Wild Sage Kitchen & Bar Regina — Restaurant in Regina

I'm kinda surprised to be writing this review, but I was so impressed with the meal I had at Wild Sage that I feel compelled to say something.

Borscht -- they nailed it. I know it's not a huge favourite for most people, but if you appreciate borscht for the amazing soup it can be, this is worth trying. They use smoked beets, which gives it a unique savoriness. Huge portion, too.

Portobello Cobb salad w/ smoked chicken thigh -- best Cobb I've ever had. The portobello and chicken were both smoked to perfection and just exploding with flavour, balanced perfectly by the tomatoes and shallots. I wolfed it down like I was high. Towards the end it started to feel like there was maybe a little too much dressing and/or feta, but my palate may have just been exhausted.

Brisket beef dip -- perfect. Again, the smoke was the difference-maker here, giving the sandwich way more character than your typical beef dip. Great au jus for dipping, and what tasted like horseradish on the bun to keep everything lively.

Last Mountain Whiskey neat -- Delish. I was skeptical -- you don't often get good liquor for $7 a shot -- but the waitress assured us the price is due to it being local (Lumsden) and not because it's shitty. It was so good. No harsh booziness, just a perfectly balanced earthiness followed by a hint of spice and fume. I'll be buying a bottle of this stuff.

I rarely leave such wordy reviews, but this was a dynamite meal in a surprisingly classy setting topped off with some truly excellent service....

Super Disappointed Mothers Day Brunch. Seated at a nice table then moved to a corner of the lounge and left without beverages or service while some staff took pics with each other, our server set the table next to us without acknowledging us and other later arriving tables were being served. After asking for service found food not the usual standard including over ripe fruit, dried out items prepared too far ahead, mislabeled items, cards for items not present (one I stood waiting 10 mins for the person to come back and tell me they don't have it) and saw who appeared to be the chef and sous chef have a disagreement in front of customers. The dessert display was the highlight, quite beautiful with fancy caramel and chocolate accents and a build your own cupcake station for the kids. All desserts were not labeled, though the quality was there we saw alot of waste as diners tried things and didn't care for them so didn't eat them. Not everyone likes coffee flavoured cakes. When I expressed my feelings to a lady who appeared to be the manager she smiled and gave me a well rehearsed line or two no attempt to make it right or even a genuine apology. The whole experience left us feeling really unimportant and not cared for. Not a $39 per person experience at all, other customers that we spoke to seated around us felt the same. It really seemed they were in over their heads and couldn't handle the volume of business. Truly disappointed in what used to be our favourite buffet. Not sure we...

The Wild Sage presents itself as modestly chique dinning, but its execution is lacklustre and leaves a lot wanting more.

This is a restaurant capable of 3 or 4 star service. The staff has always been pleasant and helpful, the atmosphere is fine, the dining room is fairly clean. The ingredients are fresh, even in the middle of winter.

However, wild sage parades around as a “smokehouse” and while presenting what appears to be exciting options, expect store bought sauce on your salad, pre shredded cheese, a wild attempt to achieve the desired finish on steak.

The kitchen lacks inspiration, and tries to oversell itself for what it is. The reality is this restaurant has the potential to deliver an excellent “pub and grub” with perhaps a twist on the classics.

Drop the smokehouse. I’ve been coming here for years, it’s not the “speciality”, it’s the defacto standard.

It’s convenient, well designed, and has all the hallmarks of a decent culinary experience. Drop the pretentious front; RE: the attached photo is NOT prime rib ($42). You cannot masquerade margarine as butter in the mashed potatoes. Reheated “smoked” meat is unacceptable.

The wild sage has fine ingredients, but has far more potential than what you’ll receive.

Simplify the food, execute the small things well, and I hope the next time I visit, I can improve this review.

2 years on, I am Wild(ly) disappointed. Do...