The 14th annual Taste of Newport,...

The 14th annual Taste of Newport, which features about 35 local

restaurants, will take place today through Sunday at Fashion Island,

900 Newport Center Drive, Newport Beach. Hours for the Newport Harbor

Chamber of Commerce-sponsored event will be 6 to 11 p.m. today with

Big Bad VooDoo Daddy performing at 9 p.m.; 4 to 11 p.m. Saturday with

the Kool and the Gang performing at 9 p.m.; and noon to 8 p.m. Sunday

with Michael McDonald performing at 6 p.m.

Though the $15 general admission does not include tasting the

food, it does include the entertainment. Children 12 and younger will

be admitted free Saturday and Sunday.

Actual tastes cost between $1 and $5, and proceeds benefit Orange

County charities. There are some package deals available, such as the

$40 Taste passport, which includes all three days of admission and

$15 in Taste Scrip that can be used for food purchases. Information:

(949) 729-4400.

All menus listed are subject to change. The restaurants

participating in the Taste of Newport this year include:

Bayside Restaurant plans to serve warm chocolate souffle cake,

profiteroles with vanilla ice cream, creme brulee.

Bibi Anna’s plans to serve barbecue boneless beef ribs with wasabi

mashed potatoes, seafood cerviche in lemon cup, blackened ahi canape

with seaweed salad and wasabi caviar, Chinese chicken salad in wonton

cup.

Blue Water Grill plans to serve bay shrimp cocktail, New England

clam chowder, Manhattan clam chowder, smoked albacore tuna.

Buca di Beppo plans to serve macaroni rosa, garlic bread w/

mozzarella cheese, spicy fennel sausage w/ marinara sauce, frangole

con granita.

Ciao plans to serve ciao shrimp scampi; three cheese ravioli;

bruschetta; eggplant enchilada; tiramisu.

Clayton Shurley’s Real BBQ plans to serve smoked beef brisket

sandwich; watermelon honey glazed pork ribs; handmade potato chips.

El Tarasco Mexican Food plans to serve flan; soft tacos; burrito;

fish tacos.

Five Crowns Restaurant plans to serve roast prime rib sandwich

with fresh creamed horseradish; raspberry creme brulee.

Gelato Paradiso plans to serve gelato cup; sorbet cup; gelato

cone; sorbet cone

Gina’s Pizza & Pastaria plans to serve pepperoni slices (pizza);

cheese slices (pizza); bistecca sandwich; roasted vegi pizza slices;

spinach ziti with bellalinda sauce.

Gregorio’s plans to serve crab cakes with roasted mango; mixed

green salad with raspberry/ balsamic vinaigrette topped w/ baked

ricotta wedge; flourless chocolate cake glazed with Belgian dark

chocolate and mixed berry sauce; bananas foster -- warm bananas

cooked in orange juice and Grand Marnier poured over vanilla bean ice

cream.

Gulliver’s Restaurant plans to serve prime rib; prime rib French

dip sandwich; cream of corn; cream of spinach; English trifle;

barbecued rib.

Ho Sum Bistro plans to serve ho sum salad; ho sum dumplings;

minced chicken lettuce wrap; coconut shrimp; candied pecans.

Kitayama Restaurant plans to serve spicy tuna or California hand

roll; shrimp tempura hand roll; teriyaki chicken stick; shrimp

tempura; deep fried crab claw; edamame (boiled soy beans); green tea

ice cream.

Koto Restaurant plans to serve hand roll sushi; yakitori chicken;

tempura; edamame.

La Salsa plans to serve Baja fish taco; chili lime salad; chips,

salsa and guacamole; kid’s quesadilla.

Longs Pharmacy & Ice Cream Fountain plans to serve milk shakes and

malts; single scoop; double scoop; coffee: regular, decaf, and

flavored; iced tea or hot tea.

Marrakesh plans to serve salad -- marinated carrots with cilantro,

pureed eggplant with roasted bell pepper, fine seasoning and

cucumbers; bastilla -- filo triangles filled with chicken, spiced

eggs and roasted almonds; chicken kabobs; lamb kabobs; couscous

vegetable -- steamed semolina grains topped with stewed vegetables,

garbanzo beans and raisins; baklava -- flaky pastry dessert baked

with nuts, honey and cinnamon.

McCormick & Schmick’s Seafood Restaurant plans to serve Oregon

Dungeness crab cakes with chipotle aioli; pancetta wrapped prawns

with Thai barbecue sauce; chocolate-covered strawberries with

raspberry sauce.

