I can see why this place is rated 5 stars and they deserve it. The food itself was bursting with flavors I'm well aware of. Beef rendang was just right on the spice and had a curry flavor that was just right, lamb samosa was out of this world. I only got 1 but should've got 3. They were that good! And the duck noodles was also flavorful. I was trying to find an asian place that tasted close to home (I'm from Seattle) and this was that place. Sago is now my go to for an asian food craving. The food had my taste buds jumping! With the 3 dishes, it came out in 10-15 minutes which was great. The place had a nice feel like you were in your Aunt's or Grandmas home kitchen. I'm definitely coming back. read more

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Yessss - absolutely recommend Sago! This is a must place to eat when you are in the Mt. Lookout area because the food is hands down amazing. Very casual dining, so no need to be fancy lol. Also everything here is very decently priced which is nice because you know.. THIS economy. Here is what I ordered... Fried Chicken - garlic sesame: This was really good! I didn't expect to like such a thick batter, but I did! lol.. Garlic sesame flavor was perfection. BBQ Pork (Rotisserie Meal) - kk this was super good especially the side of garlic butter rice - highly recommend. The BBQ pork had great flavor and everything that came along with it was paired really well. Definitely coming back here! read more

Sweet little spot, short on ambiance but long on flavors. The person on the register was happy to explain a couple of menu items and answer questions. I got the nasi lemak with beef rendang (nasi lemak is a small assortment of things to go with your protein, rice, pickled veg - I think that was the gochujang slaw? excellent flavor -, slices of cucumber, and a big dollop of sambal, not very hot but tasty); my sister got nasi lemak with curry chicken. The rendang was delicious. My sister said hers was tasty, but she had thought it would be boneless chicken and it was a messy proposition pulling the meat off the bone w/ the curry sauce over everything. I also got teh tarik, which is strong tea mixed with sweetened condensed milk. I've seen other reviewers say Sago's version is the real deal - I have nothing to compare it to, but it was really good/went well with the rest of dinner. We also got a plate of five-spice duck wings on the house - something the chef was trying out, I think? Great flavor, if somewhat intimidating to look at. read more

There is limited seating inside, but the wait time wasn't too long despite joining a waitlist. We ordered three items to share and these are listed in descending rank starting with my favorite dish: Crispy Roast Pork (Rotisserie) Meal, Nasi Lemak with Beef Rendang, Curry Mee with Hainanese Chicken. As someone who likes a lot of variety in one meal, the rotisserie meals are perfect because they all come with a meat, garlic butter rice, bok choy/mushroom, and pickled vegetables. In our order, I LOVED the freshness and acidity from the pickles, and they balanced out the crispy skin and fatty pork. I do wish there was more mushroom (only one piece). The garlic of the rice was subtle, most of the flavor coming from the crisps. The spicy sauce complemented everything well! The Nasi Lemak with Beef Rendang I also loved because of the balance provided by flavorful meat and cucumber/tangy pickled veggies. The peanuts added a great crunch, although the sambal is a lot milder (in both spice and flavor) than I'm used to. I'm also used to Hainanese Chicken being a cold dish, but this one was served hot in the Curry Mee, which came with a nice broth and both thick and thin noodles. We got Sago Gula Melaka for dessert (they were out of Mango Rice but the owner kindly gave us some sliced mango on the side anyway!). It was simple and not overly sweet. It featured a decent portion of sago pearls, a heavy coconut flavor from the milk, and a sweet palm sugar syrup. This spot mostly utilizes disposable plates/cups and cutlery and the ambiance is pretty casual. I would love to come again to try more menu items! read more

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We walked in on a busy Friday night because a nearby restaurant had a super long wait. One table was available and we were quickly attended to, and were informed of some of the more popular items since we had never been there before. We started with the pork dumplings that were absolutely wonderful. My husband had the roast duck and was super impressed. I had the beef dish and it was really wonderful. Full of flavor and texture and yumminess! We loved trying a new place (for us) and we would for sure return! read more

