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Restaurant Taste
Category: Restaurants American (New) American (New) [Edit]
9402 Main StPlymouth, CA 95669
(209) 245-3463
- Hours:
Mon, Thu-Fri 5 pm - 9 pm
Sat 11:30 am - 2 pm
Sat-Sun 4:30 pm - 9 pm
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- No
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Romantic, Classy
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
94 reviews for Restaurant Taste
Review Highlights
"You gotta try the mushroom cigars."
(in 35 reviews)
"What a great addition for Amador County."
(in 13 reviews)
"iii) Seared Sonoma Foie gras: very savory."
(in 11 reviews)
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94 reviews in English
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Review from Gary R.
1/16/2012 2 Check-ins Here
Once featured in Wine Spectator Magazine (2008), this restaurant is amazing and could fit right into Napa.
Amador is Napa minus about 30 years when it was about the wine, not commercialism. Taste emulates the nearby wineries by concentrating on the quality over the commercial opportunity. The ambience is great. A perfect place to cap a day of tasting or to launch the day into it.
Small serving sizes at a high price, but the quality is there to make it worth while. From cheese snacks, to main appetizer and dessert, Taste consistently delivers exceptional food. -
Review from Tiffany K.
Sacramento, CA
12/23/2011
Finally made it out here! It helps that Taste offers lunch on Saturdays. It is too far a drive for me to come out for dinner.
The restaurant itself is on the main street of Plymouth, which is a tiny outpost of a town in Amador County. A lot of the original wood remains in the building and the atmosphere is warm and inviting. I also noticed a lot of sound-absorbing panels on the walls and ceiling as well as foam under the tables! The eggshell foam peeking out from underneath could be a bit unsightly, but did its job.
When making reservations, I was asked if it was for a special occasion (it was our anniversary). When we arrived, we were seated in a dark, drafty corner. I asked to change which was not an issue.
Overall, I found the lunch menu to be reasonably priced. We tried the mushroom cigars ($5 for two) -- two rolls of heaven in philo dough! The Alsatian tart ($10) was more like a flatbread with duck sausage, carmelized onions and marscapone cheese. Very filling! For the mains, spouse had the Taste sandwich ($15) which was filled with steak, eggs and mushrooms. I had the pork loin with goat cheese tart ($16). The pork was tender, full of flavor and the combination of the cheese with the loin made for a unique combination.
Too full for dessert, we opted out. However (and this is why they asked if we were booking for a special occasion!) they brought out a creme brulee and card signed by all the staff wishing us a happy anniversary! Nice touch.
Wish this place were closer, but makes for a great outing when wine tasting on the weekend in the area. -
Review from Sarah R.
Sutter Creek, CA
12/12/2011 1 Check-in Here
Wonderful place. Honestly the best food I have ever eaten. All food beautifully presented and served in a well timed manor. The service was wonderful and everyone in the place knew each menu item and could describe each item. The were able to explain unknown words. They all seemed to enjoy their jobs and appreciate food as well.
My only concern is the prices, obviously this is an expensive restaurant, but it was really expensive by the time you try a bunch of stuff. I would love to go back, just wont be able to justify paying for it!
Our dinner was almost $200 with tip and tax, and only one of us drank wine. We did each have a salad, entree and dessert as well as split an appetizer. -
Review from Greg D.
Santa Monica, CA
1/18/2012
What a find. You don't expect to find some place like this in a little town like Plymouth. Excellent service. Great food. Wonderful employees. A true gem. We will be back on our next trip to Nor Cal.
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Review from Michelle P.
Sacramento, CA
12/5/2011
Fine dining in Amador County's Plymouth? I would have never considered driving 45 minutes to Plymouth for dinner, but that was before I ventured into Taste Restaurant. Now I'm telling all my friends about it because this place is too good to miss.
Located on the town's Main Street, Taste Restaurant is a decadent delight - and the perfect way to end a day of wine tasting in the foothills. From their best-selling mushroom cigars to their main courses, you won't be disappointed. I got the crab citrus salad, followed by the grilled tuna and practically licked my plate clean. It was soooo good.
Of course, I couldn't stop with just that. I had to follow up my meal with one of their incredible desserts - and I recommend you do the same because they are one-of-a-kind creations that you won't find any place else. In fact, I couldn't decide and ended up ordering two: The carro-miso, which is a beer soaked carrot cake with mascarpone cream, and the chocolate beet cake - which sounded strange, but was the best dessert I had eaten in a while. It's red beet mousse with chocolate gelato and raspberry coulis.
And here's a little tip....if you want to try Taste but don't want to spend a whole lot of money, then I recommend driving up on Monday night. That's when they have their prix fix menu. You'll get 3 courses for $30 - not a bad deal for the great taste of Taste! -
Review from V K.
Sacramento, CA
11/8/2011
Taste is the only nice restaurant in Amador. Great service and friendly staff gives this restaurant a more down to earth feel. I came in with a group of friends so I had the opportunity to try a variety of entrees and appetizers. The food was good but not something I would write home about as it's all been done before. I can say however that their mushroom cigar appetizer was the most memorable for me. The mixture of wild and tame mushrooms, airy crisped golden brown phyllo dough is truly a signature dish for Taste.
