All in the neighborhood

Taylor’s Market, on the border between Land Park and Curtis Park, remains one of the few full-service neighborhood grocers still in Sacramento. Adjacent to the market, Taylor’s Kitchen, a fine dining restaurant, raises the business to a rare category.

Where else in Sacramento can you eat local high-end meats and produce, then go next door and buy those same ingredients? The recent trend for chefs to sell branded condiments comes full-circle at Taylor’s.

Despite the small size of Taylor’s Kitchen, it benefits from the esteemed butcher services at the market, making the meat dishes some of the best in town. In addition, chef Casey Shideler, who took over the kitchen last June, excels at combining a wide variety of produce on each plate.

Her sunchoke salad ($9) married roasted chunks of sunchoke with bitter frisee, tart pomegranate arils, buttery toasted almonds and a cilantro vinaigrette. The plate was not only colorful, but texturally appealing.

A sweet potato salad ($8) was similarly multifaceted, with thin slices of roasted sweet potato, crispy pancetta, arugula, goat cheese, black lentils and a coddled egg. It seems like a lot of ingredients, but they worked harmoniously.

There is usually a cheese plate ($15) or charcuterie board ($19) on offer, presenting selections from the ambitious cheese counter at the market. Get the housemade chicken liver mousse, which is ethereally light and spiked with sherry. It balances perfectly alongside the pickled red onion and cauliflower.

Chef Shideler also seems particularly skilled with accompaniments, adding several sides—each well-executed—with the entrees.

Recently, a thick-cut pork loin chop ($29) came with pickled red cabbage and caraway, to balance the rich meat. Uniquely yeasted pretzel spaetzle added salty crunch, while sides included grilled, thick-cut mushrooms, fried Brussels sprouts and mandarin orange supremes.

I often find red meat disappointing, but Taylor’s enormous rib-eye ($36) was not. While it was slightly too salty for my taste, the perfectly grilled exterior yielded to tender, juicy meat. It paired satisfyingly with a red wine reduction, broccolini, white beans and sliced mushrooms.

Chefs now create vegetarian food that’s just as intriguing as meat-laden meals, and Taylor’s is no exception. Indian-spiced carrot-coconut cakes ($18) with a rice base were beautifully presented with julienned Easter egg radish on top and complements of rich aioli, smoked mushrooms and deep red blood orange segments.

On the other hand, we may have missed including their Richards Ranch burger ($14) on our Best Of list. It’s deceptively simple, but that just highlights the meat quality. On a housemade milk bun with cheddar, aioli and arugula, we also enjoyed it with the swoon-worthy caramelized onion and fennel on the side.

Including that condiment and the cherry tomato relish, it ranks in my top five for local burgers. With the shoestring fries, it seemed a bit salt-heavy, but on its own, hits all the marks.

Another unique strength at Taylor’s Kitchen is the presence of manager Keith Fergel. An alumnus of fine dining locales The French Laundry (Napa) and the Fifth Floor (San Francisco), Fergel has developed a top-notch staff. He’s also a trained sommelier, offering a well-edited wine list that complements the changing menu.

Desserts, from pastry chef Amanda Silverstein, are not as outstanding as the savory courses. A warm chocolate rice pudding ($8) came with attractive crimson poached pears, but didn’t stand out. Her hazelnut crunch cake ($10.50), while visually impressive, lacked excitement, aside from the nicely creamy espresso ice cream on the side.

The strength of Taylor’s Kitchen lies in its intimate atmosphere with elevated but accessible dishes. You’re likely to be pleasantly surprised by a flavor element, yet not overwhelmed by the noise and size of many newer restaurants. It’s a lovely neighborhood eatery, of which we have far too few.