Taylor, MI — Around the same time I was organizing a dinner to catch up with my former work associate, Gretchen, I was also coordinating a catch-up dinner with my cousin Adam, whom I hadn’t seen in several years. Partly due to the fact that I lived outside of Michigan for many years, and before then lived in Grand Rapids for nearly two years and then spent my last several years of college in Mount Pleasant. So, it had certainly been some time since we last saw each other!
Since Adam lives in Taylor, the food stars ended up aligning perfectly with the grand reopening of Salute Taverna, a Taylor restaurant that I had previously dined at and really enjoyed the experience. The owner, Donna, coincidentally reached out around the same time I was shoring up a day and timeframe with my cousin and invited me out for the grand reopening, which was taking place during the first weekend of October. Not only was Salute Taverna debuting a new chef as part of their reopening, but the menu had been revamped as well. My cousin was more than happy to be a part of this special follow-up foodie adventure, so we made sure to arrive at Salute Taverna Saturday evening with empty stomachs.
I arrived at Salute Taverna, at the corner of Goddard and Pardee roads, at 6 p.m. and bumped into my cousin as I was snapping a couple of quick photos outside before walking in. We had a hearty hug and joyfully walked into the restaurant, as I gave Adam a quick rundown of Salute Taverna’s history and when I had dined there before. Despite living and growing up in Taylor, my cousin had never actually been before! I was excited for my cousin to experience Salute Taverna for the first time, but also that we’d be getting to try new menu items for the first time together.
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We walked in and were greeted promptly and warmly by a staff member. You could tell by the energy upon walking in that there was a lot of excitement in the air, which was personified in the spirited staff. I introduced myself to check in for the reservation, which was already arranged in advance by Donna, who happened to be nearby when we walked in. She came by and welcomed my cousin and me, telling us how busy things had been over the last couple of days with the reopening. From what she has heard so far, the reception by the community has been great, and patrons are really digging into some of the new menu options, which is reassuring for a small business owner to hear!
Donna led us to our table to get us situated and noted some of the most popular among the new menu items that she recommended we try. Donna was working, so she had to head off eventually, but thanked us graciously for coming in to check out the new menu. Our server came by shortly after, starting us off with waters and taking our drink orders. My cousin and I quickly decided what we wanted to eat, deciding we’d share an order of the Tenderloin Tips and Limoncello Wings. Adam ordered a Filet Mignon, while I ordered the Penne From Heaven, which came with a high recommendation as a crowd favorite.
The Food
Both starters arrived at the same time, so my cousin and I divided up a few wings each onto our personal plates and forked a few tenderloin chunks with peppers over as well. Being the chicken wing enthusiast that I am, I decided to bite into a Limoncello Wing first. I noted the crispy exterior immediately, which featured an encased glaze of rosemary, garlic, and limoncello. These wings were fried very well, cooked perfectly throughout, and had that refreshing, citrusy, and garlicky finish to them that really brought these home to Taste Township. A must-try shareable!
I stabbed at a tenderloin tip next, picking the juiciest chunk that I could. The Angus beef tips were seared in a cast iron and had a Medium to medium-rare cook, yielding my desired tenderness level. The au jus had saturated into the meat nicely, providing a nice pungent kick and softness to the seasoned meat. I particularly enjoyed the addition of the grilled peppers and onions, with the meal rounded out by the crunchy hunks of garlic bread.
My entrée, the Penne From Heaven, arrived in a large, very warm pasta bowl. Generously garnished with cilantro, this dish was loaded with penne noodles, hefty chunks of chicken, shrimp sautéed in spicy garlic, spinach, and sun-dried tomatoes. I loved the color and presentation of this dish, even the violet flower off to the side on the plate for that extra dash of pizzazz.
The penne was cooked Al dente and very fresh, seemingly right out of the pot. The dish didn’t even need a sauce, given the robust acidic nature of the tomatoes and spicy garlic that spread from the shrimp as I mixed the ingredients. It was absolutely delicious; from the pasta to the liberal clumps of chicken and shrimp, everything gelled very well together and filled me up rather quickly after already consuming several shareables. I enjoyed as much as I could before boxing up about half the dish for the kind of leftovers worth looking forward to for the next day.
My cousin and I saddled up with our server and Donna and thanked as many staff members as we could for the exceptional meal and service as we departed. My cousin said he couldn’t wait to come back for another meal since he lived not too far off, and even mentioned wanting to take his parents some time to get Salute Taverna on their radar. I thanked my cousin for joining me on this foodie adventure in the parking lot, and we parted ways, vowing to meet up again soon for another foodie adventure before the holidays.
Whether you’ve been before or haven’t yet, the new menu selections and revamped Salute Taverna are firing on all cylinders and worth a visit to experience some new tastes and memories! And when you go, say hello to Donna (if she doesn’t beat you to it!) and enjoy your time with her and her team at Salute Taverna.
For more information about Salute Taverna, click here.
