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 3rd Annual "Choice Streets" Food Truck Tasting Event

The Village Voice's 3rd Annual "Choice Streets" Food Truck Tasting Event took place on May 7th at The Intrepid at Pier 86, featuring over 20 of some of the city's favorite and highly sought after food trucks. Attendees enjoyed food, drinks and an amazing view of the city and Hudson River. 

The tasting event included over 20 participating food trucks: Big D's, Carl's Steaks, Comme Ci Comme Ça, Coolhaus, Dub Pies, Hibachi Heaven, Kelvin, Korilla BBQ, Mamak & Lucky, Luke's Lobster, Luzzo's, Mike N' Willie's, Moo Shu Grill, Nuchas, Shanghai Sogo, Solber Pupusas, Souvlaki GR, Sweet Chili, Taipan Fusion, The Treats Truck, Toum, Uncle Gussy's and Valducci's. 

This year's Choice Streets event featured a new passport system to help ensure that all attendees had the chance to sample every food truck. Upon arriving, guests received a passport card attached to a lanyard, to wear and get stamped as they sampled each food truck. The new system also made it easier for guests to keep track of which food trucks they went to and how many more they had to sample. For me it was more than enough to sample - I only got through half of the food trucks before I was officially full! I found it much easier to skip around and go to the food trucks with the less longer lines, as the lines dwindled down as it neared closer to the end of the event. 

My favorite of the night was Solber Pupusas serving up Pupusas - Corn Patties with Cheese & Fillings and Sides of Curtido (Pickled Cabbage) & Homemade Tomato Sauce. Other favorites include Moo Shu Grill's Tofu Wrapped in a Toasted Moo Shu Wrap with Hoisen Sauce and Filled with Cucumber, Cilantro, Pickled Daikon & Carrots, topped with their famous Ginger Scallion Aioli,  Korilla BBQ's Korean Tacos and Shanghai Sogo's Chive and Pork Dumpling and Five Spiced Egg. I ended the night with Coolhaus' Dirty Mint Chip made with fresh mint plus a Salted Cookie.

Take a look below at highlights from Choice Streets. It was another successful year and turnout! What are some of your favorite food trucks?

Solber Pupusas: Pupusas - Corn Patties with Cheese & Fillings and Sides of Curtido (Pickled Cabbage) & Homemade Tomato Sauce

Yankee Doodle Dandy's

Yankee Doodle Dandy's

Mike N' Willie's: Lil Piggie - Slow Roasted Pulled Pork Marinated in Homemade Chipotle BBQ Sauce Topped with Chipotle Lime Slaw on a Brioche Bun

The Treats Truck: Mexican Chocolate Brownies, Pecan Butterscotch Bars, Crispy Bars

Shanghai Sogo

Shanghai Sogo: Chive and Pork Dumpling and Five Spiced Egg

Nuchas: A Variety of Empanadas - Argentine, Spicy Chicken or Portobello Mini Empanadas

Toum

Toum: Mini Felafel Pita Pocket and Mini Chicken Pita Pocket

Barefoot Wine & Bubbly

Taipan Fusion: Thai and Chinese Appetizers Cooked in Indian Spices

Souvlaki GR: Chicken Skewers

Aperol

Carl's Steaks: Authentic Philly Cheesesteaks

Hibachi Heaven: Vegetables and Fried Rice

Korilla BBQ: Korean Tacos

Moo Shu Grill: Your Choice of Protein Wrapped in a Toasted Moo Shu Wrap with Hoisen Sauce and Filled with Cucumber, Cilantro, Pickled Daikon & Carrots, Topped with their famous Ginger Scallion Aioli

Moo Shoo Grill: Tofu version

Uncle Gussy's: Mini Pitas, Pork Souvlaki and Chicken Gyro

Luke's Lobsters: Main Shrimp Rolls

Coolhaus: Dirty Mint Chip made with fresh mint plus a Salted Cookie

- Kim Weling