First Taste: Taste Pizza Bar

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Restaurants are struggling to adapt to the faltering economy, often paring down menus and hours or closing altogether. Just the opposite at the new Taste Pizza Bar in Detroit; located on Times Square, a small one-way street off Grand River, a hop, skip and a jump from the Times Square People Mover stop.

First, they see opening as an opportunity as other restaurants failed to adapt. The casual, yet sleek, bar and lounge with an affordable pizza joint appeals to all Detroit demographics.   

Chef-and-owner Dale Daniel and general manager William Roberts did market research and found that the Motor City is home to a few large pizza franchises, and Detroiters consume a lot of pie, making them pizza experts, so to speak.

The space is inconspicuously situated on the second floor of one of Detroit’s historic buildings, above the hip nightclub Premium. The businesses feed off each other as people start the night at Taste then head downstairs for some clubbing or head to Taste for a more casual atmosphere and a bite after the club.

After climbing the stairs, there’s a long wood bar and a lounge space with open bench-style booths along the walls. There's ample room for socializing and pizza and appetizers can be ordered here or in the seating area in the room to the right.

The separation of space gives diners a nice option if they choose a more formal eating experience that is also smoke free. The dining space has the original brick walls of the building and windows which overlook the People Mover as it makes frequent passes.

The pizzas themselves are the brain-child of chef Daniel. His pies -- the thin yet substantial crust made from organic flour -- took years to perfect.

Daniel takes pride that his pizza creation only include fresh, quality ingredients. That means the mushrooms on the shrooms pie are criminis, portabellas, shitakes and oysters. Never those canned rubbery things commonly found on a delivered pie.

Exotic and unique pizza combinations with quirky names fill the menu like the $13 paparazzi (made with smoked mozzarella, Italian chicken sausage, banana peppers and grilled onions). There’s also a spicy cajun pizza and a seafood special called ocean 21 (with lobster, scallops and shrimp white sauce, roasted red peppers, garlic, grilled onions and smoked mozzarella) for $21.

All pizzas are made fresh to order and can be customized with staple ingredients such as smoked bacon, grilled chicken, roasted shrimp, spicy salami and a variety of fresh veggies like artichoke, zucchini or roasted mushrooms and gourmet cheeses, such as gorgonzola, feta, smoked mozzarella and parmesan-reggiano.  

Pizza is not necessarily the feature attraction. We tried some delicious salads made with homemade dressings and the same quality ingredients as the pies. And don't forget to try chef Daniel’s sweet red wings -- made with his signature homemade barbecue sauce.

Get the full dish on Taste

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