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Love this place. One of the best South East Asian restaurant I've had in Cincy. It is a small location. So seat does fill up fast, but we were able to get seated right away. Teh tarik is legit tarik, order both the hot and cold and consistent is there. Rich and not overly sweet too. Duck rice is good, duck is a little too fatty for my liking, rice has the standard oil rice flavors. Would be better with more sesame oil to bring out the aroma ans flavor. Hakka noodles is my favorite! The noodles is mee pok and tasted kinda like bak chor mee (iykyk). Absolutely favorite. Would definitely come back for my homesick fix! read more

Sago - Hakka noodles - Malaysian Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

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So glad we finally made it here! Everything was freshly made & jam packed with flavor. It came out fairly quickly, the day we went it was not that busy for a late lunch. Staff were all very friendly & knowledgeable about the food. Ambience is casual dining. Highly recommend! read more

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It's been months since I've eaten here but still the flavors and experience have been some of the best I've recently had. The restaurant is pretty small with inside seating for only maybe 20 people or so. I loved being able to see the cooks doing their craft in the kitchen. Our service here was amazing from the start as the waitress was very familiar with the flavors and items on their menu and had even offered suggestions which I always enjoy. Their menu features a good selection of dumplings, vegetarian options, meat heavy dishes, and tasty noodle soups. My favorites from what we ordered was probably their sesame garlic chicken!! The texture is perfection. The thinly breaded crispy bites were complemented well with savory sesame and powerful garlic. It was difficult to share! I enjoyed their curry mee soup a ton! The tofu was cooked well, there was plenty of noodles and the broth was very tasty! I think the chicken in the soup was not flavorful on its own but the other ingredients certainly made up for it! We finished off with dessert ( sago gula Melaka ) this is one thing i think every visitor should try!! It was not overly sweet, the texture was soft, and its flavor was amazing and unlike any other dessert I've had! Easily one of the better restaurants I've eaten at in Cin city! Portions and quality here were incredible for the price and would easily return! read more

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Wow! I think that about covers it! LOL Sago is a very cute and very tiny restaurant in Mt. Lookout Square offering authentic Malaysian fare. Before I get into detail... go to Sago!!! We went on a Saturday at 1:00. I don't think they take reservations, so we lucked out. Also, before our fourth arrived, a larger table opened up and we were able to move. Our waitress was brimming with information about the food. She was kind enough to give us the overview before our fourth arrived and then repeated it for her. The information she shared made the entire meal better because we had a lot of direction. I ordered too much food. They have two Fried Chicken offerings, Garlic Sesame and Lime Basil. They seemed like appetizers, so I ordered one of each. Well, the pieces of chicken are pretty large. I didn't need both and I have to admit I wasn't able to distinguish one from the other. That said, they were very tasty. The skin/breading was super crisp and the meat was tender. I'd order maybe just one of them next time. I also ordered am appetizer type dish that was not on the menu. I apologize, I don't remember what it was called, but it was cabbage and greens in a spicy sauce. The waitress mentioned it was very authentic and recommended it highly. I'm glad she did because it was outstanding! It definitely had a kick. Thankfully nobody else at the table was interested in it, so it was all mine. YUM! We also tried the Seared Pork Dumplings, which were wonderful. I ordered the Nasi Lemak with Chicken Curry, which was a ton of food. By this time I was getting full, but my goodness this dish was so flavorful! The leftovers where just as spectacular. Mark ordered the Roast Chicken noodles. He was interested in the Hainanese Chicken, but the waitress said it is an acquired taste and didn't recommend it for first timers. Mark loved his meal. I had to have dessert and I opted for Sago Gula Melaka. It's a very sticky rice with a delightful sauce, which over time developed into the perfect sweetness for the dish. I want to take all of my friends to Sago. read more

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this was so delish! the fried pork and noodles were amazing. this place isn't anything fancy - I wish it had real plates and cutlery instead of disposable ones, but the food makes up for it! I will def be back! read more

Sago - Malaysian Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

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The chicken soup hit the spot on a snowy afternoon in Cincinnati. The portions were generous and the owner and staff were very attentive and friendly. read more

Sago - Curry Mee with Hainanese Chicken - Malaysian Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

This place is DELICIOUS. Get Rice and Roast Pork or Duck. The best is the bok choi but I love them so maybe I'm biased.

