News that one of my old haunts in Washington, Red Sage, is closing on December 22.
For someone who has spent a lot of time in New Mexico and loves the food in the Land of Enchantment, Red Sage was a haven for lovers of good Southwestern food. For the five years that I wore a suit and served as Vice President for Political Programs for the National Association of Realtors, located just up the street from the 14th Street, NW, establishment, I ate a lot of lunches and dinners at the establishment.
No more. Red Sage will join a long list of Washington eateries that hit town in a blaze of glory and fell victim to the greed of others.
“Our landlord is committed to pricing us out of the same neighborhood we helped create,” said Dan Mesches, a partner in Red Sage. The restaurant opened 15 years ago and served an average of 15,000 to 20,000 patrons a month. At one point, the place was so popular that if you called to cancel a hard-to-get reservation the hostess would say something like “great!”