It’s time for another Taste

Greer Wylder

Newport’s premier food and entertainment festival, The Taste of

Newport, celebrates 16 years at Fashion Island next week. The weekend

party attracts more than 70,000 guests, who come to sample gourmet

foods from more than 30 local restaurants and to taste wines,

cocktails and handcrafted beers. Live bands will be performing on

stage throughout the event, which runs Sept. 10-12.

At its inception, the Taste of Newport promoted business at

fine-dining restaurants, but now it also helps local charities. The

Taste of Newport established a Grant Program in 1998 and has

contributed $135,000 to 35 charities.

Here’s your chance to sample cuisines from top local restaurants.

Selections range from casual- to fine-dining choices. A partial list

of participating restaurants and their samples includes:

* Bayside Restaurant in Newport Beach will serve medallion of

venison with mushroom polenta and a spiced red-wine reduction; and

vanilla-bean creme brulee.

* Buca di Beppo in Irvine will offer manicotti; cannelloni;

Italian sausage; garlic bread with mozzarella; and chocolate cannoli.

* Cafe R & D at Fashion Island will serve Mediterranean pan-seared

tuna salad and three-layer carrot cake.

* Clayton Shurley’s Real BBQ in Newport Beach will have barbecue

beef-brisket sandwiches and honey-glazed baby-back ribs.

* Daphne’s Greek Cafe in Newport Beach will serve junior gyros

pitas; junior veggie pitas; baklava; and a combo of pita sandwich and

baklava.

* Gregorio’s in Huntington Beach will serve pan-seared scallops,

served with sauteed asparagus; rosemary sirloin beef kabobs with au

gratin potatoes; boneless breast of chicken, stuffed with basil,

parmesan cheese and mustard sauce; and bananas Foster.

* Koto Restaurant in Newport Beach will serve sushi hand rolls,

teriyaki, tempura, edamame, kushi yaki (grilled tuna) and tori

karaage (fried chicken legs).

* Pomodoro Cucina Italiana in Newport Coast will offer ravioli de

zucca (a roasted butternut squash ravioli with browned butter, crispy

sage leaves and parmesan cheese); gemelli with grilled and smoked

chicken, sun dried tomatoes, roasted mushrooms and cream sauce; and

tiramisu.

* Red Rock Chili Co. at Fashion Island will serve a scoop of chili

-- either Hot Rock, regular Red Rock, vegetarian w/ tofu or White

Rock w/ chicken -- and its signature cheese bread or jalapeno corn

bread.

* Ristorante Mamma Gina in Newport Beach will offer penne with

lobster; filetto balsamico; and tiramisu.

* Tapas Restaurant in Newport Beach will have paella (Spanish

rice, saffron, chicken, chorizo and shrimp); chicken empanadas;

albondigas with tortilla Espanola (Spanish meatballs with a potato

and egg omelette); and churros with chocolate.

* Thaifoon -- Taste of Asia at Fashion Island will serve crispy

coconut shrimp and Mongolian hoisin ribs.

* The First Cabin at the Balboa Bay Club & Resort will offer

lobster bisque; crab cakes with spicy Sriracha (hot chili sauce)

fennel slaw; smoked salmon on warm potato pancake; three peppercorn

crusted sliced beef tenderloin with Portobello; and passion fruit

panna cotta with fresh raspberries.

The Taste of Newport runs from 6 to 11 p.m. Sept. 10 and 11 and

from noon to 8 p.m. on Sept. 12.

Admission tickets are $17 in advance and $20 at the gate, with no

charge for children under 8. Guests can pay $50 for a Passport, which

includes admission for all three days and $15 in eScrip (a debit card

used to buy food and drink at the festival), saving $25. Passports

can be bought in advance only.

Tickets and eScrip can be purchased at

https://www.tasteofnewport.com or call the Chamber office at (949)

729-4400. Tickets can also be purchased through the Fashion Island

Concierge.

At the event, hassle-free eScrip cards can be purchased at eScrip

booths using cash or credit cards. The remaining balances can be

refunded at refund booths, or customers can donate the remaining

value left on cards to local charities. Cards can be dropped in

special bins. Tastes at each restaurant booth cost from $1 to $5

each.

Plenty of free and valet parking is available.

* BEST BITES runs every Friday. Greer Wylder can be reached at

greerwylder@yahoo.com; at 330 W. Bay St., Costa Mesa, CA 92627; or by

fax at (949) 646-4170.