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Taggia
Category: Restaurants Italian Italian [Edit]
4925 N Scottsdale RdScottsdale, AZ 85251
(480) 424-6095
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Quiet
- Has TV:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
43 reviews for Taggia
Review Highlights
"...here, I got the butternut squash ravioli in brown butter..."
(in 3 reviews)
"When we first entered the Firesky resort, I was amazed at..."
(in 5 reviews)
"Whole chunks of moist tuna with olive oil and sea salt with..."
(in 2 reviews)
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43 reviews in English
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Review from James S.
Port Lions, AK
10/6/2011 1 Check-in Here
Excellent dinner. The scallops were large and very tender. Good meal with good company.
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Review from Lindsey F.
Scottsdale, AZ
11/19/2011
Located right inside Firesky, I don't think many locals even realize this is here. After a failed attempt to dine a restaurant nearby due to an hour+ wait, we decided to check out Taggia across the street. It's one of those restaurants that have always been on the list but we seem to forget its there.
The ambience at Taggia is exactly what I like in a restaurant: an open patio overlooking waterfalls, ponds and a pretty pool. It was the perfect Arizona fall evening and ideal for outdoor dining. The waiter introduced me to a new cocktail, whip cream vodka and soda. It tastes like a creamsicle and was delicious! We started with calamari and ordered the crab raviolis and shrimp risotto for dinner. When I was ordering my meal, the waiter asked me whether I wanted a house or Caesar salad. The way he said it gave the impression that a salad was included in the meal. However, something didn't seem right since it didn't indicate that on the menu, so I awkwardly asked. He then quietly answered me saying no, a salad wasn't included. Typically when a waiter asks whether you want a house or Ceasar, it means that a salad is included but in reality, he was being little sneaky by trying to get me to order a $10 salad thinking it was included. I would have been pretty unhappily surprised when the bill came if I hadn't caught on when I ordered.
The ambience was a four star, the food was ok, but the prices were pretty steep for the meal we got and the waiter tried to pull a fast one with the salad comment which tainted my experience. My food was good though and like I said, it was great ambience. However, guests should be warned that if a waiter offers you a "house or Caesar salad," know that it's not included with the meal and that will cost you $10 extra dollars. -
Review from Megan H.
Ankeny, IA
8/4/2011
Like many other reviewers, I ended up at Taggia because it was located in my hotel - purely a choice of convenience. After attending a conference all day, my friends and I were too wiped out to drive. Drive somewhere else vs. walk to the lobby? Taggia suddenly looked a lot more enticing.
First, it was somewhat disconcerting to be the only customers in the restaurant at 6:30 on a Saturday night. Eventually another family was seated near us, but still... not exactly a sign of great things to come. Second, our waiter was flat-out weird. He clearly had no other tables to tend to, but every time he came to our table it was as if he couldn't wait to get away. He took our appetizer order and started to hurry off before we could order wine; we practically had to shout our order at his retreating back. He was squirrelly and distracted during our entire visit- you would have thought he had twenty other tables had you not seen the perfectly empty restaurant behind him.
The food itself was fine, even good. The calamari was really great; the wine was OK. We each ordered one of the thin-crust pizza - two mushrooms, one prosciutto - and all were good, though we all thought the prosciutto pizza was a little dry (no sauce, no cheese).
The strangest part? When our server asked if we'd like dessert, he nodded at a nearby busboy and said, "Hector's on page 2." When we responded with baffled looks, he explained how that's his standard pitch when offering customers dessert - "want to see the dessert menu? I'm on page 2." Needless to say, we passed on dessert.
Too bad the service was so schizophrenic, because the food wasn't bad at all. Sadly, it just didn't match up to the rest of our experience at the FireSky. -
Review from Andrew C.
Manhattan, NY
7/11/2011 2 Check-ins Here
Taggia deserves mad props. Tucked into the Firesky Resort, this is a great place to grab a business lunch or casual date without all the public hoopla of other Scottsdale restaurants. On every visit, service has been top notch! They take their time, but are always present, and everyone from the bus-boy to the waiter has a sense of humor and comfortable personality.
On one occasion, my coworkers and I split a salad and pizza while pitter-pattering away on our laptops. The other, we enjoyed the burger. It's nice of them to let us use their outlets, and set-up camp for an hour while we get away from the office for some fresh food and fresh air!
