since it does not have a long shelf life. It is a bit of a risk and balancing act.”

Like any new venture, the couple wanted a way to differentiate their business from the ordinary supermarket. That’s why they devoted so much time to highlighting and enhancing the building’s interior. They went to great lengths to be eco-friendly and find used furnishings, rather than purchase everything entirely new.

One of those items is the back bar, which is solid wood and came from a demolished hotel. The 14-foot bar is believed to have been made in the 1930s.

“Sage’s theme is taking pieces of old Oklahoma and merging it with modern touches,” Charifa Smith says.

PAST PRESENT
The site’s character and storied past made the project more intriguing. Better known as the Littlepage Building, the two-story brick structure was constructed in 1924 to meet African-Americans’ growing need for hotel accommodations due to segregation. It was set amid the busy commercial area that once prospered along what locals referred to as the “Near Northeast” community, which functioned as the main shopping and entertainment district for black residents.

According to historical records, the building was commissioned by the Littlepage family. The family operated a hotel on the upper floor and a restaurant on the ground level. The lively social scene brought visitors from all over the country. Famous guests included such jazz luminaries as Nat King Cole, Duke Ellington, Sarah Vaughn and Billie Holiday, not to mention baseball great Jackie Robinson.

To bolster income, brothers-in-law Junius Singleton and Alfred Littlepage leased three retail shops facing 2 Street and four on the side, including a grocery and barbershop. The nameplate on the building’s front – for Junius and wife, Mobelia – “J.S. & M.E. Littlepage” remains today. A smaller, painted sign is visible on the west side. Both serve as prominent reminders to days past.

Later occupants included a branch for the Oklahoma employment office, a cleaners and a tax preparation office, which was the last tenant to move out, in 1990.

In subsequent years, as alternative housing options became more readily available, many residents moved away. Then, the Centennial Highway project was completed and virtually cut off all access to the neighborhood. Many buildings were razed while others, like the Littlepage, were vacated and boarded up.

In 1996, the Littlepage was placed on the National Historic Register because the property was deemed to have played a role in events that made a significant historical contribution to Oklahoma City. In 2004, thanks to a California architectural firm, the building was completely renovated. The upper floor became lofts; business occupants leased everything below.

IN THE DETAILS
When the Smiths became the owners two years later, they enlisted New York-based creative director Micheal Sparks to help develop and execute their business idea. He was instrumental in designing the corporate logo, branding, Web site and overall café tone.

“This is a marriage between the people who own the business and the town,” Sparks says. “We didn’t want people to feel intimidated about the space.”

Helping Sparks create the right ambiance was Cherdena Daniel, who was Charifa Smith’s longtime friend and fellow Millwood alum. The Los Angeles-based interior designer, who is returning to Oklahoma City to run her business locally, has undertaken more of the project’s technical elements.

“I came up with the layout for the space,” Daniel says. ”I worked on getting the functions of the bar, seating and separation of the café and market.”

Despite being separated by 3,000 miles, Sparks and Daniel used e-mail and phone calls to coordinate the countless details. The outcome was a plan that intertwined the building’s architectural history with traces of modernism.

Daniel noted the juxtaposition between old and new was always a foremost consideration in her mind. Take, for instance, the original wood beams and brick – both prominent features. Yet a mix of new exists, such as track lighting, contemporary chairs and tables. Stained concrete floors provide practicality. The progressive main bar has pasted glass and is backlit, so it produces a glow. Such an innovative approach to all aspects blends seamlessly with Sage’s relaxed mood.

The café is named to memorialize the couple’s daughter, Sage, who died last year shortly after birth from heart complications.

Even after heartbreak, the Smiths know the rhythm of life beats on. Fortunately, they have found a new tempo in Oklahoma City, sharing a beat full of jazzy possibilities for all to enjoy.

[bigjkt405]

Sage is a great place, and I enjoy the Chili lime chicken wings...

[metro]

Convenient how they leave out the fact the building was occupied before they turned it into Sage. The article makes it sound like this building was boarded up since the 1990's.

The Journal Record - Article

These Walls: Littlepage buildingby Kelley Chambers
The Journal Record July 6, 2009

OKLAHOMA CITY – Kevin and Charifa Smith knew the building they purchased in the Deep Deuce area of Oklahoma City was historic, but as they looked into it more, they found the building was an integral part of the black community for decades.


