Recap: The Village Voice's 8th Annual "Choice Eats" Tasting Event

King Bee: Duck and Farro Boudin

It has been another amazing year at the Village Voice's "Choice Eats" Tasting Event! The 8th annual event took place on March 13th at the Metropolitan Pavilion. With over 50+ handpicked restaurants from all five New York City boroughs, I tried my best to sample as many dishes as possible! The event took place from 6-10pm, and by the time I got there at 8pm, it was super crowded and some food stations had already shut down. I highly recommend getting there on time and as early as possible! 

I've recapped my favorite dishes, which were mainly from restaurants I was not familiar with or have never sampled dishes from. "Choice Eats" is definitely a way to experience new dishes and explore new menus. 

The new restaurants I have now added to the top of my dining list include King Bee, Tabata Noodle Restaurant, The Nomad, Los Tacos No. 1, Genuine, Xe May Sandwich Shop, Casa Del Chef, Tuome,  Box Kite NYC and Commerce Restaurant. 

The second floor featured desserts galore, with Doughnut Plant a personal favorite, along with Salted Crack Caramel ice cream from Ample Hills Creamery and mini cupcakes from Butter Lane. I love the Mini Smore Bars I sampled from Butter & Scotch. 

The Metropolitan Pavilion was the perfect venue for the tasting - a great layout and accessible location. I hope "Choice Eats" remains at this venue for future tasting events. 

Tabata Noodle Restaurant: Garlic Noodle - Egg Noodles Marinated in Garlic Oil with Small Cubes of "Charshuu" Pork, Roasted Garlic and Scallions

The Nomad: Sea Urchin Panna Cotta with Grannysmith Apples and Chives

Baz Bagel & Restaurant: Latkes Dill-luxe - Mini Potato Latke with House Cured Gravlax, Sour Cream and Dill

Los Tacos No. 1: Chicken / Steak / Pork / Cactus Taco Sampler

Genuine: Ahi Tartare Tostadas with Spicy Mayo, Border Slaw, Avocado, and Sesame Seeds

Xe May Sandwich Shop: Vermicelli Salad - Vermicelli Noodles with Asian Lettuce, Cilantro, Pickled Carrots, Daikons, Cucumbers, Crushed Peanuts and Fried Shallots / Grilled Pork with Fish Sauce - Soy Glazed Portobello and Spiced Tofu with Soy Ginger Vinaigrette

Casa Del Chef: Casa Del Chef Chicha - Fresh Fruit Confit with Pineapple and Rice Broth

Tuome: Beets - Quinoa, Five Spice Yogurt, Pumpkin Seed

Box Kite NYC: Basil Semifreddo with Rhubarb Compote and Tasmanian Peppercorn

Brucie: Crostini - With House Made Stracciatella, Hazelnut "Dirt," and Pickled Raisins

Commerce Restaurant: Winter vegetable fricassée with truffle & poached egg

Manhattan Moonshine

Casas Mono & Bar Jamon: Confit Goat: with Avocado Goat Cheese and Pistachios

Barefoot Wine

Butter & Scotch: Mini Smore Bars

Ample Hills Creamery: Salted Crack Caramel Ice Cream with Deb's Famous Crack Cookies

Ample Hills Creamery: Chocolate Milk & Cookies / Snap Mallow Pop - Deconstructed Rice Krispie Treat

Carlo's Bakery: Assorted Cake Bites / Brownie Bites / Mini Cannolis / Rugelach

Doughnut Plant: Guava Filled Dougnut

Tate's Bake Shop: Chocolate Chip Cookies

Sugar Couture: Banana Pudding Pie topped with a Smoked Peanut Butter Cookie

Butter Lane: Vanilla Mini Cupcake with Sea Salt Chocolate Frosting / Banana Mini Cupcake with Peanut Butter Frosting and Marshmallows / Chocolate Mini Cupcake with Chai Spice Frosting

- Kim Weling

The Village Voice's 8th Annual "Choice Eats" Tasting Event

The Village Voice 8th Annual Choice Eats Tasting Event is almost here! This year's event will feature 50+ handpicked restaurants from all five New York City boroughs on Friday, March 13th at Metropolitan Pavilion.

Guests will sample the best dishes from restaurants reviewed and heralded in the Village Voice along with complimentary craft beer pairings, wine and liquor beverages. Our resident food critics have scoured New York's culinary landscape and combined their tastiest picks from their several years of unearthing the five boroughs’ best-kept secrets.

Every March, Choice Eats attracts a very diverse group of New Yorkers who come to feast on cuisines from over 35 nations, including Vietnamese, Italian, Uzbekistani, Brazilian, Cambodian, Russian, Tunisian, Greek and Cajun/Creole among many others. Choice Eats stands out as a food event that highlights the hidden gems of New York City's diverse culinary landscape. Some past restaurants who have participated include Momofuku Milk Bar, Kuma Inn, The Meatball Shop, Luke's Lobster, Peppa's Jerk Chicken, Ovelia Psistaria, Del Posto, Tiffin Wallah, Jimmy's No. 43, Fletcher's BBQ and many more.

Date: Friday, March 13th 2015

Location: Metropolitan Pavilion, 125 W18th St., NYC

Event Time: 6:00 – 10:00pm

Recap: The Village Voice's "Choice Eats" 7th Annual Tasting Event

The Village Voice's "Choice Eats" 7th annual tasting event took place on March 25th at Basketball City at Pier 36, from 7-10pm, and a VIP-only hour from 6-7pm. The last time I went to "Choice Eats" was back in 2011, and it's only gotten bigger and better, with more participating restaurants and amazing foods to taste. 

