Bold City Best 2016

SEPTEMBER 18, 2016 THE TIMES-UNION • 21
A crowd pleaser, the
Buratta Caprese appetizer
is loaded with mozzarella
buratta with marinated
heirloom tomatoes, basil
and prosciutto on grilled
Ciabatta bread. The
refreshing Dillon's Cup
is a great cocktail to sip
while enjoying this Taverna
favorite. Dillon’s Cup is made
with Dillon's Gin, Pimm's No.
1, cucumber, lemon juice,
ginger syrup and soda. The
drink is a tribute to Sam and
Kiley's son, Dillon.
Young and old alike enjoy
the Soppressata Pizza. The
fragrant dish is made with
Italian dry salami, house-made
mozzarella and San Marzano
tomatoes, and then topped
with a fried egg. For the adults,
Kiley recommends pairing
the pizza with Feudi Di San
Gregorio "Rubrato," Aglianico,
a full bodied red wine from
the Campania region of Italy.
A region of Italy that the
style of pizza Taverna serves
(Neapolitan) originates from.
By Jacqueline Persandi
jacqueline.persandi@jacksonville.com
Located in historic San Macro,
Taverna is the culmination
of executive chef and owner
Sam Efron and his wife, wine
director and owner, Kiley Wynne
Efron’s culinary experience. The duo
focuses on creating dishes that utilize
fresh, homemade and locally sourced
ingredients whenever possible while
providing a relaxed yet sophisticated
experience.
“With the food, the drinks and
everything we do, it’s just simplicity
done right,” Sam said.
It’s clear this philosophy agrees with
the Bold City’s palate. In this year’s
Bold City Best contest, Taverna cleaned
up the competition by taking home
five awards, including Best Restaurant
Overall. Chef Sam claimed the title of
“Best Chef” for the second year in a
row.
With its casual approach to fine
dining, Taverna has earned many
accolades since it opened in 2009. This
comes as no surprise as Sam and Kiley
were no strangers to the kitchen when
they created the concept.
Kiley fell in love with Italian wine
and cuisine while working in San
Francisco at A16, an internationally
recognized southern Italian restaurant
with locations in Tokyo and other parts
of the world.
Originally from Jacksonville, Sam
attended Culinary Institute of America
and refined his skills while working
at well-known restaurants, including
Gramercy Tavern and Four Seasons
Hotel in New York. He also spent time
at Aqua and Silks at The Mandarin
Oriental Hotel in San Francisco before
moving back to Northeast Florida in
2007.
Long before plans to open Taverna
came together, Sam had his eye on the
location in San Marco Square.
“He had always loved this space
ever since he was in high school,” Kiley
said.
“I always thought this would be the
perfect spot for a restaurant,” Sam said.
Sam and Kiley relocated to San
Marco with hopes to be part of the
emerging food scene.
“We felt like there was a real
opportunity for growth,” Kiley said.
“We also knew it would be a great
place to start a family and build a life
together.”
When creating the original look and
feel of the restaurant, Sam and Kiley
drew inspiration from their time in San
Francisco and New York.
“We wanted to [model after] those
cool, urban but warm neighborhood
places we loved so much,” Kiley
said. “We wanted to have a feeling of
sophistication, but we wanted it to be
really warm and really engaging.”
Taverna offers a high-class
experience without feeling stuffy.
Whether patrons order a quick
lunch at the counter, sit down for an
anniversary meal, or grab a bite with
the kids on the weekend, weathered
barn wood gives the space an elegant
and inviting feel.
While the menu offers a little bit of
everything from handmade pastas and
pizzas to seafood entrees, it’s simple
enough not to overwhelm first-timers.
For the Efrons, keeping flavors fresh
and fun is a priority, but they’re also
committed to creating a consistent
experience year after year.
“While we change things seasonally,
we want to make sure that when you’re
coming on year one to year three that if
you have pasta you like, it’s still on the
menu and it’s made consistent,” Kiley
said.
The menu changes about eight times
a year to feature fresh ingredients in
their peak season.
“When tomatoes are getting ripe,
we’re going to show off more heirloom
tomatoes,” Sam said.
Although the menu is always
evolving, some recipes are staples like
the handmade fettuccini with tomato
cream sauce and fresh basil. The dish
is one of the restaurant’s best-sellers,
and for good reason. The creamy sauce
and pasta can be upgraded with choice
of chicken, shrimp, scallops, fish or
steak, or enjoyed as is. Although the
food is Italian-inspired, the dishes
aren’t greasy or overly heavy. Instead,
they aim to satisfy. The menu also
offers a variety of gluten-free items.
“When you’re doing Italian right, the
way it should be, it’s actually very light
and lean,” Kiley said. “You’re cooking
with olive oil, fresh spices [and] the
best ingredients you can find.”
Taverna offers craft cocktails that
mirror the food by using only a few of
the best ingredients to let the flavors
shine. The menu starts with classic
craft cocktails and puts a spin on
each drink to create a beverage that’s
balanced and compliments the fare.
Sam’s favorite cocktail, the Dillion’s
Cup, uses Dillon’s Gin, Pimm’s No.1,
cucumber, lemon juice, house-made
ginger syrup and soda. The flavors
come together to create a light,
refreshing cocktail that can be enjoyed
any time of year.
When it comes to wines, Kiley
wanted to showcase a list that has a
little something for everyone.
“I picked really eclectic wines from
all around the world with a focus on
Italy,” Kiley said. “We tried to make
the list playful. There’s a really diverse
price point. This is not a list you have to
spend a lot of money on to get a really
great product from. You can spend $30
and get a really amazing, fun bottle
from Italy or Greece, or you can spend
$80 — either way you’re assured the
quality is really good.”
As for working together, the couple
wouldn’t have it any other way.
“We both complement the business
in different ways. We both have our
strengths and weaknesses, and they
make up for where the other person’s
is,” Kiley said. “There are areas of
the business that are definitely more
[Sam’s] train, and areas that are
definitely more mine. I think that
we see eye-to-eye on the overall
philosophy of how we want to run our
staff and our business.”
Again, at Taverna, it’s all about
balance.
Taverna
1986 San Marco Blvd., Jacksonville 32207
(904) 398-3005
taverna.restaurant
Facebook.com/TavernaSanMarco
@tavernasanmarco