My only major complaint is their corkage fee policy. Taste will not wave your corkage fee if you purchase a bottle from them and it's a shame since most restaurants do. It's nice having that option when you're in wine country. If you're in the Amador area and looking for a nice restaurant, I recommend Taste. -
Review from Michael I.
Sacramento, CA
1/10/2012
Definitely go on a Monday night. That's the fixed menu night. Decently priced and it changes every week. A little bit of a drive from Sacramento, but worth it.
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Review from J W.
Folsom, CA
9/19/2011
Worth the drive from anywhere.
What to chose? There was so much good stuff on the menu that me and the wife decided to build a tasting menu. We ordered the mushroom cigars, the foie gras, the roasted eggplant soup and the Cesar to start. Each item was brought to us beautifully split on 2 plates as if we had ordered it that way. They were all delicious. I could go on but there is no reason to. They were great.
For the main course I had a ribeye as I have never had it before and my wife had the roast duck. Again both were better as they were ordered and served than I have every had before. The rib eye looked curiously like a fillet and I questioned the server but I later realized that this was just a very unique cut and it was a perfect cut for a rib eye. The duck was perfectly cooked, flavorful and tender.
The staff was very friendly and exceedingly complimentary to us, which was great. They make a point to describe every dish in complete detail, more detail than I have heard anywhere before. It is puzzling at first but then becomes a point of conversation with each dish. -
Review from Shelly D.
Sonora, CA
12/27/2011
Food was very well prepared, seasonal, and interesting. Beet risotto with beet greens and braised short rib was lovely. Colorado lamb suburb. On the pricey side for Plymouth-- more than Boulevard in the City. Service slow, waiter inattentive. A turn off to have sous chef come out and tell us he couldn't wait to go to Taco Bell though. Still this is a gem in the Amador area wine country and not to be missed.
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Review from Rachel M.
Sacramento, CA
8/15/2011
In the words of my 17 year old nephew "It is called 'Taste' because all you get is taste of food." So, we enjoyed our meal while he wished for In & Out burgers, onion rings, and tacos. Of course we all giggled when he ordered the green salad and it was served rather artfully in a lettuce cup. However, no food went to waste as he pushed the rejected items to the side and we delighted in his scraps.
We had a nice evening. Pleasant inside- bright brick walls, people dressed casually. Attentive servers. Nice selection of wines and bubbly. They were out of Prosecco, so we enjoyed a light & dry french bubbly (Jill-*something?*) - anyway it was tasty.
The much raved about mushroom cigars were a good 'taste' split 3 ways we each got about three inches of what looked like a spring roll standing up right.-super flavorful (could have eaten several more) Also had as starters the :
Mozzarella - nice textures, light flavors that were overshadowed after eating the cigars
Pierogi - savory, warm, reminded me of the fall.
We ordered the bass, duck, and the ribeye. The ribeye was cooked perfectly, as was the bass. The duck was good but I thought all the other flavors described like pistachio vinaigrette would come through more.
The star of the night was the trio of crème brule: Peach, vanilla, and lavender infused -mmmmmmmmmm.
Chef Mark made his way around the tables and it was nice to meet him.
Very nice night- I'd like to return and try the lamb or the porkchop. -
Review from Jennifer M.
Ukiah, CA
11/5/2011
The service was amazing!! The wine was amazing! The food was AMAZING!! The owner even stopped by to say hello and she was delightful. Started with the pear salad and moved onto the pork chop. The trio of creme brulee was yummy! It was well worth the drive from Sacramento as it was a straight shot!
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Review from Gerome S.
Sacramento, CA
11/13/2011 Seated via OpenTable 1 Check-in Here
This is a diamond in the Sierra foothills. Went wine tasting for the weekend for our second anniversary. Looking for something romantic and upscale and we found it at the Taste. Thanks taste for all the help this weekend. Great food, try the duck or lamb can't go wrong and a great selection of wine. We had a great anniversary.
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Review from Binh D.
5/2/2011
4.5 stars
Food: Small menu with less then twenty items. Gnocchi, foie gras and mushroom cigars were all good as appetizers. Had the colorado lamb, which was amazing. Pefectly cooked and the chef even whipped up a mint based butter sauce that was out of this world and way better then mint jelly. The rock fish was meaty but tender. Presentation was really nice too. The Zin wine flight for $9 was a really good deal and the pours were definitely more then 2 oz.
Ambiance: Nice restaurant, a little dated, but really not bad at all. A little noisy in the back room, but was still a nice place.
Service: Informative and attentive and made great suggestions. He also gave us tips on how to take the back road home to Sacramento, way better then going down the 49 and 16.
Price: Pricey, but well worth it.
Overall: A somewhat far drive from Sacramento, but if you have the time and are looking for an outstanding meal, Taste is worth the vist. -
Review from Jessica S.
Washington, DC
7/14/2011
Taste is tasty! Ok, but really, it is delicious and well worth whatever it takes to get here.
We came for an evening during our family reunion. That's 12 people! The service and attention to our large, multi-generational party was flawless. The food itself was some of the best I've eaten, especially the foie gras! Which is a must! The chocolate cake was mediocre, though my tuna was great.