Prices at lunch are reasonable, and it was calm enough for us to talk business without worrying about who's around. -
Review from Kalid B.
Chicago, IL
10/2/2011 1 Check-in Here
Service was 4 stars but we're here for the food. Steak sliders were tender, but bland. Wings weren't all that. Pizza was decent.
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Review from Aileen B.
6/27/2010 3 photos
05/08/10
Friend and I had a fantastic dinner here- my first time back since attending a Yelp event held at Firesky Resort months ago. We chose to dine outside as it was a nice afternoon. (Also, the restaurant just opened for dinner, so no one was dining indoors, yet.) We were hungry, so by the time our server arrived for our drink orders (just water, since we had some wine at the bar and reception areas) we also placed our entree requests- the wild salmon sounded divine, so we both wanted it (she w/ fingerling potatoes and I subbing asparagus). When it became apparent that we weren't going to get bread unless we asked for it (we waited at least ten minutes-- we were there early... we were hungry!), we asked if complimentary bread was available. (It was, and with delicious marinated olives, too!)
Words cannot do these beautiful entrees justice! As you can see from the photos, the salmon I had was so juicy. The textures were exquisite-- starting at the perfectly-crisped skin, nicely seasoned; then immediately underneath it, the seared, buttered flesh; through the flaky layers, until you reach the tender medium-rare center... There, there- I'm getting waves of goosebumps up and down my arms and neck just recalling those moments! And the accompanying vegetables were equally splendid! Crunchy, yet dainty asparagus spears flanked by olives, grape tomatoes, artichoke hearts, and fennel! Mmm... I think it's time to check out http://restaurant.com for a gift certificate for another meal here soon :)
Didn't know acquaintance James Siao is Taggia's "chef de cuisine"- what a nice surprise! He was so sweet to offer my friend and me a complimentary dessert to share. All the desserts on the menu that night sounded great, but it was no contest-- we had to check out the tiramisu! Taggia serves up a terrific version-- a marvel to look at, and so many layers to tantalize the tastebuds... So cool and creamy, and the cocoa used was of very high quality. This dessert was packed w/ so much flavor, yet it was very light-tasting (and very light in the tummy, too!). This tiramisu lived up to its name- a perfect pick-me-up!
Can't wait to go back! -
Review from Jason F.
San Francisco, CA
2/22/2011
The server was very attentive, and that was the best part of the evening.
It started going downhill when the bottle of wine we wanted was out of stock. No big deal; we switched to individual glasses instead.
We both ordered the salmon special, which came on a bed of fingerling potatoes, fennel, olives and cherry tomatoes. I ordered it as it came and my partner made a substitution, which was no problem.
But, both of our entrees came under cooked, significantly. The took them back and nuked the he'll out of them so that the salmon was done but dry. Not worth $28 a piece. And, the olives completely over powered the entire dish.
The server was nice enough to throw in an extra glass of wine, but overall it wasn't a winning experience. -
Review from Violeta H.
Gilbert, AZ
5/8/2010 3 photos
I had a lovely meal on friday evening with my friend. taggia is attached to the firesky resort but doesn't have that hotel restaurant feel. when we arrived the restaurant was not open.(opens 530pm)..so of course we had a drink to pass the time in the bar/lobby.
it was a perfect opportunity to try taggia since i had a http://rest.com certificate. we both ordered the salmon and mine came with roasted fingerling potatoes. for her entree she subbed the potatoes for asparagus. well presented and delicious!
the chef is an acquaintance of my friend and he was so generous to send us a dessert of our choice on him! we shared a tiramisu...yum!.. -
Review from Shannon N.
Phoenix, AZ
7/28/2010
A few colleagues of mine and I went to Taggia for a working lunch, and I was VERY pleased with the service, food, and general atmostphere.
When we first entered the Firesky resort, I was amazed at how beautiful it was. The entrance into the restaurant was lined with a gorgeous marble fountain, and we were promptly greeted by a very friendly server. He was able to accommodate us with the best seat in the house for four of us to work on our laptops. The wi-fi was free, which was the reason for choosing the firesky, and it was very spacious for the four of us.
Now for the good stuff, the food! I split the caprese salad and the margherita pizza with one my co-workers. The others had the cheeseburger which they both said was delicious. The caprese salad was wonderful!! The tomatoes were ripe and juicy, the basil was very fresh, and the mozzarella was perfection. I don't even know where to begin with the pizza. It was heaven on a crust!! I can't imagine why people wouldn't care for it unless thin crust is not their thing. We wrapped up the meal with a piece of tiramisu, which was heavenly. I am a big tiramisu lover and this one is definitely in my top 5.
Overall, the server was very accommodating and the food was very well priced. I believe the pizza and salad came to just over $20. Most importantly, I was extremely pleased with the food, and I will definitely be back for lunch again! -
Review from Andrea R.
3/8/2010 2 Check-ins Here
I try not to revisit restaurants with eh service, but since this is very conveniently located with my hotel (the Firesky) I didn't have much of a choice. And so I had a lunch and a breakfast at Taggia....2 days in a row!
Lunch: This was the scene of the bad service experience. Our waitress gave us the dinner menus (instead of lunch) and forgot 1 of the 2 pizzas we ordered. Fortunately, I had the organic greens salad to munch on while I waited for my lost margherita pizza. Once the pizza finally arrived it was a tasty thin crust (just how I like it), but nothing to special to Yelp about.
Breakfast: The very next morning. Fortunately, a different waitress was more "with it' this time around. I ordered the spinach and mushroom frittata from the breakfast menu, but switched it up a bit by adding swiss cheese and asking for egg whites (to balance out the cheese). She got the order right even with the changes (whoo hoo), although the frittata once again wasn't anything special.
I wouldn't go out of my way for bad service and mediocre food, but wouldn't hesitate to grab a bite to eat here during future visits at the Firesky.Listed in: Yelping in Phoenix!
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Review from Jim W.
8/8/2009
Taggia can put on an awesome spread of gourmet appetizers! Wow!
I attended a Yelp event at Firesky recently and I was very impressed with the food and service of Taggia.
Oh the olives! Just the spread of olives was wonderful by itself. Great variety. Then the proscuitto, the artichokes, the sun dried tomatoes, the cheeses...all delicious.
We'll be back for dinner soon! -
Review from Tiffany N.
Denver, CO
3/16/2010 1 Check-in Here
I ended up eating at Taggia while staying at Firesky so it was a choice of convenience. I've had the food from here several times using room service and it's never anything to complain about. It was the same story the day I had lunch here. I had an organic greens salad and shared the margherita and goat cheese pizzas with my fellow lunchers. All of the food was good - the goat cheese pizza in particular with its thin, crispy crust.
Unfortunately the day we ate here our service was MIA. We were told we could seat ourselves so we did. After about 10 minutes someone came by to take our drink order and maybe 10 minutes later our waters arrived. Well 2 out of 3 of them did anyway. Then we ordered two salads and two pizzas to share. One pizza came first. WTH? Where were the salads? Or the other pizza? The salads showed up a few minutes later and then our server realized that she had forgotten our second pizza. No biggie since we had salads and one pizza to eat. But the service was lackluster with a L. Like Andrea R says, I wouldn't go out of my way to eat here, but when in the area it's a good option to have.Listed in: Phoenix Hot Spots
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Review from Jan S.
3/17/2010
In my opinion Taggia deserves somewhere between 3 and 4 stars. So I'm rounding up from 3.5 to 4 stars. Both the food and service somehow fell a little short of expectations despite the impression that they put forth a lot of effort.
The menu is interesting with a mix of italian staples like pizzas and a diverse selection of seafood and pastas. We started off with some standard antipasto including prosciutto, salumi, olives, cheese, and marcona almonds All were pretty good but nothing to write home about. However, the caponata/burrata spread over grilled bread was a nice way to start off a meal.
My favorite dish is the pan-seared sea scallops in brown butter with grapefruit and capers. With specials like hand-made pastas we also tried the gnocchi with veal ragu and crab ravioli. The veal ragu sauce was hearty and stoodout more than the gnocchi but the flavor of the dish seemed to still lack something. It tasted something like your grandmother would make out in the countryside villa. The sweet corn crab ravioli was also so-so and did not live up to expectations based upon the ingredients and description (ricotta cheese / sweet corn / wilted spinach / porcini butter). The Scottish salmon was good and I would order again even if cooked a little more than to my liking.
