Turkey Red - Sophistication with a Mission...in the Mat-Su

I was in the Mat-Su with my in laws and used my Yelp iPhone app to discover my current Mat-Su favorite...Turkey Red.  Until Turkey Red, I had no idea that Palmer had an upscale restaurant, let alone one with such a great mission:

Turkey Red is dedicated to serving fresh, high quality, local and organic ingredients prepared in traditional ways with care and creativity. We purchase and employ locally to: 

• Retain money in the community

• Promote Local Agriculture

• Increase flavor and nutrition of food

• Lower energy use

 The well-trained staff will provide the most thorough and caring service. Our top priority is happy customers. Turkey Red is the inspiration of local cook, caterer and gardener, Alex Papasavas.

Let me say up front...Mission Accomplished!

That said, let me write about my dinner at Turkey Red.  We started with the Hummus and Crostini ai Funghi appetizers.  The Hummus could have used a bit more salt, but it was unrivaled in rich creaminess.  The Crostini ai funghi was simple and delicious, with sautéed Portobello served over the bread.  We combined the appetizers with a biodynamic Maryhill, Sangiovese from Washington state...perfect!

For an entree, I went with the light and fresh Chicken brushetta.  The thin slices of grilled chicken breast were incredibly tender, and topped with fresh tomato and basil.  I could tasted the garden freshness of the topping, as well as the fresh sautéed side of vegetables.  This dish was a wonderful light option to what could be an overfilling meal.

The four of us shared a couple of desserts.  We tried the yogurt cheesecake with raspberries, and the chocolate flourless cake...also with raspberries.  Besides going perfectly with our choice of wine, these two desserts each satisfied palate in different ways.  The cheesecake was both light and fruity on the palate, while the chocolate cake satisfied the need for richness and sweetness.  Alternating bites of each, along with sips of the Sangiovese, was an amazing way to finish the meal.  Our group was all smiles!

The food was great, but the best part of the meal may have been the friendly waitstaff!  So friendly and pleasant, it was an absolute pleasure to be waited on by our server and the support staff.  It has been a while since I was so happy with a restaurant's service.  A huge thumbs up from the diners in my group.

Turkey Red:

Address - 550 S Alaska St, Suite 100, Palmer, AK 99645

Phone - 907.746.5544

Website - www.turkeyredak.com

Overall Recommendation:  Turkey Red is a wonderful little restaurant with the freshest variety of locally inspired dishes.  I would recommend this restaurant on it's commitment to keep money local alone.  The tasty food is just a bonus.