Highly highly recommended. -
Review from Christine C.
Sacramento, CA
11/26/2011
I've eaten here numerous times: sometimes as part of a group, another at intimate anniversary dinner, or a quick dinner at the bar, and occasionally popping in with my daughter for appetizers simply because we're in the area to see family and I can't pass up the mushroom cigars. The service is exceptional, the food is consistent, and I always leave feeling like I've eaten one of the most memorable meals in my life. The sauces and ingredients change seasonally, but my favorite small plates are the gnocchi, scallops, soup, and of course the mushroom cigars. My husband prefers the entrees like rabbit, foi gras stuffed quail, and duck. Don't forget to save room for dessert! I lean to the chocolate, sorbets, and anything made with their Meyer lemons (when in season). The other half leans to the goat cheese sorbet...which just shows you there's something for everyone!
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Review from Christopher M.
Malden, MA
3/14/2011
There are three words I save for only the most orgasmic of culinary occasions
Nom, Nom,Nom
Yes indeed, folks, Taste is legit. A wine country casual restaurant with five star food. You'll find friendly, knowledgeable, customer first service, quality ingredients and top-notch, creative preparation. There's no better way to finish a day of Amador county wine tasting than a dinner at Taste.
The foie gras was creatively presented in a layering of textures and flavors that danced brilliantly on my palette.
(sorry, did I really just write that???)
And while I admit that filet mignon is common and over done (both literally and figuratively), Taste gets a pass on this one - their dish is well balanced, flavorful and perfectly tender. It just BEGS you to crack open one of the zesty Zinfandels you picked up in your nearby travels (the corkage fee is quite reasonable here, even free on certain nights). I really don't think Filet gets any better than this.
I also want to point out the lamb dish - while I'm not normally a fan of lamb (I think it's rare to find a lamb dish good enough to warrant ordering), tasting the rack of lamb made me wish I'd ordered it.
To be honest, I hardly remember what I had for desert, I was in such a state of culinary bliss, but I remember it paired with my desert wine perfectly.
Yes, that's right, I nearly forgot! No matter what you order, I highly recommend you ask the staff to design a wine flight specific to your meal - appetizer, dinner and desert, I paid $9 for five different wines (at least one of which wasn't even on the menu) and they really made the meal.
Final note - as of this review (and for the last 6 months at least), http://Restaurant.com certificates are available for Taste. Find an 80% off coupon code, and you can get a $50 or $75 certificate for $5 or $6. Just remember, the minimum purchase doesn't include alcohol. -
Review from Alicia b.
Rancho Murieta, CA
12/22/2011
I gave taste 2 stars bc of my experience there. I could see how some people could give it 4 or even 5 but for how my meal was, it deserves 2. I went with my family, My mom had a fillet and a piece of a plate ended up in one of her bites of steak. not ok, but it can happened problem I had was that they took the plate away right away but they didn't offer to bring her another one, or something else! They did take the steak off the bill but that's obvious. She wasn't done eating it and she never got to finish anything. Poor customer service. all the rest of the meals were decent. I had the gnocchi which was a small plate, and I mean small. overall the salads were good, different which was nice. One other problem I had was when I ordered a cappuccino....it wasn't more correctly. It was just a latte that they called a cap. For as much as they charge for the coffee drinks they should be made correctly.
I would say that the food was decent and that they had the potential to be a 4 star rating but I had a real problem with the way they handled the steak and the fact that there was a sharp piece of broken plate in it! -
Review from t t.
Sacramento, CA
2/16/2011
of all the Valentine's Dinner i've had, this one rates @ the top of my list.
I love foie gras. my apologies to all the animal activists. and yes, i do feel guilty. thus, it's only on rare occasion would i spoil myself. plus, starting 2012 foie gras will no longer be legal in California...anyhow...
Taste's Valentine's Pre-fix 4-course tasting menu looked good but when the waitress introduced the option of adding on three more courses of all foie gras i knew i was going to be spoiled for the evening.
my V-day menu goes as follow:
(i) Foie Gras Torchon: good flavoring; smooth texture... but it was overchilled. i think the chef could have let it come to room temp for a bit longer. in addition, i would not mind having some bread to accompany the torchon so that i can spread it. nonetheless, the torchon was delicious. the balsamic jellies were marvelous & made the dish savory.
(ii) Lobster bisque: this was my least favorite dish of the evening... it was a bit watered down & not enough lobster flavoring. on top of that it was lukewarm to cool... i like my soup a bit on the hot side.
(iii) Seared Sonoma Foie gras: very savory. melts in my mouth. the piece of yukon potato was sweat & cooked to perfection. (my financee's piece was a bit charred on the outside... but still tasty). the accompanying mushrooms were a delight.
(iv) crab cake: small but good. it was full of crab meat & not a lot of fillers... i love that. my date felt it was too salty for him.
(v) Rib eye/Mexican shrimps: cooked to perfection (medium rare for me) & good flavoring. tender. Shrimps were also perfectly cooked w/ a good crunch. nice flavor to them. the potatoes were enjoyable.