Food was good and service was great. I think I was expecting a different experience in regard to the kind of food I tried but I still enjoyed the dishes I ordered. And I had leftovers for days. My favorite thing I got to eat were the gyozas. read more

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We moved to the neighborhood about 8 months ago and unfortunately we have only been here one time. They have interesting hours so it's hard to do it spontaneously. But the one time we went, it was amazingly delicious! First off, service was wonderful. I'm not sure what her name was but she was from Baltimore and she was the most wonderful hostess and waitress ever! I wish I could remember her name but I could only just remember that she is from Baltimore. She introduced us to all the dishes and everything we might want. They have specials every month I believe so we indulged in some specials as well as some of the regular stuff. I cannot remember exactly what we got but everything was delicious! I am very much looking forward to coming back here as well as my husband. Ambience is tight as there is not a lot of room to spread out but I feel like if you get here during opening dinner, you will definitely get a seat. Lots of take out as well so if you live in the neighborhood, that could be good too. Looking forward to coming back soon! read more

Sago is very small (about 6-8 tables) and casual (think paper plates and styrofoam cups), but the food is delicious and CHEAP! Coming from the Washington, DC area, I got a 3-course meal for $25! The pork dumplings with gochuchang slaw were a perfect flavor match. My friend and I happened to order the same entrees as Guy Fieri: Nasi Lemak w/ Beef Rendang and Roast Duck noodles, and they both delivered! We ordered and split both desserts. How can you pass up dessert that is less than $4 each?? If you're looking for cheap and authentic Southeast Asian cuisine, check out this hidden gem in Mt. Lookout Square! read more

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DELICOIS FOOD, the chicken was so juicy and flavorful and the rice was perfectly fragrant. read more

Sago - hainanese chicken and nasi lemak - Malaysian Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

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It's just a familiar feeling walking into this place. Everyone was so friendly! Sharon the server was so knowledgeable and able to describe every dish to the customers if it was their first time ! We ordered the specials and favorites... if they have it on the menu next time definitely order the crispy shrimp with salted duck egg sauce. The crispy roast pork is a must order !! It's a hard dish to make !! Malaysian Chinese roast pork's are better than others !! The restaurant space is good for groups of 4 but not a large space so bigger groups might have to wait a little to join tables. They do carry out and catering as well !! Their roast meat selection is the best ! read more

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Fabulous Malaysian dining. Succulent, delectable and seven other adjectives to define perfection. That's the fare. The Roast Duck is the finest as is Hainan chicken and the Vegetarian meal. Small dining area but everything is clean. The staff are terrific, so it's well worth the drive to Cincinnati. I sincerely wish we could come back again! 08/24 read more

Came here around 6pm on a Friday night and to our surprise...it was empty! This is a no frills restaurant but the food is amazing. The menu consists of a few appetizers, some specials and sandwiches, and then their main dish in which you pick a protein which then comes with either rice or noodles (with broth or dry). My wife got the special, which happened to be the nation meal of Malaysia (Nasi Lemak) with Beef Rendang. It was incredible! The curry with the beef was flavorful, the beef was tender, and the coconut rice was delicious. Highly recommend trying this if it's on the menu when you go. I got the regular main dish with roasted duck and dry noodles. I am a HUGE roasted duck fan and they really rocked it in this dish. The duck had a slight crisp to the skin and just the right amount of fat. It was smothered in a sort of gravy along with the noodles. It also came with bok choy which like the rest, was perfectly cooked. We also got 2 pork buns and a curry puff for appetizers. Both were excellent as well. The curry puff was essentially a somosa in a puff pasty which was fun! I can't say enough good things about this place and will definitely be back. There was not a ton of seating, which for us was not a problem, but I imagine they can get pretty busy! read more

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First time...the food was amazing! Flavors, textures galore. We had a group of four and tried everything...truly delicious. The wait staff was knowledgeable and provided guidance about menu options that were spot on. Chef Paul came to our table to get our feedback too...what a gracious host! I cannot reco Sago enough...this will be on our short list moving forward. read more

