A few days ago my dining companion for life and I went to Taste Cafe and Market Place for a late lunch. This was not my first dining experience at Taste Cafe, but my my my how things had changed from that casual experience a few years ago, when the main offerings were deli salads in a glass case and you could order 2 or 3 of them for your salad plate. Actually, that's still available and the glass case remains, but Taste has expanded, and oh how I love it. The menu is a feast for any foodie's eyes. The combinations range from the familiar to unique and creative combinations of flavors. They offer breakfast, lunch, and dessert and have a nice sized espresso bar menu as well. The breakfast menu has bagel options including a fantastic sounding bagel with lox, granola parfait with housemade granola and fresh berries, egg creations including quiches and omelets, and various side options like bacon and pastries. The lunch menu has a wealth of creative salads, gourmet sandwiches, and yes the deli salads that I remembered. Taste is also known for their pommes frites.
I've got to say, I became very familiar with the menu as I had lots and lots of time to stare at it while I waited in line to order. My husband Brian and I arrived around 1:30pm and the line was to the door. I don't mind a little wait, especially since I want independent restaurants like this one to succeed in our Midwest culture of Ruby Tuesdays and Applebees. Besides, it looked like Taste had plenty of people behind the counter working on getting everyone through the line. Except it took FOREVER. I realize that sometimes I can be as patient as a 6 year old the night before Christmas, but it did take us about 45 minutes to get to the front of the line, and there were only about 20 people in front of us to start with. As I got closer to the front of the line and could see the employees, it seemed like one poor girl was attempting to take orders AND run the espresso machine and Sally Susie Q is standing there with an iced tea pitcher just waiting for someone to order iced tea so she can fill the pregarnished glasses! It was a very strange division of labor that was not working well at all. The staff was perfectly friendly and knowledgeable, but some people were working really hard while others were standing there gazing into the distance, waiting to be needed.
When we finally got to the cash register to order, I order the Pear and Roquefort salad, which comes with field greens, candied walnuts, sherry vinaigrette, and of course pears and Roquefort cheese. My husband ordered the Prosciutto and Caprese sandwich which comes with mozzarella, balsamic vinaigrette, basil aioli, and yes prosciutto. We split an order of the famous pommes frites with the basil aioli, and I got a half pound of curried chicken salad to go. Brian ordered an iced tea (It's your moment to shine, Sally Susie Q!) and I got a latte.
We got a number and sat down at a table. Our food came out pretty quickly, and after one bite of those amazing pommes frites, I was like, 'what service problems, I don't remember any service problems'. I was drunk on perfect potato fried goodness with a touch of basil love. The pommes frites are sliced thin, perfectly fried and sprinkled with salt and chunky black pepper. They are crispy on the outside and pillowy on the inside. The basil aioli was a thick ball of luscious, rich, creamy light green heaven, just waiting for those perfect sticks of happiness to skim along the surface on the way to my face. My very generously proportioned salad was perfectly dressed with the right amount of vinaigrette, already tossed together (I just hate it when I have to mix my dressing into my salad myself) and the flavors were nicely balanced between the sweet acidity of the pear and the dreaminess of roquefort. Brian's sandwich had nice quality prosciutto, but he felt it went a little heavy on the aioli, to the point that the basil was overpowering the meat. My latte was lovely and I sweetened it with a touch of honey. The sandwich was served with housemade bread and butter pickles to die for. The iced tea was clear, perfectly brewed, and I appreciated the mint and lemon in the glass. There is nothing like presentation!
The decor is modern and fun, brown and orange with accents of blue. The other patrons are likely to have accents, expensive shoes or dreadlocks. There is a touch of pretension, which I love. There is no soda fountain. There are no substitutions, meaning you can't say 'Can I have cheddar instead of provolone?'. The chef is an artist and I personally think it's important to taste the original concept, not your slant on the concept. And frankly I think many Americans are spoiled 2 year olds when it comes to their food. But I don't liiiiiiiiike onions, stomp stomp. Look kids, caramelized onions are completely different than the raw white onions you get on your double cheeseburger. Try it. If you hate it, pick it off.
The prices are incredibly reasonable for the quality of the ingredients. All of the salads and sandwiches are around $6.00. The latte was cheaper than you would get at Starbucks. I need to remember to get to this place for coffee and dessert. The tarts and cakes that are lined up before the cash register are beautiful and if they taste half as good as they look...well...let's just say a treadmill would have to become part of my existence.
Bottom line: Try Taste. It's all about the food.
Oh, and the curried chicken salad was a perfect weekday lunch. Yum!
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