(vi) Mascarpone cheesecake: i am not a cheesecake fan but this was not bad. not too sweet. very smooth. good size. the crust was soft.
(vii) Foie gras gellato: home-made...creamy yum. best gellato i've had, ever. i must say they can tone down the sea salt a bit.. it was overly sprinkled for one small scoop. but i can see myself licking the glass clean if i did not feel embarrassed to do so in public @ a nice restaurant
My date did not order the tasting menu but his dishes were also good:
(i) Pork Pate Salad: the greens were fresh & sweet!!!. the aiola dressing has a good balance of tartness.
(ii) Seared Sonoma Foie gras: same as mine above but his was slightly charred on the outside.
(iii) rack of lamb: cooked perfectly--rare for him. i did not taste it... but he liked it. plus the meat was tender... just a bit too tough to cut off the bone.
Drinks:
Iced Tea for him: freshly brewed. Good... they did not offer refill til the end
Brillet Pineau des Cha: very good chilled cognac; good sweetness & smooth; loved it.
Service: our waitress is excellent & knowledgeable of our dishes. however, it seemed like they were under-staffed... but the evening wass pleasant.
accompany bread for dinner were from Andrea's Bakery... very soft; freshly baked from the oven... very good. -
Review from Colleen B.
Granite Bay, CA
12/5/2011
If you have not been to Taste yet, you need to go! The food is outstanding, and it reminded me of a restaurant you would find in Napa Valley. We had the Mushroom Cigars as an appetizer, and then my husband & I split the Lamb Ragu and Eggplant Cannelloni which allowed us to try more on the menu. Great place for lunch on a Saturday and then you can wine taste at nearby vineyards like Young's and Wilderotter. Taste has a nice variety on the wine list as well. Have fun!
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Review from Christina H.
Sacramento, CA
9/15/2010
I finally made it to Taste! I've heard about this place for a few years and had my first experience this past weekend.
It has a very inviting atmosphere and isn't pretentious at all. The wait staff was very friendly and attentive. I really enjoyed my experience and can't wait to go back next month.
After snacking on their wonderful rosemary bread dipped in the best balsamic vinegar and oil mixture I've ever had, I ordered the corn soup and gnocchi plates. It was a tough decision because everything on the menu sounded divine.
The corn soup was great. It was silky with a few crunches of fresh corn mixed in it. It was accented with a goat cheese fritter that complimented the soup perfectly. It was creamy and crunchy. Loved it! The gnocchi was pillowy and had a wonderful flavor from the fresh veggies and surprisingly crispy braised beef. I was able to have a bite of my friend's filet mignon and it was melt in your mouth delicious! I was plenty full but still saved room for dessert.
This was the only disappointment for all of us dining that night. The Taste Chocolate Fix was a trio of warm lava cake, white chocolate mousse and and chocolate semifreddo. Nothing was very chocolaty. The white chocolate mousse was grainy and had a weird after taste. The other two items were very average. We also had the trio of Creme Brulee. I've actually never had Creme Brulee before because I'm not a fan of anything custard. There was a raspberry and mango brulee and they both reminded me of yoplait yogurt and then a vanilla. I actually thought they were okay compared to how I imagined them to be but everyone at the table said they'd had better.
So, 5 stars for dinner and 3 stars for the dessert. -
Review from GC D.
Amador City, CA
12/22/2010
It's a bummer to see a handful of people (many from the Bay Area) giving this place two stars. As a recently-relocated San Franciscan (native, lived there for 40 years), I have to say Taste is a marvel, and beats many restaurants in the city. That said, I am not going to review the food here.
Wine. Amazing. Magnificent. A bounty of barberas, zins, petite sirahs and syrahs, mainly from the area. They are masterful in the art of pairing. Their cabernet and pinot selections are quite delicious too.
The way to experience Taste is at the bar. Order couple of glasses of wine, if necessary, order food. But their wine selection is the best - and yes, better than anything I've had in the SF and the Peninsula. -
Review from christian C.
Philadelphia, PA
6/2/2011
Wow, I don't get it at all. This place was nothing special at all. "We only focus on serving what's fresh and local." How novel.
Anyway, began with a fava been salad, which consisted of butter lettuce with 3 fava beans and a puree of fava beans (that was very tasty, but too cold). It was a cute presentation.
The rib eye was a large piece of meat, that was well cooked but I think was a different cut than ribeye because it was lacking the classic marbling seen in it typcially. It came over fava bean greens with polenta, which was good.
The duck on the other hand came encassed in fat which detracted from it. The fruit mostarda was a nice compliment and the potatoes were well cooked.
For the price point, this is a low value. -
Review from Dan F.
Sacramento, CA
8/28/2011
Although it's been over a year since the lady and I went to Taste I am still hoping for a chance to go back soon. I can't remember the specifics about most of the dishes at this point except at the time they had a house made burrata cheese appetizer. It was so creamy and just amazing. As was everything else that night. My girlfriend and I both work in the industry and really appreciate how great the service was as well. I believe our server's name was Michael. One of the best server's we've ever had. A few months later he was featured in a Sac Bee article about some of the area's best and it was well deserved (unlike some of the others, but I digress). We even got a hand written thank you card in the mail from Michael after we filled out the comment card. Thank you again for a wonderful evening.
