Saege

Ben: If you’re a student in Halifax looking for a cheap place to eat, Saege Bistro on Spring Garden Road might not be the first place that comes to mind. If you’re a Dalhousie student you’ve probably walked by hundreds of times on your way downtown, but its slightly upscale atmosphere may have thrown you off. However, Saege is not nearly as pricey as you might think – items on their regular menu range from $15-$22. Those who frequent Saege recommend it strongly, highlighting the delicious Scanway desserts they serve. Saege advertises a $10 pizza and pasta night every Wednesday, so we decided to check it out. Our server kindly clarified that this deal was available only with the purchase of a beverage or dessert. Since we wanted dessert anyway (as usual), this wasn’t exactly a problem, but it’s nonetheless something you should be aware of if you’re planning to go yourself.

There was a separate menu for the $10 pizza and pasta, which to my knowledge is not currently available online. I chose a pizza topped with pork, mushrooms and (if I remember correctly) a bit of truffle oil. It was the perfect size for one person; you certainly won’t be packing any to take home with you, but you won’t be left hungry either. The ingredients are fresh and local, a point of great pride for the restaurant’s owner.

Haligonian mushrooms

When I eat “good” pizza, the part that always sticks out most for me is the sauce, especially with tomato sauce-based pizzas. You’re going to be tasting tomato sauce in every single bite, so it had better be seasoned properly. In addition, too much or too little of even a good sauce can ruin a pizza; I find that many restaurants, in an attempt to make the other ingredients stand out, opt for far too little sauce. This pizza, however, had the right amount of flavourful sauce that complemented the other toppings perfectly. While Saege’s pizza might not be as phenomenal as, say, that of Morris East (which I really hope we get to review soon), you have to keep in mind that Saege is not centred on pizza in the way that Morris East and other restaurants are. Given that pizza is not the focus of its menu, Saege was extremely impressive, leaving me eager to try the restaurant’s more famous dishes at a later date.

Rebecca: My pizza was a mix of the familiar and the unusual: tomatoes, basil, mozzarella... and cooked ham and snow peas. I've never heard of putting peas on a pizza, but Saege is known for their interesting and uncommon flavour combinations, and I decided to put my faith in their culinary creativity. I'm a pizza lover (aren't we all?), but I have to say that I was not overly impressed. While it was a risk, I did not enjoy the flavour or the texture that the snow peas brought to the dish. For starters, they were served cold, and I was just not a fan. In fact, I found that the temperature of the entire pizza was a little on the cold side. Second, there were far too many peas - just a hint of that summery, earthy taste would have been sufficient. If the pizza lacked the peas, and was served piping hot, it would have been excellent. For $10, there was no harm done to my wallet. And now I can say that I've tried a pizza with peas - weird!   

Looks great and colourful, but just wasn't for me

Now, I am going to change my tune completely. The dessert I had at Saege, the Vanilla Bean Cheesecake ($8), was one of the best I've ever had. Served with blueberry compote, lemon cream, and a large strawberry, this cheesecake dome was unbelievably creamy (but not too heavy), with finely ground vanilla beans sprinkled throughout. On its own, the cake's rich creaminess and raw vanilla flavour was melt-in-your-mouth goodness. However, if you ran a bite of the cake through the compote and cream with your fork, it tasted even better. The dome's crust was ultra-thin and delicious. I savoured this cake. If you come to Saege, make sure to treat yourself to a dessert; they are the shining stars of the Saege menu. 

I love this cake

Ben: I ordered the Gala Apple Cardamom Cake ($8). Cardamom is a spice found in the ginger family that is extremely flavourful in small doses. I had never tried it before, but once I smelled it I knew it would be delicious. It was served with cinnamon gelato and hazelnut caramel, which I almost could have done without, as the cake was delicious enough to stand on its own. Although my dessert was delicious, I wanted Rebecca’s. It was bigger than mine and looked absolutely incredible. If you go to Saege, get her dessert instead of mine.

Yummy, but the cheesecake stole the show