I came here on a whim while I was here in town, I love beef rendang like no other, it's a dish I would actually consider marrying someone for . Since I saw that this place actually made it. I had to come. I had a chicken curry puff as an appetizer, which was solid. It's a very chill area, the manager is super nice and took great care of me, I ate outside, in a shade covered spot. My food came out within about five minutes, hot and absolutely delicious. The only thing I will say is that there's maybe only eight tables total, including the two outside, so be prepared for a wait if it's busy That said, I am a very happy and full man. I will be back. read more

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Um, if Guy Fieri went, you know you need to go... ASAP! This was our first dinner in Cincinnati- our friends love this restaurant and recommended taking us here. What an outstanding meal!!! We got a bit of everything- the nasi lemak was hand over fist, the BEST dish! Hainanese chicken was delicious- so perfectly cooked, duck and noodles was incredible. Be sure to try the pulled tea- and save room for dessert. We got the sago dessert- amazing. read more

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Started with a BBQ beef bun and pork dumplings with gochujang slaw. I had BBQ pork with noodles and he had Nasi Lemak with beef Lendang. It was all delicious!! Indoor and outdoor seating. read more

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As always the food is incredible! Anything from the dumplings, to the lamb samosa, to the fried chicken and then the rice and noodle dishes is delicious. The ambiance and family feel of Sago is also a treat. If anyone is looking for an authentic Malaysian dinner, this is the place to go. read more

Sago - Malaysian Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

I've had a good bit of Malaysian food abroad and in the US, so let me just say the stuff here was top notch! read more

Sago - Roti canai and rendang - Malaysian Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

Finally! When the restaurant say they serve Malaysian food, they really really serve Malaysian food. Come taste Malaysia in Cincinnati. Go to Facebook and Instagram and search for "citrus and sago". Read about and vote their accolades. Chef Paul is such a pleasant fellow to chat with. He be was at the restaurant when we visited yesterday. There were many Asians in the store - that's always a good sign that it is authentic Asian dishes. Knowing the typical Malaysian / Singapore dishes, I ordered roast duck, Siew yok (crispy skin in pork belly), char siew (roasted pork), assam laksa (on special menu), bok choy with tofu and oyster mushroom meat, nasi lemak with rendang and sago for my dessert. Paul said the roast duck and be roast meat will be taken off the menu as soon as end of the week. If you be want some, you will have to pre-order. Menu will be changing soon. I like that in a restaurant - changing menu so there's always something new to try the next to time we return. Our party of 4 finished all the food. I wished we have the stomach to try more dishes. Let's meeting with the assam laksa. Very nicely put together. It is sour, sweet, a hint of fishiness from the sardines in the bowl. The be roast in duck is tender with crispy skin. The char siew is sweet and tender. The siew yok's skin is still crispy. The rendang is full of spices (not chill spicy) and very flavorful. The beef is so tender. I will let the videos on their Facebook page tell you more about this wonderful place. I know I'm coming back. If you haven't tried Sago you need to. It is cheaper than flying around the world to taste authentic Malaysian food. While we were there, I got to chat with Paul and he shared his history with the food industry at a young age of 5-6 and his love for cooking and the authenticity shines through his expressions. See u at sago. read more

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This is a little hole in the wall gem in Mt. Lookout square with outstanding Eurasian cuisine. Our server was knowledgeable and sweet and did a great job of explaining the menu to us. We got in no particular order: Apps: Bbq pork buns Seared pork dumplings Dinner: Duck with dry noodles in soy sauce (comes with baby bok Choy) Crispy pork broth noodles (comes with baby bok Choy) Nasi Lemak with beef rendang Dessert: Sago gula Melaka Everything was so delicious and we thoroughly enjoyed everything about our dining experience! Will be back! read more

