Talavera

No stay at the four seasons is complete without a dinner at Talavera. Wonderful food. Great ambiance. Not pretentious. One of our favorite places!

How disappointing was Christmas dinner! We normally have an excellent Christmas dinner at Different Pointe of View but decided to try something new this year. Never again. For starters, the place is insanely small and difficult to get around. The staircases are very tight and made difficult for my disabled daughter. Secondly, after believing we had a reservation for 5, we had to wait until they prepared a ‘table’ for my family of 3.
This very wobbly ‘table’ was a 2′ x 2′ upright log with a piece of glass atop. Extremely small and nary enough space for 3 guests. Thirdly, our ‘table’ was out in the middle of the floor in a room that was clearly not intended for dining. Perhaps the most disappointing aspect of our Christmas dinner was the blatant disrespect and discrimination against our small party (less tip? no alcohol?) and sheer favoritism over those guests who decided to wear a suit. We were told the dress code was ‘resort casual’… therefore, we came in resort casual: slacks, collared shirt for my son, slacks and pretty blouses for me and my daughter. Nope. We watched, over and over again, as our TWO servers walked right past our table-​log and never offered to refresh our drinks. We literally had plates STACKED on top of each other before someone would remove them. It was so sad that it became comical; we would speculate whether multiple servers/​attendants would stop by our table-​log or not. The icing on the cake was when our ‘server’ brought the adjacent table their check — these nice folks were all glittery and wearing suits — with a lovely box of ‘complementary truffles.’ Their check came in a lovely leather case with this box of truffles on top. Our ‘server’ asked these folks if they were staying with them at the Four Seasons: no. Worst service I have ever received in any scale of restaurant. Period.
When we had to wave down our server to ask for the check, he brought three FORKS over to the table and said ‘for your dessert.’ I said, ‘We’ve already had dessert.’ Another pointed attention to detail from this guy… and no, he did not refresh our drinks when we had dessert. Our dessert, by the way, was absolutely atrocious. We could choose between a ‘chocolate popsicle’ (which was nothing more than chocolate hardened into a round and stuck on a stick), a horribly commercialized ‘apple lattice pie’ that tasted like cardboard, and a cranberry shot of something or other than had no taste at all.
About 10 mins later, our ‘server’ reports to our table with our check: a cheap piece of plastic clipboard and no truffles. He asked the same question: are you staying with us? No sir, we are not. He made some offhand comment about enjoying the holiday and didn’t even glance back at us as we got out our wallet to pay for $ 100 per person for this place.
Word to the wise: at Different Pointe of View, they treat you like family, regardless of how you are dressed, how many glittery things you have on your fingers, and are especially kind to my disabled daughter. At DPOV, the food is infinitely BETTER with a far greater selection of each course in the buffet, and the service is unsurpassed in a warm, welcoming environment of real people who genuinely care that you spent $ 65 per person at their establishment.
Different Point of View, we are coming home.

Celebrated my husbands birthday here… Incredible meal, romantic atmosphere and great service! Our server, Josh, was very knowledgeable about the menu and offered great recommendations! He was very personable and attentive which made for an even better experienced! From the wine to the Octopus appetizer to the warm bread… To the Seabass and New York Strip… Everything was perfect! Would highly recommend the Seabass and lobster mac & cheese on the side! The views from the patio were incredible of the city lights and Pinnacle Peak. Even though it was a bit cold, the heaters worked extremely well and the temperature was perfect. After our dinner, we enjoyed live music in the bar outside to cap off a great date night. Would highly recommend this restaurant to anyone!

The ambiance was pleasant and the staff attentive. Had the New York Strip which was average, the seafood was fresh with delicious shrimp and oysters.
On the down side the table presentation was lacking. Never eaten at a high end restaurant that didn’t have a tablecloth or sense of presentation. Appetizers of seafood came out with main meal. Didn’t seem to fit with sense presented at rest of the Four season resort and more than I would have credited it took away from the experience.

Unbelievably yummy food! Excellent service and a great wine selection! Top of my list!

The only reason why I didn’t toss in that fifth star is because it’s a pricy meal, but that doesn’t take away from the «delish» factor. We participated in the Mash Up menu (dodging past the Restaurant Week prix fix menu) because The Breadfruit & Talavera were combining talents & flavors, & we enjoy both restaurants. If you go, try one of the Mash Up deals. Just go to their website to see who’ll be the next Valley chef to partner with Chef Mel in the kitchen. And, try to catch a sunset. It’s a beautiful property, & a great backdrop to a great meal. This crew knew what to do &I how to do it well!

