Another year of Devoured Culinary Classic has some to an end. This past Saturday and Sunday a sold out crowd poured into the Phoenix Art Museum where more than 30 restaurants (each day) showcased a small bite or two from their uniquely decorate booths. You could feel the energetic vibe of people bustling around excited to get their hands on all the tasty dishes. Two full days of marathon eating is this foodie’s dream and days later, as I am just starting to get an appetite back, it is time to recap all the delicious goodies we “devoured” and list our favorite plates. Official Devoured 2016 winners are listed at the bottom.
Saturday
We decided to pace ourselves and take in the atmosphere and strategize the order in which we wanted to attack each booth. We slowly strolled and weaved our way through the event approaching it in a relaxing way.
Our Favorites
Windsor: 3 Way Pork- Beer Braised Sticky Pork Belly, Chorizo Polenta with Pork Skin Dust topped with Smoked Apple Marmalade and Pickled Hot Pepper. Pork one way is a winner but three ways?!? Well, it was melt-in-your-mouth fantastic with the perfect amount of zest.
CHURN: Coffee Toffee Drumstick- Fudge Filled Sugar Cone Topped with Coffee Ice Cream, Dipped in Chocolate and Rolled in Coffee Toffee. This cooling dessert was perfect as the day heated up. I loved this new twist on an old favorite so much I went back for seconds!
The Vig: Toritos- Chili Guero stuffed with Oaxaca Cheese and Homemade Chorizo & Bacon topped with a Peanut Salsa. A delicious twist on a traditional jalapeño popper, this southwest bite is a new menu item at The Vig and my guess is that it is going to be
a big hit!
Match at FOUND: Wood Grilled Korean BBQ Ribs with Shaved Green Papaya Salad Slaw and Toban Jam Lime Dressing. You could smell the wood grill perfecting this meat from the parking lot, tender and flavorful and the roasted peanut and thai chili sauce drizzled on top was divine. (This was a sneak peak of this brand new restaurant opening soon!)
Federal Pizza: Short rib Mezzelune- Braised Short Rib with Mushroom Duxelle, Beurre Blanc, Red Wine Gastric and Asparagus Puree. This complex dish was a pleasant 
surprise from Federal Pizza, it was something you would expect from a fine Italian restaurant. I loved every rich, savory bite!
Bootleggers: Boot Smokehouse Dumplings: Smoked Pulled Pork stuffed in a slightly Grilled Dumpling. This dish was outstanding, I loved the cowboy twist on an Asian classic. I had to make second stop at this booth.
Sunday
The weather was a little cooler and we were hoping our bellies were ready and empty enough for day two as we headed back into the Phoenix Art Museum. Getting there right when it opened our strategy today was to pick up our pace and try to fit as many booths in before t
he crowds made their way inside.
Our Favorites
Kai Restaurant: 60 Day Corn Cake with Sweet Butternut Crème and topped with Mesquite Dust. This comforting cake had just the right amount of sweet but not overwhelming which made you crave another serving immediately. (Which I got)
Wild Game Machaca with Mecca Chipotle Aioli and Saguaro on Litoi Frybread. This was southwest cooking at its best. The layers of flavors and beautiful presentation showcased the many talents of Kai’s chef.
Hana Japanese Eatery: Pork Grilled Links and Tofu Pocket Filled with Vegetables. This was the longest line at Devoured, people were waiting up to 30 mins at one point. But, it was THE dish everyone was talking about at the event.
Relish at the Phoenician Resort: Kobe Bourbon Peppercorn Slider with Blue Cheese Slaw and caramelized onion. I am always on board for a Kobe Beef anything, but this burger was divine. Juicy and tender with the perfect salty toppings.
Short Leash Hotdogs: The Bear hot dog that was voted by Huffington Post “One of the ten sandwiches you should definitely try before you die”. Peanut butter, smoked Gouda, Bacon, BBQ 
Sauce and topped with Cracker Jacks. Yup, this crazy creation was wonderful, and a MUST try.
The Larder + The Delta: Pork Belly marinated in Homeboy Hotsauce Miso Sauce, Kimchee and Cornbread Puree. This rich and spicy dish was my personal favorite plate of Sunday. I cannot wait to head to DeSoto Market for the full sized version.
Milk Bar: Pierogis filled with Farmers Cheese and Potato. These polish dumplings were creamy and savory as each bite reminded us of our childhood. Milk Bar was also serving Polish Cheesecake cups that were fluffy and light with the perfect balance of sour and sweet.
Cibo: Potato Gnocchi accompanied with Lamb Ragout, Rosemary, Mint and Manchego Cheese. How they got this gnocchi so perfect in a small cooking space blew our minds. The lamb added a rich meaty flavor to the soft potato rounds and the cool soft cheese was the perfect finisher.
Official Results
The votes were tallied and the Devoured 2016 winners are:
Saturday: Best Dish
Aioli Gourmet Burgers: White Truffle Slider
Saturday: Best Dessert
Churn: Coffee Toffee Drumstick (fudge filled sugar cone topped with coffee ice cream, dipped in chocolate and rolled in coffee toffee)
Saturday: Best Sip
Joyride Taco House: Sloe Ride Margarita (blueberry-infused tequila, Sloe gin, house sour, and tiki bitters)
Sunday: Best Dish
Litchfield’s at The Wigwam: Cedar River Ribeye (Beets, Valdeon, Rocket)
Sunday: Best Dessert
Kai Restaurant: Chocolate Gateau (mole rojo spiced marcona, black cocoa joconde, caramelia ganache, pasilla chili mousse)
Sunday: Best Sip
Hula’s Modern Tiki: Dr. Funk (coconut rum, vodka, crème de banana, pineapple & orange juice)