The Littlepage building. (Photo by Maike Sabolich)

Documents from the Oklahoma Historical Society show the two-story brick building, at 228 NE Second St., was constructed in 1924 by community leaders Junius Singleton and Alfred Louis Littlepage. As Deep Deuce was becoming a thriving area of commerce and entertainment for the black community, it also drew its share of notable visitors.But segregation gave limited options to out-of-town guests who often had to stay in private homes.

With the opening of the 25-room M&M Hotel, on the second floor of the Littlepage building, visitors had a clean, comfortable place to stay where the manager, W.O. Miller, promised the best service west of the Mississippi River.

Some of the famous names that passed through the hotel over the years include Nat King Cole, Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Fats Domino and Jackie Robinson.

The building had a restaurant on the first floor and several shops, including the Musicians Exchange Billiard Parlor, which the Blue Devil Orchestra called home. That group later formed the Count Basie Orchestra.

But as the years passed the area fell into decline, buildings were razed, and the last known tenant of the Littlepage building before it was boarded up was a tax preparation office in 1990 owned by Littlepage’s son-in-law.

The area began to see revitalization in the late 1990s with renewed interest in the area and the completion of the Deep Deuce at Bricktown apartments in 2001. The apartments were built around the Littlepage building, which was restored and housed office space.

The Smiths, who were living in New York City in 2006, purchased the building with their sights on one day setting up shop in Oklahoma City. Charifa Smith, originally from Oklahoma City, was working in New York with Kevin Smith, a native of the Big Apple.

The couple moved to Oklahoma City with plans to make the building a living space for themselves in the former hotel and a gourmet market and restaurant on the first floor.

The Smiths set to work designing the west side of the first floor as a kitchen and market with a bar and restaurant on the east end. The dining area is punctuated with a 1930s bar that had once been in a downtown hotel – they’re just not sure which one.

On the south wall of the restaurant they blew up a historic aerial photo of Deep Deuce and Bricktown. That picture covers the entire wall.
The Sage Gourmet Cafe & Market opened this year.

“I knew this building had significance,” Charifa Smith said. “But I didn’t know at the time the phenomenal history of this building.”

[foodiefan]

perhaps I'm misreading, but from the paragraph below, I would think that the building was restored and used for office space around 2001. . .

"The area began to see revitalization in the late 1990s with renewed interest in the area and the completion of the Deep Deuce at Bricktown apartments in 2001. The apartments were built around the Littlepage building, which was restored and housed office space.
"

[JohnDenver]

I must share my experience with my dear out of town guests and Sage.

Walked in 7:30 with no wait. Plenty of open dining outside and more than a few tables open inside dining as well. We were seated. We waited 15 minutes without being greeted, given water, silverware or the menu. When I flagged down a waitress and asked for menus, she only said, "I will be with you shortly." So we waited longer.

Later, the waitress came back with menus and took our drink order. The women ordered mojitos. They arrived shortly with no mint or lime. It was a very sweet mixture, nothing tasting or looking like a mojito. We asked for one with mint and lime and the waitress looked at us like we were out of our minds -- of course mojitos have fresh mint, it is the purpose of the drink.

The table to my left flagged down a waitress and minorly erupted about not getting menus, water nor silverware. The table to my right was struggling to get their check taken so they could leave. We flagged down the manager and got silverware, where he set them on the end of the table and asked my guest to "pass then around."

The women of the table ordered salads with scallops, my friend ordered a chicken sandwich and ordered the oven roast beef and cheddar sandwich with mayo and red peer aoili. We ordered a side of grits and the grilled vegetables appetizer, a COOP beer and another mojito.

45 minutes later and over an hour into our dining, we had talked to the server twice, saw customers getting mad around us and were losing our desire for our dinner.

Eventually the food arrives. Right off the bat I noticed my beef and cheddar sandwich was nothing more than a cold cut roast beef sandwich with a thick slab of cheese and mayo. We flagged down the waitress and asked about the sandwich (since I expected an oven hot sandwich), she said it was a cold sandwich and the "other roast beef sandwich on the menu was the hot one." She offered to heat it up for me, but given the amount of time it took to get our food in the first place, I declined. I thought I just ordered incorrectly -- after all the waitress said I ordered the wrong one. I was trying to just eat it, since I didn't want to make an ordeal for my guests.

Then, the scallops were sandy to the point that my guest could spit out the sand because it was hurting her teeth. The meal was turning into a big disaster.