My husband and I came here to eat for date night one night, and I was really surprised! I thought this was a fancy sit down restaurant, so when we got there and it was a tiny hole in the wall place with disposable plates and silverware, I was surprised. Definitely not a bad thing, just not what I was expecting for the neighborhood where it's located. I got the beef rendeng - I've made this dish homemade before after learning about it from Gordon Ramsey and wanted to try to authentic version. It tasted just like mine so I was surprised! It was good - basically an Indonesian curry that has a bit of sweetness to it. It came with some pickled veggies and coconut rice. The rice was my favorite! Nick got the crispy pork noodles and the flavors overall were great, the pork was crispy and well cooked. We shared the pork dumplings and they were awesome. That gochujang slaw though! It was so good. We finished with mango sticky rice, another item I've been wanting to try. It's essentially a rice pudding with sliced mango on top. Simple and delicious! read more

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This is my favorite Asian food restaurant in the Cincinnati area! Reminds me of tastes from home. Dishes are prepared with lots of thoughts by chef with local experience making this type of cuisine. - Roast pork seasoning is good (which requires a distinct secret blend of spices). It has the "bacon" layers that I expect, perfectly balanced ratio of meat and fat, freshly prepared, with a crispy top, and nicely presented. - Hainanese pouched chicken is carefully deboned, is tender, and has a nice sauce. It's slightly different from the version I've had which usually comes with the clear broth on the side. Nevertheless, this is absolutely tasty with rice (supposedly made with stock from poaching the chicken). - Baked BBQ pork buns--my gosh, jaw-droppingly delicious! They were a treated from boss at the end of the night. I ate them the next day as I pondered how these must be showstoppers when they were fresh from the oven. Better than those from Hong Kong and California! And I find them in Cincinnati!! I would go back for these over and over and over again. Please keep up the quality and service as Citrus and Sago is getting more renowned via the media. read more

Sago - Nasi Lemak with Beef Rendang - Malaysian Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

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Service was great. Chef came out to ensure that everyone enjoyed their dish. I had the forbidden rice Sasquatch. It was incredible!!

This is by-far the best plate I had in Cincy. They mostly ran out of all the appetizers. But the two dishes we tried were outstanding. We got the 1. Roast Duck Noodles. This is one of the best duck I had. The glaze and the crunch of the skin was outstanding and the duck was cooked to perfection. The noodles complemented the duck very well. They are known for their duck. 2. Nasi Lemak with Beef Rendang - This is the best plate. I am not kidding. The dish was exceptional. The sambal (you can practically drink) or put it on any of your meals. It tastes amazing. They make it in-house. The meat was tender and the pickles and peanuts complimented the dish. I would get it any time I visit this place. Overall a great team and Kudos to the chef. One of my favorite place to go in Cincinnati. Few things to keep in mind: 1. Make a reservation. Over the phone is the best option. The place is small (6 tables may be)and might get full. 2. Go early in the day- We went around 7pm, most of the dishes are sold out (especially their appetizers). I was looking forward to trying some. 3. Parking might be a tad bit difficult. There is street parking but you should be lucky. read more

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Tried multiple items as everything just looked so appealing, was not left hungry or disappointed! The broth on the Bak Kut Teh is made with a house blend of herbs that the best chef would be hard pressed to replicate. The shrimp was tangy and sweet and had just enough kick to be flavorful without leaving a lasting spice feel. This is for sure a hidden gem of Cincy!! read more

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I had Diners, Dives and Drive-Ins on in the background when my ears perked up at the mention of Cincinnati. Guy was at Sago, a tiny Malaysian restaurant in the former El Camino spot in Mt. Lookout Square. By coincidence, my daughter suggested we go have dinner there the next week and my husband and I were in. We arrived early-ish for dinner to ensure we could get a seat, since the restaurant only sits a handful of parties. Our server walked us through the menu, making great recommendations, and also tended to the near constant take out trade Sago does. We tried a host of the starters (all come as one piece unless noted otherwise), including the BBQ pork bun, chicken curry puff, lamb samosa, roti canai with lentil curry and a special basil lime fried chicken the chef is testing before putting it on the menu. We split each flavorful app into three delicious morsels to get a range of tastes. Everything was really good. The Nasi Lemak with Beef Randang is what Sago is known for so we ordered that. It's a sublime curry featuring achingly tender beef served with a generous portion of coconut rice as well as veggies, sauce, half a boiled egg and peanuts that you need mix all together for full effect. We also had the roast duck with soy sauce noodles (gorgeous!) and bok choy and a side of the gochujang slaw (really good). It was enough for three of with no leftovers. Everything comes on paper plates with plastic cutlery. There's beer and wine available as well as boba and other speciality drinks. I really enjoyed to change to try something I've never had before and look forward to going back! read more

