Sagi — Restaurant in Ontario

I was recently in with a group of friends for lunch. It's a small but cozy place. The staff were great! Friendly, easy to talk to and they were very helpful in their description of some of their entries. I had ordered the Sagi Stir Fry. This was not what I received. The other different entries looked great so I could not figure out why this one was so subpar. Picture in your head what you would get if you ordered or made your own stir fry. Well, that is not what you will get. I still recall the description and it listed veggies. Not the typical ones I would include in a stir fry but they mentioned green beans, button mushrooms, nappa cabbage and carrots. I was okay with that. This is what I got and what I didn't get. There were no green beans. And there were very few veggies. As a matter of fact, when the plate was set before me, I thought they had brought me the wrong thing. (There was a whol lot of 'brown' - no colour) About 1/2 dozen very small thin pieces of wilty red pepper and about the same of carrot were hidden amongst the plentiful (not vermicelli) noodles. Lots of them and lots of bean sprouts, raw and some cooked (which were not in the description and which I don't really care for). There was very little cabbage and mushrooms. Oh, I did get one half of a cherry tomato (I am not kidding). And the chicken consisted of bits and pieces of dark meat. Not a lot of chicken. There were also 4 shrimp arranged on the edge of the noodles. Because they also included egg, this, to me, was a pad thai dish and nothing more. I was so disappointed! I was so hungry and looking forward to a more healthy dish. And to top it off, it tasted too "grilled" if you know what I mean by that. I did not express how I really felt because i was being treated to lunch and did not want to dampen the happy vibes. I have been to restaurants where they had to substitute different ingredients because of lack of availabililty but this really needs to be communicated to the customer. I cannot stress enough how this was just a basic pad thai dish. It's similar to what is served at a restaurant right there in Wortley as well as a couple of other places I have been too. It was not worth the $24 price. Not even with the four shrimp. So...it either needs to be removed from the menu, renamed Sagi Pad Thai or made to be an honest to goodness stir fry. I would not recommend this particular dish unless of course, what I discribed is exactly what you...

"A quick update to this older review... they have increased their outside dining space and added many new craft beers and are currently adding new wine selections (natural and organic sourcing).

The food..... well it's still (to quote Wayne's World) EXCELLENT!!!! Much better half and I dined last evening and thoroughly enjoyed an Ahi Tuna special and a Blackened Perch special (they were both especially tasty). Despite all that they have faced during the past couple of years, they are not only hanging in but upping their game".

SAGI = An absolute must try for elevated casual dining in a great setting in or out with great food, service and atmosphere in Wortley.

Holiday weekend lunch/supper (is Lupper a thing?) was a delight in flavour, scent and visual presentation. As a relative newcomer to this location in Wortley they have made a solid first impression on myself and much better half. Fortunately my wife had lunched here previous so my expectations were set high going in, and I was not disappointed. We purposely chose a later afternoon dining time as we knew we wanted to try a few menu items (definitely did not eat supper that evening) and all four choices were solid ones. We started with the tuna Poke and the Octopus (a fave of mine whenever I can get it) and both choices hit the mark nicely. Much better half had a lavender inspired cocktail and I had the Saisson on tap (Yuzu flavoured) and they did the trick to get us refreshed. Much better half had the salmon in banana leaf and I tried the crispy tofu with egg and once again the dishes were spot on. The visual appeal as they come to the table combined with the aroma of the well combined ingredients leaves you a bit like one of Pavlov's dogs hearing the bell, the salivation effect is a real one and once you dig in, well tastebud Nirvana..... The service was attentive without being overbearing, the setting is relaxing with COVID protocols being followed and the value for dollars is (IMHO) an excellent one. The two starters could easily have sufficed as a main and we shared all four plates which were an indulgence to be sure...but a worthwhile one at that. I hope this is a long term relationship with Sagi as there is much more...

As we approached from the street, tactful lights, pleasant music and a flurry of colour welcomed us to what has to be the best new food spot in Wortley village... and maybe the whole of London. My three year old turned to me as we climbed the stairs to the patio and said “Daddy, this restaurant is really nice!”. We were warmly welcomed by the most gracious of hosts and seated at a gorgeous live edge table that easily accommodated our party of 4 adults and 1 toddler. A clean high chair was provided and within minutes, attentive servers were guiding us through the creative and diverse drink and food menus. Apps came out in what seemed like mere minutes and our entrees arrived steaming shortly thereafter. It was immediately clear from the flavours, aromas and artful presentations that the chef and his team spare no expense and cut no corners. The smell of hand-ground-to-order spices and aromatics immediately triggered memories of trips to Southeast Asia and with every bite, masterfully balanced, bright, fresh flavours exploded on our palettes. The grilled octopus, shrimp and scallops, tuna poke, gyoza, imperial rolls, papaya/mango salad, soba and Khao Soi were absolutely perfect. I could find no fault in any of the dishes and would be able to offer no criticisms if asked to. The level of sophistication demonstrated in the dishes is a testament to the passion and skill possessed by the chef, who came out to explain his Asian fusion philosophy and the genesis of the menu. His dedication to his craft and enthusiasm in the kitchen was evident in every bite and understanding the story behind the dishes allowed us to more fully immerse ourselves in the unique and extraordinary experience that dining at Sagi really is. Thank you so much for the best dinner out we have had in a long time. The perfectly mixed drinks, superb food, incredible service, large portions and warm, welcoming atmosphere will have us coming back...