Review - Taste

My mother and I both had off the Monday after Thanksgiving, so we did what any mother and daughter would do with the Holidays looming ahead... We packed up and went Christmas Shopping.

We went to the 'Made in the USA' store in Elma, then took a jaunt to East Aurora, NY. East Aurora is just one of the most nostalgic places to shop, with Main Street decorated for the holidays, friendly shop staff and one of the oldest and largest 5&10 stores still operating, Vidler's. It is literally like taking a step into another era.

When we had enough of the shops and bought gifts (some for ourselves) to our hearts content, we stopped at a small coffee shop and cafe that we both just adore, a place called Taste. The scene is warm, with a touch of Hollywood, as each seat in the place offers a perfect view of faces like Marilyn Monroe and Charlie Chaplin painted outside of the windows on the side of the building facing the cafe. Instead of numbers or names being called out when your food is ready, you are assigned a name of a Hollywood star. We had the pleasure of dining with Ellen DeGeneres that day. Additionally, regular menu items shout out to WNY and East Aurora history and landmarks, such as the Moo-o-o-g, a roast beef sandwich named for the aerospace engineering firm located in Elma.

We ordered the 'Stuffing the Bird,' a seasonal sandwich that is basically Thanksgiving in a sandwich; turkey, cornbread stuffing and cranberry-orange chutney piled high on a sesame bagel. The flavors of the savory and sweet are fantastic on this sandwich. My only critique was that last year it was served on a bread (if memory serves me well, it was a multi grain or wheat bread), which I feel lent better to the flavors of the sandwich. That said, it was still a wonderful sandwich, and one was plenty for the both of us.

Additionally, I ordered a cup of the Stuffed Pepper soup. Stuffed sweet peppers is one of my mother's staple dishes, and this soup was like her stuffed peppers in Soup form, from the flavorful sweet peppers and tomato soup broth to the pleasantly seasoned beef and rice. The soup was served hot, and tasted exactly like 'mom makes.'

Taste is a place that will not disappoint, and while there are plenty of high quality restaurants in East Aurora, each with their own distinct flavor and personality, Taste is quirky, yummy, and great for a quicker bite. I hardly ever go to East Aurora without a stop here.