The final lineup included 84 participating restaurants including 606 R&D, Alobar, Ample Hills Creamery, Anella, Bear, Banana Leaf, Beecher's Handmade Cheese, Bhatti Indian Grill, Bien Cuit, Black Tree, Bobwhite Lunch and Supper Counter, Brooklyn Kolache Co., Buka, Bunker, Butter & Scotch, Carlo's Bakery, Chandni, Charles' Country Pan Fried Chicken, Clark's Standard, Coppelia, Deccan Spice, Devi, Dirt Candy, Distilled, Doughnut Plant, Edi and the Wolf, Egg, El Almacen, Fay Da Bakery, Fletcher's Brooklyn Barbecue, Fonda, Grandaisy Bakery, Indian Clove, Jimmy's No. 43, John Brown Smokehouse, Jacob's Pickles, Jones Wood Foundry, Juliette Restaurant, Kaia Wine Bar, Khe Yo, Kuma Inn, La Newyorkina, La Slowteria, Larb Ubol, Liddabit Sweets, Little Prince, Littleneck, Louro, Luke's Lobster, Mables Smokehouse, Mai Sushi, Maima's Liberian Bistro, Martha, Max, Mexico Lindo, Mooncake Foods, Morgan's Brooklyn Barbecue, Mrs. Dorsey's Kitchen, No. 7, Oda House, OddFellows Ice Cream Co., Ovelia Psistaria, Ovenly, Peppa's Jerk Chicken, Pete Zaaz, Pickle Shack, Queens Comfort, Red Hook Lobster Pound, Robicelli's, Rosamunde Sausage Grill, Rubirosa, SCRATCHbread, Sheep Station, Spicy Bampa, Swine, Tabata Noodle Restaurant, Telepan Local, The Kati Roll Company, The Meatball Shop, The Pines, Thistle Hill Tavern, Xe May Sandwich Shop, Yunnan Kitchen, Zenon Taverna, and many more.

Sponsors included Stella Artois, Great Brewers, Southern Wine & Spirits, Whole Foods Market, Disney NEWSIES on Broadway, Diamond Vision, Asahi Beer USA, Barefoot Wine & Bubbly, Blueprint Brands, Asahi Beer, Verizon FIOS, Alphabet City Brewing Company, Blue Point Brewing Company, Brewery Ommegang, Crabbies Original Alcoholic Ginger Beer, Lagunitas Brewing Company, MOA Brewing Co., Oskar Blues Brewery, Sierra Nevada Brewing Company, Singha Beer, Sixpoint Brewery, Smuttynose Brewing Company, Black Dirt Distillery, Catoctin Creek, Dulce Vida Organic Tequila, New Holland Brewing, Rogue Spirits, Suerte Tequila, Virginia Distillery Company, Woody Creek Distillers, SingleCut Beer, Four Roses Bourbon, Ste Michelle Wine Estates, Sidney Frank Importing Inc., Tito's Handmade Vodka, Cabot Creamery, Flat Rate Moving, Green Mountain Energy, Hailo Cab, White Pike Whiskey, City Tech, Frames and Hot 97.

Congratulations to the winner of this year's "Choice Eats" Fan Favorite Voting Contest - Fletcher's Brooklyn Barbecue! I didn't get around to trying their dish, but I'm sure it was amazing! 

Here's a look at some of my favorite participating restaurants from the VIP Happy Hour. This was actually my favorite part of the tasting, as it was laid back without any long lines or crowds. 

La Slowteria: El Cotorroguava - Salad with Hibiscus Flower Dressing

La Slowteria: El Negrito - Duck in Black Mole

Morgan's Brooklyn Barbecue

Clarke's Standard - Mini Standard Cheeseburgers

Rosamunde Sausage Grill: Grilled Sausage, Beer Sausage, Cheddar Brat and Vegan Apple Sage

Carlo's Bakery: Red Velvet with Cream Cheese Frosting

Carlo's Bakery 

Grandaisy Bakery: Roman-Style Pizzas

Doughnut Plant

Here's a look at the participating sponsors and restaurants on the main floor. A special thanks to Verizon FIOS for introducing me to an Ultimate HD package I couldn't pass up, and for giving me the most practical gift I can ask for add a food tasting - Verizon FIOS tupperware that was perfect for storing some Carlo's Bakery Red Velvet goodies for later. 

Luke's Lobster: Maine Crab Rolls

Louro: Bacon Cornbread with Braised Chorizo

Coppelia: Arepas - Corn Cake, Shredded Chicken, Guacamole, Rocoto Sauce

Martha: Berkshire Pork Ribs with Ginger Glaze Over Jasmine Rice

Robicelli's

Fay Da Bakery: Bubble Tea

Steve's Ice Cream: Burnt Sugar Vanilla

Steve's Ice Cream: Cranberry Cinnamon Marshmallow

My favorite dish of the night was Ample Hills Salted Crack Caramel Ice Cream with Crack Cookies. I rarely trek over to Brooklyn but now I'm going to have to and pick up a few pints of that ice cream flavor! 

Ample Hills Creamery: Salted Crack Caramel Ice Cream with Crack Cookies and Gather 'Round the Campfire Ice Cream - Toasted Marshmalllow Ice Cream with Chocolate-Covered Graham Cracker

Liddabit Sweets

The Village Voice's "Choice Eats" was an amazing success! Next up is The Village Voice's 3rd annual "Choice Streets" food truck tasting set for May 7th on the Intrepid. For details and to purchase tickets, go to villagevoice.com/choicestreets.

- Kim Weling