Sago - Duck with soy sauce noodles - Malaysian Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

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Great little place for authentic Malaysian food. A Great family owns it as well. Service was stellar and the restaurant clean.

Always fantastic food. They did take the duck off there menu and im broken hearted on that point but everything is wonderful. read more

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Finally found a place with indo/Malay cuisine I've been searching for!! It's a small joint located nestled between Mt lookout and Hyde park. I stopped by for take out but there a few table for dine available as well. I opted for the crispy pork plate - if you know me one of my all time favorite foods is Lechon Kawali. Beloved Filipino crispy pork belly. This is a close rendition to Lechon Kawali though more thinly sliced. Close enough to fix that craving. Sits on a bed of seasoned rice and a side of cucumber/carrot salad. Definitely need to come back and try their beef rendang - a dish I miss dearly (my best friend's mom would make this all the time back home). And of course I have heard wonders about their crispy duck as well! read more

Sago - Crispy pork plate - Malaysian Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

A tiny little place that I didn't even know existed until my roommate and I were looking for a place to go during Asian food week. To our delight we found this Malaysian restaurant right in Mt. Lookout square. Having traveled to Malaysia in the past, we were ecstatic. We walked in and could tell it was treasured by the regulars. We were asked if it was our first time in and told that the duck was amazing, people travel from different states just to have it. I got the Nasi Lemak for nostalgia and it was pretty delicious, just wish there were more anchovies and peanuts to add that crunch. A friend got the Duck and Noodles and thoroughly enjoyed it. I'll have to try it the next time I'm in. Customer service was extremely pleasant. If you're wanting to eat in you should probably call ahead, we got lucky to get one of the six tables. read more

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The glowing reviews, as well as the other businesses I passed walking from my free parking up the street, suggested a fancier restaurant than the small space I found, which had only a couple of tables (they do take reservations I think), and seemed to be running more takeout business. The sort of food they make has great flavors and textures when freshly cooked, so I'd really recommend eating it on the spot. The cuisine is Malaysian, which is not commonly found anywhere in the U.S. (much more common in Australia, so I have a frame of reference). It is recognizably Asian, but with tropical ingredients and a comfort food vibe. While seemingly focused on barbecue, they have a few excellent vegetarian options. My roti, a delightfully flaky bread, arrived with a little cup of lentils and chili sauce for dipping (unfortunately you can't order any more lentils than that). The "vegetarian goose" noodles sounded interesting, though I rued missing the bok choy offered in their other vegetarian dish until my noodles arrived and happened to have bok choy as well, so at least I got some greens. The noodles were as tasty as you'd think, and the preparation also included hot sauce, pickled jalapenos, and a serving of some mushrooms encased in a wondrously braised tofu skin. I don't know how this is supposedly a vegetarian form of goose, but whatever you call it, it's delicious. The chef, who was milling about an open kitchen, clearly knows what he is doing. I'll happily try anything else vegetarian he makes. read more

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Came into town for soccer game found this amazing little restaurant. Food service and staff were top notch. Great lunch experience.

Sago. Let me tell you about Sago. It was easily a five-star worthy experience. We got there in their last hour of service, for which we felt bad, but everyone working was incredibly friendly. The woman working the front area came over to explain the menu options and we were made to feel so welcome. Our meals were cooked to order. You could smell the aromas wafting from the grill and when I say the food was absolutely amazing . Chef Paul came out to say hi and thank us for stopping by. He asked if we needed anything else, so of course we ordered all the desserts that were available for the night. All in all, every aspect of this experience was perfect and we will definitely be back. read more

Sago - Chef Special: Claypot chicken rice - Malaysian Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio