Love is patience. Love is kind. Love is divine and ever-present in our mind. Love is the emotion that creates the memories that reach beyond the realm of time.
Relationships come and go, yet the memories created while in them last a lifetime. The place where we become most fond of our loves inscribe a permanent impression with its pen upon our hearts. For me, that place is Taste at The Palisades.
Every Thursday, between 5:30p.m. and 7:00p.m., my love and I had a standing reservation—table 33—the furthest table aft and opposite of the wine cabinet. It was less of a routine and more of a defining and enjoyable moment she and I shared. We love the food, we love the people, we love the atmosphere and the calm yet warm-welcoming brown and ivory decor. The dim lighting in the dining area sets a romantic mood perfect for a first date, anniversary or routine night on the town with the misses. This hometown gem is truly something the neighborhood of Pacific Palisades should cherish and be honored to have.
When love fades and people go their separate ways, somethings remain the same—in this case my love for Taste at The Palisades and pork chops. According to my OpenTable account I have eaten at Taste 65 times [that’s not counting the times I’ve gone without a reservation.] The location is small and cozy. It’s tucked away in the Palisades Highlands Plaza. Taste gives such romantic feeling that it forces your mind to forget [or not even acknowledge] that you are in a strip mall.
To say the food is good and prepared well would not be the best way to describe the experience; It truly is phenomenal. My favorite dish is the Caramelized Cumin Spice Pork Chop (pictured above). I remember the first time having it. The first bite is reminiscence of the first—accidental—kiss you share with a new love interest, magically blissful and unexpected. The sweetness from the cumin leaves your mouth in wonder as the salt and savor from meat brings it back into focus. A pork chop with a flavor profile so divine and interesting, it’s like no other I’ve had in the western region of the United States. It is thick, juicy, seasoned well and bone-in; 10 ounces of pork beatification. The side dishes are complimentary. The snap peas gives a healthy crunch and somewhat bitter bite to the sweetness of the cumin. The white truffle oil and mushroom mac & cheese add a depth to the meal. It gives it a hearty and fulfilling element; leaving you pretty full and satisfied in the end.
All of us, at one time or another, has had a relationship fade into the dark recesses of our mind but few know the culinary prowess that allows us to truly say I love Taste.
I have only tasted this dish. On one of my visits, my date ordered it and I had some. It’s very good. The shrimp are amazing. This is the White Mushroom Risotto w/ Black Tiger Shrimp. It’s good.
The Chocolate Brioche Bread Pudding at Taste is amazing. This is my dessert of choice on just about every visit to the restaurant.
Taste at The Palisades
538 Palisades Drive
Los Angeles, CA 90272
(310) 459-9808
This review was written and paid for like every other one on this site: with my own money, no sponsorships, no comped meals. If it helped you decide where to eat, a coffee helps keep it that way.
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