The city goes 70 days without rain and Mother Nature chooses one of the busiest days of the season to provide us with the much needed moisture. However, a little rain doesn’t stop one of the premiere food festivals in the valley from going off without a hitch. As popular as ever, this year’s event was a sellout as quickly as they put the tickets on sale. For the lucky few who were quick on the draw and were able to obtain tickets, they were in for a day of amazing food samples from some of the top restaurants in the metro area and a variety of wine. With plenty of tents and umbrellas to shield the guests and most people coming prepared with jackets and ponchos the focus was on the smells and tastes coming from the tables.
Located at the Phoenix Art Museum’s sculpture garden, this event brings in such high profile names as; T.Cook’s, Fox Restaurants, St. Francis, Roka Akor, Clever Koi, and FnB to name just a sampling. Everything you could think of from food to wine and beer was represented. Craving anything in particular and it was a good bet you would find it. No matter how you prepared for the event it would be impossible to experience it all in one day and in one stomach. Good thing the event spans 2 days as you would need a good night’s rest to make your rounds the following day. To make matters worse each day brings different food options. We recommend next year you arrive in a group and share the samples taking bites instead of the whole thing. That way you can possibly try them all.
So let’s talk about some of the food and drinks. There were some memorable stops along our tasting experience. SanTan Brewing had a flavorful ribeye marinated in a green chile aujus and accompanied by a mac and cheese side. It was clear the visitors to this tent were hoping for a beer sample as well but this year it was all about their food offerings. New valley restaurant Cuttlefish was handing out samples of the best gnocchi I have ever had the privilege to eat. Soft gnocchi filled with a spinach ricotta and covered in a white truffle cream sauce. It was decadent and rich and just the right amount of truffle flavor. The Post was serving up a grilled quail with a beautiful presentation. Sometimes you don’t know if you should stare at a dish or eat it. This provided both senses with a feast. Chelsea’s Kitchen was handing out slider versions of their famous Howie burger. Bootlegger’s pork belly on a sweet potato grit cake was perfectly cooked and the smell alone was impossible to resist. There was a good fish selection as well from many tables; including, St. Francis which had a Skuna Bay Salmon on citrus and beet cured dill pickled mustard seed and crème fraise. In the VIP section you could end your food exploration with the butterscotch pudding from FnB or down on the ground was a tasty vanilla and chocolate vacherin duet with crème anglaise and raspberry coulis.
If you were wanting to quench your thirst there were plenty of options for you in that department; including quite a few local breweries. Along beer row were Four Peaks, Mudshark, Sleepy Dog, Mother Road, and Prescott Brewery. If you prefer wine there were many vineyards to choose from both local and all along the west coast. Those with access to the VIP section had champagne to enjoy with Tendil and Lombardi Champagne. They were located throughout the event so you never had to go far to find the liquid of your choice. Unlike other events where you might stand in line for some time trying to get just a small wine tasting there never seemed to be any wait at any station for a beverage. Additionally there were huge tubs filled with ice and bottles of water if you were being responsible, or just wanted to cleanse your palette.
Success would be the word I’d use to describe this event. Every year it seems to get better and better, with more food and drink options. Not everyone knows about this event but those in the know, know it is the event everyone looks to as a guideline. We look forward to seeing what happens next year.
