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Crowds savor A Taste of Clearwater
By WAYNE AYERS
| Article published on Thursday, Sept. 21, 2006 |
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![[Image]](/content_images/092106_cit-01.jpg) |
| Photo by NANCY AYERS |
| Chipotle Mexican Grille featured pork tacos served up by, from left, Pablo Mardones, Chris Monroe, and manager Doug Vaughn. |
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CLEARWATER – Imagine a meal ticket that offers entry to dozens of the most popular restaurants around, and an opportunity to sample some of the tastiest dishes from each.
That’s the experience thousands of local foodies enjoyed Sept. 19 as they jammed the Harborview Center on a rainy evening for the 17th annual Taste of Clearwater event.
Chefs from eateries spread across the Bay area bring their staffs and mini-kitchens to the event to woo the crowd and compete for the coveted “Best” awards. All the attendees have the opportunity to vote for their favorites, and judges select the winners in cuisine categories.
This year, more than 60 restaurants and beverage venues participated. Cuisines ranged from gourmet and exotic to down home. The list included national and award-winning chefs who prepared an enormous variety of dishes, Ann Marie DiToro, chair of the Taste of Clearwater committee said.
“The caliber of local talent represented is incredible,” she said in a press release.
Award winners announced
O’Keefe’s in Clearwater edged Ward’s Seafood in the people’s vote for “Best of Taste.” Best Theme Booth went to the fish on carved ice display created by Ward’s Seafood, according to Kenn Brown, vice president of Special Events for the Clearwater Regional Chamber of Commerce, which presented the Taste event.
Judges picked the osso buco prepared by the Pepper Mill Restaurant of Clearwater as the Best Entrée. Best Appetizer winner was Grillmark’s of Largo. Appropriately, Best Dessert honors went to the wedding cake offered by the Belleview Biltmore.
A random sampling of attendees turned up a diverse mix of favorites. Rik Vaught liked the meatloaf at GrillSmith’s. Diane Bashton of Clearwater’s favorite was the lobster soup from Hogfish Grill. Frank Blainey couldn’t decide between entrees from Island Way Grill, Grillmark’s and the Harborview Center.
Sue Williams of Clearwater Beach found the baked ziti at Queen’s Pizza much to her liking, and she proclaimed Ward’s crabcakes the best anywhere. The Pepper Mill’s selections were favored by Connie Guzzi of Pinellas Park.
Blainey summed up the overall mood of the evening.
“I’m loving it. This is fabulous,” he said.
As the evening’s festivities wound down, tables of leftovers were gathered by Tampa Bay Harvest and will provide a special treat for the area’s hungry. Debbie Holt of the organization said they will pick up leftover food from any sizeable gathering and distribute it to the needy.
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Article published on Thursday, Sept. 21, 2006
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