Newport palate-pleasers

The 2007 Taste of Newport, now on its 19th year, ended Sunday as strongly as it had begun, with 35 local restaurants taking things out of the closed doors of the kitchen and into the streets, much to the praise of most guests.

“I love that it’s outside,” said Tay Offenhauser, of Huntington Beach. “At Taste of Huntington Beach everything’s inside and it gets too hot. All you need is a little breeze.

“They usually have good food and music, and if it’s not too hot it can be a pleasant way to spend a Sunday afternoon,” said Offenhauser’s friend Carol Halverson.

Halverson and Offenhauser attend almost every year for one restaurant. The Five Crowns.

“I have to be reminded to go past it, but I love their Prime Rib,” Offenhauser said. Soon after he ventured past for some oysters and lamb.

Sponsored by the Newport Beach Chamber of Commerce and presented by Wells Fargo, the event also featured 15 California wineries and ice-cold beer.

Alongside chains such as La Salsa and Magiannos, single venue restaurants, like Five Crowns and The Island Hotel’s Palm Terrace, drew scores of interested palates.

The crowds did not diminish for the event’s last day as people packed the walkways and lined up for sushi one minute and crème brûlée thenext.

Island Hotel Executive Chef Bill Bracken offered his signature “Macaroni and Cheese” elbow pasta with Taleggio, crushed truffles and parmesan tuile cheese, but in addition took a gamble on a newer dish.

The yogurt and onion marinated lamb chops sounded riskier than they tasted. Bracken’s inspiration for the dish came from a former supervisor who would always eat his lamb with a side of onions and yogurt.

“Of course he never mixed it this way but it reminds me of him,” Bracken said. “It’s amazing the flavor it imparts on the lamb and all it is was plain yogurt and onions pureed.”

If you haven’t tried the lamb, you did not truly experience the Taste of Newport, one of the staffers said. And watching the meals in preparation was half the experience.

Bracken had his chefs cooking up front where passersby could catch them in action.

“It’s always fun to do something out of the kitchen,” Bracken said. “You have to get out there and talk with the people. It’s a different experience with the chefs out in front.”

On the other side of things chefs in training from the Art Institute of California – Orange County pushed to give kids a special treat in an event that often caters toward the adults.

All the food provided by the school’s students came free of charge. Guests were offered fresh baked macaroons and the opportunity to make s’mores with a twist.

“Everything is hand made by the chefs,” said spokeswoman Veronica Orozco, adding the chefs would build the well-known fireside treat before each person’s eyes and give a choice of four types of flavored marshmallows — orange, lemon, vanilla and lime.

“Sunday is the day where a lot of families come out and we wanted to offer them kid-friendly foods,” Orozco said. “It’s a great way to get the kids involved.”