The dining room is fairly intimate and if you enjoy eating al fresco there is a great patio. While Chef James and the service staff were very friendly and patient, there were inconsistencies throughout our experiences. Food-wise everything seemed really fresh and the quality of the ingredients high, however, the tastes and presentations seemed more like dinner party food rather than fine dining. -
Review from Jenn H.
Los Angeles, CA
2/14/2008
4 stars is the perfect way to describe Taggia. It reaches for 5 star perfection, but just doesn't quite make it. Tthere are so many random intangible things that are keeping it from being a 5 star joint but I can't put my finger on it. Anyway, this place is pretty damn good.
The service was very friendly and nice. What impressed me is the support staff. Everyone from the hostess to the bussers to the food runners went out of their way to be over-the-top nice, accomodating and attentive. I swear - no less than THREE seperate managers came by to ask us if everything was to our satisfaction. While some might find this annoying, I found it refreshing. Most managers - as Eminem might say "just don't give a fuck."
But at Taggia they DO give a fuck, so yay.
Also, the food was surprisingly good. Why do I write "surprisingly?" Because something about the place screamed "this food is going to suck." But it didn't! It was excellent.
The pre-dinner bread is awesome. Not just "oh great. bread" type of good bread. It's large chucks of nuts and fresh baked kind of good bread.
The burrata - a caprese type dish with arugula, speck and Taggiasche olive pesto was INSANE. Eat this. It's offbeat and delish.
Props to the chef for offering a varity of pasta dishes without cream sauce. All the pasta choices looked good to me. I had a difficult time choosing. But the one I chose... HOLLA!
I had mushroom ravioli topped with asparagus, and dungeness crab. The mushroom ravioli was DOUBLE INSANE - and possibly one of the best rav's I ever had. However - and this is part of the 4 star-not-5-star part - While the crab asparagus mix was good - it wasn't nearly as good as the ravioli. It was almost a bit fishy and I found myself scraping crab off the pieces of pasta to maintain the integrity of the fresh pasta and mushrooms. Once I seperated the crab and ate it as a seperate side dish things were cool.
Dessert - none of it appealed to me so I skipped it. That's huge because I never want to skip dessert. I think people who like European style sweets will be pleased with the selection, though.
I'm not sure if I'll be back because this place is so random, but they certainly earned a return visit. I actually feel guilty withholding the 5th star because everyone there tried so hard.
Uggg - the trials and tribulations of Yelping...
Fine. I'll go back to Taggia. Sometime. -
Review from Adam L.
Phoenix, AZ
8/26/2008
I took my wife here for her birthday about two weeks ago on a Friday night. No problem getting in without reservations. This restaurant is in the cool remodeled Firesky hotel. I would describe it as a really modern type lodge. Think West Elm meets Aspen.
The food was excellent. Everything here is very fresh and they try to use organic ingredients when they can. I could tell it would be smaller portions (that is why I gave it four stars instead of five) but it worked out because we started with the best Margarita Pizza I have ever had. I haven't been to Pizza Bianco but I don't know how it could be better than this. Don't get me wrong I am from Chicago, love deep dish, and nothing is better than an Uno's pizza but you don't order Margarita pizza's in Chicago you order them on the west coast.
The waiter was very attentive to us and our main courses were excellent. He actually recommended my main course and the bottle of wine we ordered over what we were originally thinking. He even explained his reasoning for the recommendation. I really like when waiters take pride in their restaurants offerings.
I would definitely eat here again. Think very fresh food in a cool fresh atmoshpere. -
Review from Jacquee p.
San Francisco, CA
10/1/2007 2 photos
I wasn't sure to expect as this is my very first Kimpton experience ever. I've always heard good things, but I'm a bit of a snob and let's face it, I don't like being out in the middle of the desert. I mean, what is out here other than cacti and tacky Southwestern decor?
Well, let me tell you I was all wrong.
Taggia is great Italian out in the desert. We ate poolside for lunch today and it's been a while since I've felt so glamorous.
The bread is crusty and delicious. Everything that rustic Italian should be. I drenched the green olive bread in olive oil with a little salt and pepper. OoooooOOOhh. I think that was, uh, 6 slices that I downed.