As soon as the sunsets and the breeze comes in off the mountain it is very comfortable out on the beautiful porch even in August. Fabulous food exquisite service, an excellent dining experience!

Perhaps it’s the summer. The service was JV. They work hard and tried to pleas but they just didn’t have the polish or expertise. Nothing JV about the food. Outstanding and perfectly prepared. The salmon and streak were perfect. Presentation was first class but not over the top.
I would suggest a visit in h spring or winter. Prices are the same.

The menu was creative and most importantly it was perfectly executed. The seared foie gras was creamy and had a strong umami flavor. The beef carpaccio was tracing-​paper thin with a perfectly light yet noticeable fat content full of flavor. The seafood platter was perfectly done as well. Attention to detail was evident at every stage.

Came to the Four Seasons for our honeymoon. I organized a private dinner on the patio at Talavera more so I asked if FS could make it happen and they did the rest. Everything from the service, to the view, to the food was perfect! My husband got the bison and he said it was a Top 3 best meal in his life. I got the chicken which was also delicious. The only downside was that the meal had to end. I’ve been dreaming about it since last night!!!

The view is absolutely breath taking! Watching the sunset over the mountains while having a decadent dinner was super romantic.
Chef Mel greeted our table and the service was superb. The servers were as excited talking about the food as we were to eat it.
We started with the foie gras. It was perfectly seared and the savoriness was nicely complimented by the sweetness of the peach pound cake and rhubarb chutney.
Next we got a seared scallop, compliments of the chef and servers. It’s hard to find well executed scallops and these were superb! The sear on the outside had a nice crispness.
I had the Chilean sea bass. The kitchen definitely knows how to cook their fish. It was moist and flakey with a good char. The potato risotto was on the cusp of being over seasoned but was silky and melted like butter.
My partner got the cut of the week which was a bone in filet. It was cooked to perfection. The squash and mole complimented it well. The lobster mac and cheese was made with havarti. It was deliciously creamy.
We got the chocolate soufflé for dessert. My partner really loved it. I am not a fan of chocolate but I can only imagine it’s the stuff chocolate fanatics dream about.
Tip: during the summer go between six and seven to maximize the view. Watching the sky turn from blue to lavender to fire was awesome.

We came to Talavera for a fancy meal while my wife and I were staying at the Four Seasons. For some reason we had two waiters, one to «back up» the other one. This meant that we had our drink and dessert orders taken twice and didn’t seem to help any since they brought me the wrong beer and my wife the wrong first coarse.
My wife really enjoyed the snap pea risotto, my steak was so-​so. Not worth the money.

I wanted to treat my wife to a extra special Mother’s Day Brunch. I don’t mind splurging for special occasion but Talavera is WAAAAY OVERPRICED. The location is unique but it certainly doesn’t justify charging $ 100 per person for a buffet with no live music (not even on Mother’s Day!?!), poor service (we had to ask multiple times for our $ 12 mimosa’s!?!), and to top it off the food selection was nothing special (where’s the filet?!?). Shame on Four Seasons for the poor showing — this experience certainly tarnished your seemingly pristine reputation.

This place was a complete disaster for their Valentine’s evening tasting menu. Nothing seemed to go well. Clearly, they were massively understaffed. The entire experience made me rate our stay at Four Seasons lower (and subsequently not want to return).
We arrived on time and were seated at a table that was wobbly (thankfully, this was quickly corrected). The dinner on Valentine’s day was a tasting menu (and we opted for the optional sparkling wine pairing). What followed was a plodding 3.5 hour experience where we were routinely forgotten about and served disgusting-​appearing (and frequently poorly-​tasting) food.
It was clear when we first arrived that they were MASSIVELY understaffed. Our waiter was kind but in a rush the entire time, running from table to table (he actually dumped sparkling wine on a patron’s dress during the time we were there as he was moving so quickly). We waited a good 20 minutes before the first course arrived. Meh, average oysters with a shooter. Again, we waited another 20 minutes before the next course (they would bring the sparkling wine at least 10 – 15 minutes, if not more, before the actual course). The next course was a complete disaster of appearance (if you’re brave enough, see the photos below). Are those horns coming out of store-​bought, canned tuna (because that is what it tasted like)? At this point, they COMPLETELY forgot a course, trying to bring out the next two wine pairings. When we pointed this out, they quickly took away the extra wine (despite waiting 40 minutes for the next course). This course, the ravioli, was the only course that tasted decent with a complex flavor that I would expect from a restaurant such as this. I will give them credit for this course alone. The main course was a tenderloin that was massively overcooked (with silverware with food stuck to it!!! see below). The rest of the meal was completely bland and not memorable.
I hope this restaurant gets its act together. What a disaster!!!