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Review from Courtney D.
San Francisco, CA
7/15/2010
OK, the 5th star is for being sooo good and in Plymouth! I was sent to this restaurant by more people than I can even remember, Thank You all! Taste didn't disappoint, the steak was great I rarely order red meat as I just can't stomach it, but they MADE A GREAT FILLET!
I really like the dessert too, molten chocolate something or other, menu changes often, maybe even daily but if your in Amador County for wine tasting & feel like a great meal this is the place to go! -
Review from Aimee P.
Sacramento, CA
10/3/2011
OMG, talk about a nugget in them thar hills...Taste is incredible, nothing like it in Sacramento, that's for sure. We went up for the annual Amador County Big Crush and had dinner on Friday where we were served by Debbie who was just great and made our first dining experience at Taste highly enjoyable. We are light eaters and I like that they give you options to split what would otherwise be very generous portions of food. We were able to enjoy the Roasted Eggplant soup, Mushroom Cigars, Foie Gras, and chocolate gelato with raspberry sauce with an incredible Black Muscat and Cocao Vino for dessert. We brought friends back the 2nd night and Alicia was our server. Alicia did a great job helping us out after a long day of tasting. SIDE NOTE: I don't know why another reviewer said Alicia was "Snooty" this person must have been mentally deficient and lacking in the class department because Alicia was totally down to earth and not the least bit snooty, in fact everyone at the restaurant was helpful, friendly and fun. I wish I could give 5 stars but I gave only 4 stars because they don't have a full bar, and after a long day of wine tastings, it would have been nice to have a cocktail. We also liked that you could dress somewhat casually at the restaurant and not feel a bit out of place. LOVE LOVE LOVE Taste and we highly recommend you try it, because whether staying nearby, or making the 1 hour drive from Sacramento, Taste is the best!
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Review from Nigel J.
Palo Alto, CA
8/16/2011
Taste is an unexpected find in Plymouth.
To keep it short: excellent food, excellent service, very nice feeling to the place.
Loved it.
If you are in the area and want very good food and happy to pay for the pleasure you should really go here.
Also, for lunch or a picnic, a very good deli across the road -
Review from Desiree J.
Folsom, CA
4/20/2010
I've been to Taste around 5 times and have been more than impressed every time. I haven't found a plate that didn't impress me. I always ask their recommendation or go with the special...to prevent myself from picking the same things. Every time I go I order the cheese plate as an appetizer. The servers always tell you about each and every cheese, where it's from, what it's made with, and what it's good with.
Their monday night special is well worth it. 3 courses for $30. Can't go wrong! Highly recommended. -
Review from Krista M.
Updated - 7/30/2010
Our first time to Amador County, multiple people told us that we must go to Taste. Driving through Plymouth you don't see many people. We turned onto the street where Taste was located and it seemed like an old west ghost town, it was so quiet. That all changed when we walked into Taste - everyone was there!
We had a reservation (glad we did) and we were promptly seated by one of the friendliest hostesses I've ever witnessed.
Decor: Is warm and inviting, while it was fairly simple, it still felt like you were dining in a nice place.
Appetizers: We had heard about the Mushroom Cigars, but were having trouble deciding on the second app, so we asked our waiter. He said his favorite was the Black Garlic Gnocchi, so we went for it. What was awesome was that he knew we were sharing so he served each of us half of each app in 2 courses, no one does that! It was great. Anyway back to the food. The Mushroom Cigars were excellent, I could see why they are famous. The Black Garlic Gnocchi was A-mazing. What a unique dish. The gnocchi were light and fluffy and served with braised beef, Brentwood corn, chantrelle mushroom, cherry tomato and black garlic aioli. It was heavenly, I could have eaten another serving.
Main Courses: Pork Two Ways. half the plate was a grilled loin served with a fava bean cake and the other half was braised pork belly over sauteed spinach, so so good. The other entree was a Seared Duck breast, again an excellent dish. Everything was seasoned just right and full of flavor.
Dessert: We decided to share the Lemon Blueberry Refresher lemon cake with lemon creme, blueberry mousse & saffron frozen yogurt. Delicious! So light and refreshing, you can tell that it was made with fresh ingredients. A great way to end the meal.
Bread: Their bread is unbelievable! We figured out that the bread is from Andrae's Bakery in Amador City. I really wanted to go to the bakery and buy bread, but really what was I going to do with all that bread while on vacation.
Service: Our waiter was very friendly and attentive.
Taste could have easily been located in Manhattan, it was excellent and hope I have the pleasure of going back one day.
(Since there are 2 listings for Taste I posted in both.)1 Previous Review: Show all »
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7/29/2010
Our first time to Amador County, multiple people told us that we must go to Taste. Driving through… Read more »
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Review from Scott E.
Fair Oaks, CA
3/22/2010
My wife and I enjoy wine tasting. We are by no means wine critics, however we enjoy the beautiful atmosphere of the wineries around Central California. I thought we had made a great discovery when we went tasting around the Lodi area two years ago. There are some great wineries there that do not charge for tastings, and the vineyard owners are usually close at hand.