The prosciutto crudo was ordered with a side salad instead of fries. It came out and I got looks of envy from my workmates who ordered the pizza or salad or turkey sandwich. *snore*
I haven't seen this much prosciutto on a sandwich outside of my home in a long while and the mozzarella was plentiful and fresh with just a drizzle of olive oil. MMMMmmhhmmm.
I don't think that people normally yelp side salads because really it's just a side. But there was an artful simplicity to this side of greens lightly tossed in a vinaigrette with julienned red onions on top. So pretty and so perfect with the sandwich.
I couldn't have done it better myself.
.................................................. .................................................. ............
2 October 2007
We had a "working lunch" at Taggia. My branch chief and director both ordered my prosciutto crudo. I felt like the most popular intern there.
I wanted another side salad so I went for the tuna sandwich which is tons more elegant than the average school yard version.
Whole chunks of moist tuna with olive oil and sea salt with halved cherry tomatoes that were white, yellow, and orange. How chic!
It turns out that the chef at Taggia abhors cream and mayo (holla!) and refuses to mayo up sandwiches and drown pasta in cream sauce. -
Review from Chris C.
Scottsdale, AZ
6/12/2011
Love the hotel, and this was our first time dining at TAGGIA. It really got off on the wrong foot. Sunday morning - 9:45AM. The place was busy, but not slammed. We stood at the check-in podium waiting for someone - anyone - to acknowledge us for well over five minutes.
Finally, a woman came from the back and she must have been having a really crappy day, because it was "Hostess With An Attitude". No smile, no engagement, no "Good Morning" - Strictly "How many?" I felt like leaving.
The food was OK-fine, but the Hostess made the experience one we don't want to repeat.
Sorry FireSky. We love you Kimpton. But this was just not up to your usual standard. -
Review from Pamela V.
5/26/2010 2 Check-ins Here
Meh. Loved the atmosphere, not impressed with the food.
Mediocre overpriced Italian with an organic/natural twist. The worst pizza I've had to date. After living in Chicago, I guess I shouldn't have ordered pizza in Scottsdale. Seriously lacking flavor.
Hit up the happy hour menu at the bar. Stick with bread and oil. And cocktail specials. -
Review from Mansi A.
5/23/2010
One word to describe this place: Cutesy! Definitely dine on the outside patio, which is near the pool area. The abundance of palm trees and greenery will make you feel like you're sitting in a tropical paradise. I loved the setting!
We were at a nearby spa and decided to drop into this restaurant, which is located the Firesky Resort, for lunch one afternoon.
The food: Average. I had the turkey panini, which turned out good, but friends ordered the tuna panini, which didn't turn out that great. Luckily, the restaurant happily took the tuna sandwiches back and gladly offered a replacement for my friends. We also ordered a pizza margherita, which was the size of a large pizza -- definitely a dish for sharing. Oh, and don't skip dessert! The tiramisu was just divine!
Bonus props to Firesky Resort for offering to shuttle us back to our hotel free of charge in their private car, when we asked them to call us a cab. LOVED the service at this restaurant/hotel!
Summed up: 3 stars for the overall food quality and taste, but an added 4th star for the exceptional service at the restaurant/hotel, and the marvelous dessert! -
Review from Meghan C.
12/27/2009 1 photo
I went here for lunch while staying at the Firesky, and it was definitely a nice surprise for an Italian restaurant located at a hotel (total recipe for disaster). Ordered a pasta dish with sausage, and it was cooked well and the sauce was pretty good. Nothing incredible but definitely above par. What really made lunch perfect for me was the burrata mozzarella caprese. The mozzarella was very fresh and so lusciously creamy, the best I've had at an American restaurant. It can't compare to buffalo mozzarella, but it was the next best thing for sure. Tasty pesto and fresh tomatoes too. I'm glad we didn't miss out on it.
I wish we would have come here for dinner so that we would have had a wider selection of plates, and maybe it would have been an even better experience! Judging by the pictures here, maybe I should have ordered a pizza...my mouth is watering looking at them... -
Review from Sean S.
1/18/2010
Scale of 1-10 (single visit):
7 Food
9 Service
9 Atmosphere
6 Value
The gnocchi wasn't as good as I'd hoped (it didn't really work in au jus), especially considering the price tag, but the pre-meal focaccia bread and the post-meal chocolate budino were both mm mm good. The service was well timed, and the atmosphere was a nice balance achieving upscale but not stuffy, with nice views from the window tables. -
Review from Andrew F.