Newport Rib Co. plans to serve Newport Rib Co.’s world famous baby

back ribs; mini barbecued brisket sandwich; spicy Louisiana hot

sausage; original barbecued baked beans; the combo: baby back ribs,

1/2 sausage & beans.

Pavilions plans to serve certified angus beef tri tip sandwiches;

hot dogs.

Pavilion at the Four Seasons Hotel plans to serve butternut squash

ravioli with sweet corn sauce; grilled chicken salad with stilton

cheese, apples and walnut vinaigrette; broiled pepper crusted lamb

chops with garlic mashed potatoes and port wine reduction; warm mixed

berry crisp with vanilla bean ice cream; creme brulee with fresh

raspberries.

Philadelphia Grill plans to serve the William Penn -- thinly

sliced rib-eye steak grilled with onions, peppers and mushrooms,

topped with provolone cheese; the grilled chicken Philly -- skinless

chicken breast filet grilled with onions, peppers and mushrooms,

topped with provolone cheese; the gyro wrap -- thinly sliced,

grilled, seasoned lamb/beef served on warm flat bread topped with

lettuce, tomato, onion and a cool cucumber sauce; the grilled chicken

wrap -- grilled chicken breast served on warm flat bread topped with

lettuce tomato, onion and a cool cucumber sauce cheesecake.

Pick Up Stix plans to serve Chinese Chicken Salad; California

Rolls; House Special Chicken over Steamed Rice; Cream Cheese Wontons.

Ristorante Mamma Gina plans to serve penne contadina; cheese

tortellini with marinara sauce; filet mignon balsamic with polenta

tiramisu.

Royal Thai Cuisine plans to serve tod-mun -- spicy fish cake with

cucumber sauce; chicken satay -- grilled chicken with peanut sauce;

pad Thai noodles -- popular dish of royal Thai cuisine; Thai shrimp

-- shrimp wrapped in crispy egg noodles; combination plate -- mixed

two choices of the above menu.

Rusty Pelican plans to serve ichiban: fresh fish skewers marinated

in soy and ginger charbroiled; Cajun shrimp: shrimp sauteed in

garlic, Cajun spice and seasonings; crab cakes: fresh crab with a

hint of fennel, cooked to a golden brown with red pepper aioli; fresh

mahi mahi: charbroiled with Cajun spice and topped with Santa Fe

butter.

Sabatino’s Lido Shipyard Sausage Co. plans to serve roast beef

sandwich; sausage sandwich.

Sage plans to serve grilled Asian barbecue beef short ribs --

sweet and spicy dipping sauce; gorgonzola and granny smith apple

salad -- candied pecans, dried cranberries, mixed baby lettuces and

raspberry vinaigrette; tortilla soup -- chicken, crispy tortilla

strips, cheddar cheese, cilantro; chocolate chip Hawaiian bread

pudding with caramel sauce and sweet vanilla creme.

Santa Monica Seafood plans to serve fish and chips; fried

calamari; “Baja style” fish tacos.

Soprano’s plans to serve pizza by the slice; cannoli; meatball

parmegiano sandwich; three cheese ravioli.

Tapas Restaurant plans to serve house paella; chicken empanadas;

chorizo sandwich; tortilla Espanola.

The Coffee Guys plans to serve coffee of the day; coffee of the

day; mocha, cappuccino, or latte; blended mocha or blended caramel

mocha; hot chocolate; vanilla, hazelnut and caramel flavoring

available.

Tommy Bahama’s Tropical Cafe & Emporium plans to serve crab

bisque; jerk chicken sandwich; coconut shrimp with mango papaya

chutney; key lime pie.

Villa Nova Restaurant plans to serve pomodoro e basilico; paglia e

fieno; pollo con rosmarino; tiramisu.

What’s Cooking Bistro plans to serve bruschetta -- toasted bread

topped with diced tomatoes, capers, garlic and extra virgin olive

oil; calamari fritti -- fried calamari, lemon, parsley and spicy

marinara; insalata di spinaci --spinach and radicchio with sliced

apples, goat cheese and gorgonzola, tossed with a balsamic

vinaigrette and topped with caramelized pecans; lasagna classica --

traditional meat and ricotta lasagna.

Wolfgang Puck Cafe at Fashion Island plans to serve Chinois

chicken salad; chicken satay; 1/4 pizza -- four cheese or pepperoni;

chocolate souffle cake.