The pairing of the great tasting atmosphere near Plymouth with the dining available at Taste has reset the bar. While Napa is certainly a beautiful setting with great dining options, this small Amador County town is a bit more my speed.
Taste is a well appointed classy establishment. The staff is professional and as well trained as any fine dining I have ever had the pleasure of enjoying. Better yet however, they serve you spectacular food and put you at ease. Upon delivering our Mushroom Cigars, "I prefer to eat it with a fork so that I can get a taste of the potato and sauce, but feel free to pick it up with your fingers" proclaims our waiter. At no time did we feel out of place or uncomfortable in this exquisite formal setting.
Taste seems to take particular pride in serving dishes that are different than other establishments. I personally had the Grilled Guinea Hen, yummy! Served with fingerling potato and baby artichoke it was prepared deliciously and presented well.
Taste boasts a extensive wine list, however, their wine selection bottoms out at $33/ bottle. They offer a 15$ cork-age fee which may be a option for similarly unrefined diners such as myself.
Congratulations Taste for raising the bar for homey Central California Foothills Wine Country. While I hope for more of the same, I also hope that the charming accessibility of this region is maintained. -
Review from Liz S.
7/2/2006 7 photos
Taste is TASTY!
What a wonderful discovery to have found this new restaurant on Main Street in Plymouth, close to the Amador County wineries. At the time of this review, Restaurant Taste was only a month into its operation, and already all of the tables were booked and the place was buzzing with interesting customers. Since we were walk-ins, they did not have a table for us, but we were more than happy to sit at the bar and have our meal there, which also provided a vantage point from which to spy on, I mean view, the other tables.
The food here is inventive and excellent. Mark & Tracy Berkner, the owners, were formerly the owners of the St. George hotel in Volcano. Their expertise and professionalism are evident. The staff is well-trained and friendly, and the restaurant is a very smooth operation, which is not always the case with a new venture. Clearly, they are aiming to capture and hold the region's sophisticated diners, and seem to be thriving.
The food...ahhhh. Scrumptious. We started with the Mushroom Cigars and Rabbit Pommery. Both were elegantly presented, full of flavor, and portioned to share. The Mushroom Cigars were especially delicious, with several types of mushrooms mixed with goat cheese and encased in crunchy phyllo dough. They would have paired well with a light red or dry white wine, and if I hadn't been to 11 wineries that day, I might have indulged. As far as the rabbit - ordinarily, I am one of those people who doesn't like rabbit - I find it strange and gamey. This rabbit was amazing - I was doing whatever I could to get the last morsels of meat off of the bone. The preparation was very simple - lightly spiced, roasted - and this may have been the key to its great taste, versus the stewed rabbits that I have had in the past.
For my entree, I had the 5-Spiced Duck with house-made Cherry Jam. Tender, rare slices of seared duck and a tart sour-cherry jam - wonderful. I savored every mouthful, including the steamed bok-choy that accompanied the meat.
My husband had the Fillet Mignon with Gorgonzola Walnut Butter. Perfectly cooked, with the interesting addition of Asian pear chips. Again, beautiful presentation for each dish (see photos).
For dessert, we shared the Meyer Lemon eclairs and the Fresh Fruit Brulee with Passionfruit sorbet. Both desserts were rich without being heavy, and the perfect end to a perfect meal.
Sometimes I think that we are spoiled with all of the wonderful restaurants in San Francisco, and I wonder if I have to lower my expectations when dining outside of the city. I am reminded that this is not so at all. Taste is serving up beautifully prepared, flavorful dishes, in a casually upscale environment . I live in one of the best cities for fine dining, and yet I am jealous that the residents of Plymouth have this treasure in their midst.Listed in: Best of 2006, La Creme de la Creme, Road Trip!
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Review from Matt M.
Los Angeles, CA
3/3/2008 4 photos
This edition brings us to the small town of Plymouth, CA. My parents had been raving about a new restaurant called Taste and I couldn't wait to try it. Taste was recently named one of the Sacramento areas top 12 restaurants by the Sacramento Bee. The restaurant was opened by former St George Hotel owners Mark and Tracey Berkner. They specialize in using fresh seasonal and regional ingredients in a menu that changes seasonally.
It's a very creative yet simple selection of local ingredients. They have a great selection of California wines too. I order the Pinot Noir wine flight. Out of the 3 glasses, the '05 Santa Barbara Winery Santa Rita Hills Pinot really stood out. I highly recommend it. But the other two, the '05 Serenity and '04 Navarro Anderson Valley were both really good.
For an appetizer I order the Beef Spring Rolls ($8.50) filled with tender beef, mango, carrots and mixed greens. We also get the Mushroom Cigars, filled with Oyster, Crimini and Shitake mushrooms with fresh herbs and goat cheese wrapped in phyllo dough and baked to a golden brown. These were outstanding and simple enough where I could possibly make these at home.