Phoenix, AZ
4/25/2011 Seated via OpenTable
Went here for dinner on a sat night and we were the only ones in the restaurant. The food was ok, but nothing memorable. The restaurant had a nice ambience but that was about all..
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Review from sara h.
Laguna Niguel, CA
4/7/2011
I'm giving Taggia 2 stars because the food was fabulous but unfortunately the terrible service ruined our whole dining experience. The hostess was sweet but was so slammed, the manager who was trying to help didn't even check reservations and sat a walk up party of 1 at one of the coveted outdoor 4 top tables that we had been waiting 20 minutes for. We got our appetizers before our drinks, no flatware, warm beer & an arrogant server w/ a chip on his shoulder. I saw other people getting good service (from another waiter) sadly just not us:-(
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Review from Heather L M.
Trenton, NJ
3/13/2008
We had lunch at Taggia about six months ago. The food was definitely memorable since I still remember what we ate. We tried the fried calamari, a few of the pizzas, the pumpkin ravioli, and then cannolis for dessert. Everything was excellent, and the server was attentive.
Taggia is a solid spot and I would eat here even if not staying at the Fireside. Next time I would like to check it out for dinner. -
Review from Lori M.
Boston, MA
7/30/2008 3 photos
A great go-to option when in Scottsdale, if you want Italian. Everything on the menu is fresh and, as much as possible, local. I travel solo all of the time and I prefer Kimpton Hotels because they tend to have REAL restaurants in them, not hotel restaurants.
The ambiance is great and everyone is friendly (esp when you stay here in summer and the place is empty). But let's talk about the food......
On my first visit here a few months ago, I had the margherita pizza and the rucola salad. Either I was starving or it really was the best pizza I'd had in a long time. On my second trip here, I got the butternut squash ravioli in brown butter with fried sage - melt in your mouth pasta. It's made in house and it puts all dried pasta in my cupboard to shame.
This trip, I ate at Taggia twice because I am just too damn lazy to look for other places to eat when I have this place just across the pool. I returned to the margherita pizza again after starting with the asparagi antipasti. Both were delightful, but I wasn't the biggest fan of the trevigiana cheese in the asparagi dish, so now I know. The pizza wasn't quite as insanely delicious as it was the first time, but I still really enjoyed it. Great crust and great sauce.
In the spirit of being repetitive, I ordered the butternut squash ravioli again and started with the two gazpachos - on one side of the bowl, a summer melon gazpacho, and the other side, a tomato gazpacho. Both were fully pureed (no chunks of anything) and good; however, there was too much sugar in both. Still, I cleaned my plate, because under the sugar (or was it too much salt? something was too much) the fresh flavors popped.
I'll be back. In like 2 weeks. I promise to try something different! -
Review from Chadd B.
Seattle, WA
6/8/2009
We were staying at the attached Kimpton Firesky Hotel, and wanted something close and convenient...and tasty! We are by no means foodies or gourmands, but recognize food that has been prepared with care and intent.
Taggia fit the bill - and we gave it an extra star for both service and the fact that it was a hotel restaurant (exceeding the typical mediocrity found in hotels). Our waiter, Will was great, and the Manager stopped by to check in.
We ordered the delicious Buratta to start, a somewhat heavily dressed Bibb salad (which they graciously split between the two of us with Pancetta on the side), as well as a chicken and Bucatini pasta. The roasted root vegetables were perfect, though the Rapini was extremely salty.
Overall, we had a lovely evening, and would not hesitate to return. -
Review from Kirk F.
San Jose, CA
2/16/2010
This is a great resort restaurant!
We had some very nice meals here:
-Gnocchi with a veal ragu that was spectacular.
-Scallops with a wild mushroom risotto--perfect scallops, if you like scallops don't skip this dish.
-Even the roast chicken was special--a little spicy, very moist, perfectly cooked.
Salads and starters--especially a deceptively simple arugula salad--were excellent.