The bill came, we asked to see a menu and the manager. The manager came over and asked what the problem was and I complained about my meal. I asked about the difference between the two roast beef sandwiches on the menu, to see if the waitress was wrong earlier and he said that he wasn't aware that there were two roast beef sandwiches on the menu!! The beef and cheddar says "oven roasted beef and melted cheddar." That *certainly* sounds like a hot sandwich and not a stale cold cut one. He kind of brushed off my complaint.. We then said how long we waited, how we didn't get reliable service, how the wait staff wasn't educated on the menu (nor him, appearantly) ... and he said that they were "busy that night." I can assure you that many restaurants go out of business with being *that* busy. We walked in and had a table without waiting. Perhaps undertrained or understaffed, but being overly busy is not a reason for such a terrible dining experience. He offered us a free desert and we passed.. We had already been there for almost two hours and didn't even feel satisfied with the lack of empathy from the manager.

We had over a $100 bill and really only enjoyed the grits, CHOC and grilled vegetables. The other portions of the dinner were terrible.

This was my fourth time at Sage. I think I am over giving them more shots to impress me.

[mecarr]

I thought the service was great when I went there right after their grand opening. However, I visited a couple weeks ago and was disappointed.

[kevinpate]

Sad to hear, but the candor is appreciated all the same.

Scoots Sage over to the someday, maybe list.

[metro]

Yeah, I've eaten there several times now and unfortunately the quality and taste of the food seems to be lacking. Seems very bland. When I drive by they never seem very busy, usually 2-6 people inside eating. I do hope it succeeds though because it does fill a niche that we need more of.

[Luke]

I do hope it succeeds though because it does fill a niche that we need more of.

I think we could do with less of the average-food-at-high-prices niche, personally.

[Flgrown]

The food here is amazing!!! Where else can you go for the best Mac n Cheese. I have eaten at Sage around 6 times and have nothing but stellar service and 5 Star foods. The all organic and natural made from scratch foods. Not sure about the restaurant being slow…every time I have gone I have had to wait for a seat including this past Saturday. I read in the Gazette Sage was nominated for over 4 different categories not bad for only being open at the time for just 1 ½ months.

[Ikekhan]

The first time I went to Sage the food service and decor was far beyond my already high expectations and they continued to improve. I've had all of their mac and cheese, salads, and loved it. Today I tried the grilled tuna and it was DELICIOUS. The staff is great. They are starting to know me and my staff by name 'cause we frequent the place so much. I am relieved to have a new favorite spot.

[JohnDenver]

I heard the Tuna was teh awesomez. So the wife ordered it the first time we went. The tuna was old or just badly cut, because the connective membrane was so thick that my wife had to pull it apart with her fingers and then put it back on the bun. Also, it was just dry, and we later found out from our friend that you could pick the aoili you want, but the waitress didn't tell us about it. My cobb salad was good, but not worth $14 at all.

My friend told me to try the sandwich again, because he swears by it. So I went and had the beef mac and cheese (tough Tuna scars me) and I found it overly greasy and bland. My wife's salad was good though, but not worth the $14.

I don't think it is too much to ask for *both* plates to be good in a meal.

[OKCMallen]

I think "FLgrown" and "Ikekhan" might be managers or employees there. Two newbs with one post each? One joined this month?

[JohnDenver]

I agree. They have a similar writing cadence too. If I were a moderator, I would check the IPs of the members.. highly suspect.

[Midtowner]

I am relieved to have a new favorite spot.

If you feel "relief" at finding a "new favorite spot," you must have some serious anxiety issues.

[lasomeday]

Yeah, it is obvious that Flgrown and Ikekhan work there. When FLgrown starts of "The food here is amazing".

They could have said there maybe to throw off the bloodhounds.

[JohnDenver]

Yeah, it is obvious that Flgrown and Ikekhan work there. When FLgrown starts of "The food here is amazing".

They could have said there maybe to throw off the bloodhounds.

Ding Ding! You win at the internet. I didn't even see that..

[easternobserver]

Ate at Sage today. Was very, very underwhelmed. Flavors were dull, food was sort of slopped down on the plate, and was all the same sort of tan/brown color (this goes for the open faced roast beef sandwich and for the hummus on the vegatable plate, which was good other than the stale chips). Staff was nice but very awkward and seemed preoccupied.

The market part seemed like a good idea, but isnt very big and didnt have anything too exciting.

Not sorry I gave them a chance, but probably wont be running back anytime soon. Give them credit for the concept and location.