For dinner I order the Columbia River Sturgeon ($26) with lobster mushrooms, fresh garbanzo beans, Spanish chorizo. I don't remember ever having sturgeon before and it was very good. Slightly oily with a rich flavor, it paired very well with the chorizo, beans and mushrooms, not to mention my pinot. My mom ordered one of the best filet mignon ($34) steaks I have ever had. It came topped with thick slab of horseradish green peppercorn butter that really added an amazing flavor to this great cut of meat. My dad ordered the Kurobuta Pork Loin Chop. It was decent but not a stand out.
For dessert, we ordered the Chocolate, Chocolate, Chocolate ($10), a triple chocolate whammy. A chocolate pot of creme, chocolate decadence cake with chocolate grenache and Valhrona Chocolate gelato. We also ordered the Blackberry Mascarpone Crepes and Lemon Verbena Panna Cotta. But it was the chocolate that blew us away.
The service was a little slow, but you are in Plymouth and things are a little more relaxed here. Which made the evening more enjoyable. I highly recommend you stop in if you are ever in the area. Check out our previous edition of Dig Lounge: Sutter Creek for additional info on the area.
http://diglounge.net/?... -
Review from S F C.
Yountville, CA
7/15/2011
Out in the middle of nowhere, took a weekend respit was very surprised and quite pleased. Had a very restful weekend and thanks to the fine food served was at peace with the world.
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Review from Mark G.
Sacramento, CA
6/2/2007
About an hour east of Sacramento in the gold country you will find the town of Plymouth. Actually I'm not sure if it would qualify as a town, it's more like one street. But on that one street I found one of the best dining experiences that I've ever had. Restaurant Taste. This place is well worth the drive, plus Plymouth is right at the base of Amador wine country, so you could make a whole weekend out of it! I would suggest staying at the Shenandoah Inn which is right up the street from Taste.
Anyway, the food at Taste is top notch, do not miss the mushroom cigar appetizer which is incredible. The dinner specials change frequently to reflect whatever is in season and don't even think about skipping desert. The wine list is smart, and while it showcases local foothill wines, it also has an impressive collection of other domestics and international selections as well. The service is top notch. This place is in the middle of nowhere and still it packs in the crowds every night (for good reason). Make your reservations early.
Totally worth the trip. Totally. -
Review from stacy k.
West Sacramento, CA
2/17/2009
I only wish that Yelp allows us to give 1/2 stars, as I would prefer to give this restaurant 3.5 stars. I am a fan, indeed, of this restaurant, hence, the reason why I chose 4 stars as opposed to 3 stars.
This restaurant is located about an hour away outside of Sacramento. It's not one of the greatest drives, so make sure you are armed with some good CD's and debatable conversation.
When you get there, you immediately, get the small old town feel of this town. Heck, the city hall is the size of my living room. But, I love it. I love how you can smell the chimney fires burning, the quietness of the town, and oh, how you are probably the only Asians there. Haha.
Back to the restaurant. No host table as we are used to. But someone promptly comes to you as you walk in. It's a warm and inviting restuarant, tiny, too, so make sure you make reservations prior to coming here.
My husband and I had the mushroom cigars which came highly recommended by many people on Yelp. You get 4 cigars and they are delicately wrapped in phyllo dough. We enjoyed them very much.
I got the cauliflower soup which I thought was too thin and more of a broth type of soup. I was expecting a creamy and thick soup. I blame Bouchon for setting the standard. Next, we got the goat cheese with seared duck and frisee salad. It was just average tasting; nothing special to talk about.
The husband got the foie gras which he thought he was great. He also got the squash gnocchi which I was able to snag a few of. I thought they were fantastic.
For our large plates, I got the scallops and the hubs got the duck. He loves duck... can't you tell? We both agreed that we enjoyed our small plates much more than the large plates. So, the next time you go, I'd probably just get a few of the small plates.
For dessert, we got the triple chocolate dessert plate. It came with chocolate mousse, chocolate molten cake, and chocolate ice cream. Too much chocolate? Perhaps, but how can anyone turn down chocolate?
I hope to return to this quaint restaurant again. The service was awesome and very down to Earth. No pretentious people here. -
Review from C. W.
San Mateo, CA
11/15/2010
I just signed up on Yelp today and wanted to give a review for this amazing restaurant. We have been here a number of times, and each time we have had a great dining experience. We always ask for Michael and he offers helpful suggestions and tips on the area.
The mushroom cigars are yummy and a "must-have" every time we go.
The atmosphere is comfortable and the food is always delicious.
What a great addition for Amador County! -
Review from Jade R.
3/27/2008 3 photos
Taste was definitely a pleasant surprise for a place in the middle of nowhere!
Service was great, and all the waiters and waitresses were very cordial, knowledgeable, and friendly. The atmosphere was nice, and although it got quite crowded and loud, it never felt like stuffy. The menu had a nice variety of american with a mediterranean flair, and for some entrees there was even a choice of having the dish served as appetizer or entree (see photo).
The cigar appetizers were very yummy and so was the salad. I found the portions to be a bit small for the price, but I suppose it compensated for the nice presentation and the quality of the ingredients. (It just made me wonder how big the appetizer version of my entree would have been though..) The food definitely looked like it was cooked with a lot of care and attention to details, which is always nice!