The service sets this place apart. We came here a second time on the night before Valentines on the spur of the moment, we had cancelled reservations that we had made at another restaurant when friends with an infant joined us. Well, we should have known, Taggia was booked solid. But they immediately walked us into the bar, rearranged some tables and served us dinner there--which with the baby worked out maybe better than the restaurant would have!
Above and beyond. Loved it. -
Review from Melissa W.
Chandler, AZ
3/9/2010
I'm rounding up to 4 stars because they were nice enough to split our dishes, as I really enjoy eating in courses (wish-I-was-in-Italy-poser). I'd have given a full four stars, but they forgot it was my boyfriend's birthday (noted at the time the reservation was made)... I am not going to be one of THOSE people (except for pointing it out in yelp reviews...har).
Starter: Scheiner's sausage pizza, love they are supporting local purveyor's (ok who isn't?). I'd come back just b/c this kicks Sauce's around the corner from here.
Primi: Gnocchi w/ veal, great flavor and tender shredded meat. Disconcerting was the equally tender gnocchi, little mushy.
Secondi: Sea bream with broccoli rabe and polenta. They respect their fish.
Dessert: didn't go there, was way too full. And thanks again for graciously letting us split our plates and eat in courses! -
Review from Allison W.
Scottsdale, AZ
4/3/2011
If this were last year at this time, I would have given this restaurant 5 stars. However, upon returning for our 2nd wedding anniversary, we were totally disappointed. Last year, we got treated like royalty, free champagne, free cheesecake - and lots of "Happy Anniversaries." This year, our waiter was rushed, we had an old menu and ordered the gnocchi with veal which we thought was the one we had last year (ALSO the one still listed on the website and apparently some menus) and it wasn't, and was terrible. The crab ravioli was also not great, just a mess of butter and thin pasta. This was a completely different experience then we had last year and we were VERY disappointed. Not worth the $73 and for a fancy place, the beer selection was dismal like the food. Will we return next year? Probably not.
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Review from Amanda B.
Denver, CO
3/15/2011
In a word-AMAZING! Started with a hearts of romaine salad and the salad dressing was to die for! I think I could have licked the plate! For my main course, I tried the gnocchi - those light little pillows reminded me of the ones I had in Italy so many years ago! Awesome job! Service was great! I never had to ask for a water refill, my plates removed in a timely fashion and the check was delivered without asking!
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Review from Travis B.
9/11/2010
great food and great environment. feels a bit like miami, with the sparkling pool and waterfalls, then like polynesia with teak furniture and tropical plants. such a pretty place.
we opted for the prix fix menu and left feeling stuffed and satiated. so delicious. i had the sea bass with polenta (grits) and it was just the right blend of taste and texture. she had the calamari pasta and i wasn't too impressed with her dish....which is rare b/c i rarely pick the favorite dish. topped off with gelato for dessert. and with our foodie couple double date, we couldn't have had a more pleasant evening.
i want to give taggia a 5 star review but our waiter was really, really sucky. attitude is expected and easily dealt with at a mcdonalds in south georgia, but when you're paying upwards of 20bucks a plate, attitude is the last thing i want. but i mean, what can you say until after the food has arrived? i don't want to be critical only to have the server drag my fish across the toilet in spite.
in any case, delicious food, less than mediocre service. -
Review from Andrew E.
Ridgefield, NJ
9/11/2010 2 Check-ins Here
Surprisingly good food and reasonably priced
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Review from Beth F.
Santa Monica, CA
8/13/2008
repeat after me:
creamy polenta covered with young brocolli stems and seared sea scallops!!!!!!!!!
yum.
repeat after me:
buratta with charred bread, heirloom tomatoes and drizzed with olive oil!!!!!!!!!
yum.
repeat after me:
asparagus, radiccio and hearts of palm salad with truffle oil!!!!!!!!!
omg yum.
repeat after me:
chicken stuffed with marscapone cheese, fig and other stuff that's really yummy!
yum.
repeat after me:
spicy spagetti with fruite de mare - clams and mussells!!!!!!!
yum.
repeat after me:
ravioli stuffed with goat cheese and other yummy stuff!!!!!
yum.
cute and attentive waitier: yum :)
i stayed at the firesky and had dinner at taggio for two nights in a row - not by design but necessity and i'm here to report that even though i didn't choose this restaurant for both meals, i'd come back again in a heartbeat. -
Review from Christine N.