The lamb shank was inedible, 70 to 80% fat. Service was very uneven, we
Felt we were pressured to order entrees before the appetizers arrived. All
six entrees were delivered to the wrong person, a real no, no for any restaurant, much less a Four Seasons restaurant. My wife had to ask for a glass of ice 3 times with no result. We finally flagged a manager who took care of it.

I am so appreciative of the beautiful experience we were given at Talavera last night. It was our second trip there and both visits were above and beyond what we could ever expect. You can look at the pictures and other reviews of the dishes (all absolutely delicious), but I would like to focus on the hospitality and overall experience.
From start to finish, we were treated as if we were a big deal. I felt like the president himself would get the same treatment we received. The staff was so knowledgeable and worked endlessly to make our night memorable. From the impressive wine suggestions and food pairings, to the unique mid course and after dinner treats, we felt spoiled. The clientele is upscale, and I realize that most of them can afford to come here on a regular basis. I’m actually grateful that I cannot because all the «little extras» were not little to us. We noticed and appreciated everything so much. Every visit here has been an experience of a lifetime. Thank you.

So we had Xmas eve dinner with some friends at Talavera @ The Four Seasons.
The Con’s:
* The décor of the 4 Seasons really needs to be updated, the whole SW territorial thing is a bit 2008, Feels like a nursing home.
* We were seated at the bastard step child’s table. Pretty sure it was a folding card table, and the chairs were out of their conference room. The rest of the diners all had great tables and nice seating. Seemed really odd.
* The waitress had such a heavy accent no one could understand her. The next waiter wasn’t much better, he went around the table taking orders, then left without one person having ordered. He returned about 10 minutes later and apologized for missing the last order.
* The food presentation is really weak. It tries to pull off the whole gourmet artsy thing but misses by a mile. Hard to take cafeteria food and pull that look off. The bread I was pretty sure it was out of one of the Pillsbury dough tubes you mom used to make. The salad was real weak. The entrée could have been alright, but the cheap tasting BBQ sauce they drowned it in over powered any taste of the actual meat.
* Desert wasn’t much better, the coffee was great thought, so I am giving them that.
The Pro’s:
* It is close to our home.
Sorry, really trying to give them something but it’s nearly I possible. I would never return. I find it hard to believe that a 4 seasons could be this bad. We have stayed at quite a few of the brands resorts and always been happy. The good thing was that our company was great and it made the evening enjoyable. Such a disappointment.

Just an addendum… Keisha is the best server ever! She had the chef bring us some bonus scallops with risotto. Great service, wonderful food.

Talavera offers outstanding service, very good food, and an absolutely gorgeous setting for a special meal. The price tag is hefty but I left feeling like I had a luxurious meal so I certainly think it’s worth it for celebratory occasions. The service was superb. It seemed like our waiter was dedicated to us and our table of 2 (even if that wasn’t the case). There was never a long wait, it always felt like he was going above and beyond, and it was all very nice. When making my reservation with Open Table I noted it was someone’s birthday and the menus were specially printed with a birthday message — talk about a nice touch! The setting is breathtakingly gorgeous. Of course the Four Seasons grounds are beautiful, and there is wonderful Pinnacle Peak and the sunset to enjoy off the patio. If the weather allows it, I highly recommend a patio table.
The food was very good too. I guess the only reason this is a 4 star review instead of 5 stars is that the dessert wasn’t all that great. I should say the dessert we paid for* because the complimentary truffles we received with a birthday message (again, what outstanding and caring service!) were amazing. I had:
— Beet & Goat Cheese Salad: Such a beautiful dish, a real treat for the eyes. It also tasted very good, so while not unique nor large, it was a yummy start to the meal. I probably wouldn’t order it again though — the only app I need is the complimentary buttery skillet bread.
— Butternut Squash Risotto: The vegetarian entrée for the day and I initially groaned because risotto is the de facto veg entrée. This was the best risotto I’ve ever had! So creamy yet the rice still had a strong texture to it, instead of being mushy. The mushrooms and other vegetables were a great mix of textures and overall the flavor was very good.
— Chocolate Mousse: I just didn’t like this. It was too rich and I’ve never met a chocolate mousse I didn’t like. Some fresh berries or a light cream could have gone a long way in balancing it out.
— Croissant Crème Brulee: Also underwhelming. The fried carrot strips were not to my taste and the croissant pieces just seemed stale.

Excellent appetizers (gnocchi a real standout) and the steak was incredible. Wine list first rate for good domestic choices and vast internationals also.
Only real letdown was the hours in summer, how can a restaurant inside a hotel close down Monday thru Thursday?