Overall, Im giving Taste four well-deserved stars, and I would recommend anyone that happens to be in the area to try it, but I just didn't fall in love head over heels like everyone else did. The only 1/3 complaint (which is really not even a complaint, but more something I wanted to point out) is about the bar area. We sat at the bar counter for drinks before dinner, but it was slightly awkward because they had a table parallel to the bar stools, with seating only on one side.. so those guests had to sit facing our backs. Because their table was lower, they basically had their faces just a couple of feet from our behinds (Im pretty sure they started drinking right away though, so they probably didn't even notice.....) -
Review from Gina M.
New York, NY
10/26/2009
O. M. G.
I have had many fantastic meals in my life and this is one of them. While touring the wineries around Plymouth, I asked for a restaurant recommendation. "Taste" was given as the first option but I was quickly told that there's no way I am getting a table, or even a space at the bar on a Saturday night.
So what do we do? Show up there anyway of course! Here's my magic trick: most of the clientelle at the restaurant comes there from the wine tasting. Wineries close at 5 PM which is a little too early for dinner, so most people go to their hotel rooms to change. Don't. We showed up right at 5 and got a bar-area table that was right by the window and served full menu. Score. Then we watched a bunch of folks show up at 6 and being turned away. So what we were still wearing our jeans -- this is the country ;-)
Both mom and I got wine flights (I wanted to go for more but had to drive at the end of the night, so was very much in control of my intake.) The rumors are true -- the wine list is amazing. Find a friend to drive you home :-)
What we had: mushroom cigars and melon-squash soup for starters, sword fish and scallops for main dish, persimmon upside-down cake for dessert. The food was well-prepared with quality ingredients but, most importantly, the flavors were combined perfectly. Seriously. I wanted to be picky and find something wrong with the food but could not. Whoa. Even their Brussels sprouts were delicious and I usually hate those!
It is true, the service is very casual and might not match in your mind with the price point but personally, I enjoyed a nice change of pace from the snobby servers you get at upscale places in the city.
Absolutely awesome and worth driving all the way to Plymouth for. And no, I am not taking a star off for service -- I liked their laid back approach! -
Review from Alex D.
San Francisco, CA
7/22/2009
Taste,
Taste what? The food? Yes, I tasted it, it was A-OK. It looked pretty dam good, it was described beautifully, the service and ambiance were spot on, but the taste of the actual food was just ok.
For the Appetizers:
Had the mushroom cigars, nice. Had the beets, cute, what's next? Had the Nicoise salad, really pretty and really interesting, and loaded with fantastic ingredients, but the taste was just ok.
Entrees:
The seared tuna was presented very smartly (although negative points for the water-logged salad it rested on), and again this was an inventive departure from your average seared tuna dish, but the tastes were again simply good. The perfectly seared scallops were probably the tastiest item, no doubt helped by the salty hit from the ham. The duck confit was seriously boring, but tasted alright in the end. Lastly was the most awesomely described dish of the night that by all means should have been a success, the Kurobuta pork chop. This cut should taste like a slice of pork heaven, but instead it was dry and chewy. The pathetic little squash and grilled peaches that accompanied it could do little to rescue the poor pig.
Dessert:
I think we had them all, they were A-Ok! The chocolate trio was pretty awesome.
All in all its weird going to a restaurant that has such great service, great ambiance, a bathroom fit for a queen, great presentation, and beautiful ingredients, yet some how only turns out ok food. I could see being more charmed had I only had the Mushroom cigars, the Scallops and the Chocolate trio, but having eaten through a sizeable portion of the menu I was lead to a different conclusion. -
Review from Teresa K.
Mountain View, CA
5/4/2010
My boyfriend and I went to Amador County for a weekend of wine tasting. We had dinner at Taste. The decor and ambiance were excellent. The food? It was pretty poor.
I ordered pork two ways that has both pork tenderloin and pork belly. They somehow were able to undercook the pork tenderloin and overcook the pork belly. The tenderloin was so pink on the inside that it would have been too rare even for sashimi. It was simply inedible. The pork belly looked beautiful but the meat was horribly tough and overcooked. And it was bland. Sort of like chewing a piece of rubber. I was very disappointed with the dish. The wait staff did not even ask what was wrong with my dish even though I had hardly eaten anything. I've had a lot of pork in my life, this may be the worst. Ever.
My boyfriend, on the other hand, really really liked the tofu picatta. He thought it was excellent. He also really liked the wine that he had. But it was hard for me to get over how bad that pork entree was. Everything else was at least fair, if not great. I would give it 2.5 stars if I could.
** Update ** Since this review was posted, the management at Taste has contacted me and apologized for the incident. It is clear that they are trying to provide the best dining experience possible. We're going to give it another shot sometime soon. For now, I'm changing the rating to 3 stars. -
Review from Alan B.
Folsom, CA
5/29/2011
Ate here two nights in a row. What a fabulous restaurant. Food, service first class. Lamb sirloin was fabulous. Other hits included the pork chop, guinea hen. There is nothing like Taste anywhere near the. Amador wine country and not many restaurants anywhere that consistently do such a fine job. This time a few hints of molecular gastronomy. Hope they don't get carried away with that. The farm to table concept works a lot better for me!