San Diego, CA
9/24/2008
Service= 5 stars
The waitress, manager and even chef checked up on us at least once between meals but left us alone to enjoy the meal and wine after dinner. What restaurant these days have chef's coming in to greet you? Taggia does!
Ambiance = 5 stars
It's inside a posh and hip hotel. The outdoors seating is very night overlooking the poolside area and outdoor lounge area. There is a bar right infront of the restaurant which is easy access for before and after drinks. Great place to take a first date. Not crowded, not rowdy, not touristy.
Price =5 stars
They have Arizona restaurant week which served 3 course meal for only $29. The main course ranges from $14 to $28. But if you add appetizer and wine, it might come up to $100 for two people. Well worth the price though! If you put the same restaurant somewhere in San Diego they can definitely charge atleast 50% more Im guessing.
Portion= 4 stars
I had the butternut squash ravioli which was absolutely to die for! however the portions were quiet small. I got 6 pieces of ravioli for $16. It was worth it for me but some people might expect more for the money.
Menu variety = 5 stars
They have a very well balanced menu. Varying from antipasto, salads, soups, pastas and variety of protein dishes.
Taste = 5 starts
I tried the margarita pizza from the reviews i read on yelp. YOU MUST TRY THIS. It was probably the most authentic pizza this side of the Atlantic. It really got close to what I had in Italy. It cant get much better than this! The main course was the butternut squash ravioli which was creamy and had a perfect hint of sweetness. I can also tell that the ravioli was made fresh and they timed it perfectly and carefully after our pizza.
Overall, the best Italian themed restaurant I had in a longgggg time. Many props to the owner, hotel, staff and chef! Congrats! -
Review from Ken H.
Austin, TX
8/30/2009
Most hotel restaurants disappoint me. Taggia was a nice surprise. Our server at lunch was excellent handling our large table. The food came quickly, and my bowl of pasta was flavorful and fresh. The portions on some of the dishes may seem small at first, but that is simply because most restaurant portions are too large. The prices are a little high for lunch.
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Review from Ned S.
Boston, MA
12/8/2009
only customer at 1PM on an overcast saturday.
So, i figured service and food would be crap. you/ve lived it many times--fewer customers = awful service.
Not today. service was great friendly and knowledgeable.
Ordered risotto of the day--spectacular. Three large, fresh scallops lightly seasoned with risotto in a light chicken cream sauce along with tomatoes, mushrooms, and baby asparagus.
Coupled with a great pinot grigio. Perfetto! -
Review from Jane A.
Scottsdale, AZ
9/27/2009
I ate here once a few years ago, and don't remember it well. Since then, I've eaten at the bar, and attended events, but not a sit down dinner. Last night was a great experience. It was restaurant week, and we were a party of 14. I was very impressed with both the menu and the service. Our three course meal was great. We all shared a variety of appetizers, the borata cheese being my favorite. I started with the carpaccio, had a pasta with carnitas, and finished with zepoles. We had great wine, and it was a beautiful evening for sitting outside. This restaurant has a great menu, but when the service is great too, it makes for an all around great experience. I will be back for sure.
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Review from Andy M.
Barrington, IL
8/6/2010 1 Check-in Here
I'm not gonna lie, I possibly had the best sunny side up eggs ever.
A simple dish so rarely cooked perfectly. -
Review from Chelsea S.
Phoenix, AZ
2/17/2010
Whenever I go to an italian restaurant, there are certain staples that I look for. For example, you better have good bread, a good foccacia bread with dipping oil is always a winner when its flavorful and delicious and not just crusty white bread. I also tend to gravitate to certain dishes, such as butternut squash ravioli. It is one of my favorite dishes, and if I'm going to indulge in the pastas and cream sauces, it better be worth it. Taggia's raviolis were good, not as amazing as I was hoping but solid. We finished the meal with the chocolate budino and it was amazing. The overall atmosphere was nice and it was great to have a table next to the window.
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Review from Heidi C.
New York, NY
9/1/2009
We only had breakfast here, but there was a beautiful selection of egg dishes and other lovely breakfast foods available at reasonable prices. The waitstaff were attentive and friendly, and the decor was very rugged/minimalist chic. Almost a greek-mediterranean vibe to the place. Wish I could have tried lunch or dinner!
