by TM Petaccia

The Teal Turnip formally opens for business Saturday, May 6. Photo courtesy

After several construction delays, and a series of menu testing popups, chefs Taylor Kastl and Steve McGinley will be bringing their Tayste Catering concepts to brick and mortar as The Teal Turnip opens to the public this weekend.

Located in the Oakhurst Commons shopping center off Monroe Road, the restaurant will be focused on small plates with a full wine bar and “bourbon centric” cocktail program. Kastl describes the menu as “haute New Age American for the adventurous eater.”

Taylor Kastl. TM Petaccia/UP

“We want you to order the steak and potatoes, and order the tongue or the duck or the lamb,” Kastl says. “We hope customers will order something classic and familiar, but also order something adventurous.”

The restaurant will have a “Welcome to the Neighborhood” public pre-opening on Friday, May 5 – featuring a “posh tacos” and a few of the restaurant’s house specialty cocktails. It will formally open with full menus, Saturday May 6 for lunch and dinner service.

Featured lunch items include dishes such as goat cheese and fruit salad, blackened pork tenderloin Cuban sandwich, truffle fries, and juniper-crusted bistro steak. Dinner options include whiskey and Coke chicken, blackened salmon carbonara, and rosemary braised beef cheek. Menus will change according to the season.

Growing for Good and Freshlist will be providing many of the locally sourced ingredients. Enderly Coffee is the coffee supplier.

The Teal Turnip offers indoor seating for 32 people, plus an outdoor patio which can accommodate an additional 40. Customers can also reserve the chef’s table private option for $525 which seats up to six people. The restaurant will be open 11 a.m – 9 p.m., Wednesday – Saturday. It will also open 5-8 p.m. Tuesdays offering a limited bar bites menu.

Kastl and McGinley launched Tayste Catering in 2015 which will still operate as a separate business, moving from South End to the new Oakhurst location.

“We’re nerds,” Kastl says. “We love a good theme, play with our food, and poke fun at ourselves. We like to say we’re only 10% pretentious. We make damn good food without being stuffy about it.”