Speed Dating For Foodies
By The Foodies./ foodie@longislandernews.com

JAs dozens of restaurants converged on the Larkfield Manor March 29, they hurriedly prepared for the culinary and charitable bonanza that was about to take place.

They were prepping for the hundreds of people who would soon be tasting their dishes during A Taste of Long Island, presented by the East Northport Chamber of Commerce and the Visiting Nurse Service and Hospice of Suffolk. The unique wine, food, spirit and beer tasting event celebrated the Brueggemann family for their 50-plus years of community service.

Staring in Larkfield’s lounge room, Boening Brothers, Vindagra Italian Wines, National Refrescos Imports, Brindge Brands Sales and Ferrarelle Water of Italy handled the drinks. On the food front, Atria showed off their culinary skills and Costco displayed its baked goods and pastries; Elijah Churchill’s dished out its baked clams generously. Panera Bread, which will soon be setting up shop in Huntington village, had cookies, bread, and its cheddar broccoli soup – rich and flavorful, but not overwhelmingly thick, we might add. And Starbucks provided plenty of coffee to help fight off the looming food coma.

Round two brought us to the Garden Room, where Barefoot, Coppola, J. Lohr, Kunde Wine, Laurel Lake, Spicebox, Yellow Tail and Queens-headquartered ZYR Vodka handled the libations. As an aside – don’t believe vodka can be sweet? Try ZYR on the rocks and you’ll change your mind. And at about $30 for 750 mL, it’s pretty nice to your wallet, too.

Back to the food – Barney’s, Crew Chocolate With a Twist, Jake’s Wayback Burgers, La Villini, Madison’s Grille, Waterside Caterers and Whole Foods dished up their favorites. Combining brie and a sweet fig spread gives people who aren’t brie cheerleaders a way to enjoy the popular French cheese. Fireside Caterers showcased its mac ‘n’ cheese, pulled pork and wildly popular Buffalo wings, proving once again the economic power of sports – they sold 23,000 wings this Super Bowl Sunday thanks to a certain group of gridiron Giants in blue. Crew Kitchen and Bar showed off their crispy duck dumplings, served on a bed of Asian slaw.

The third stop was the Manor Room – Larkfield’s largest room. That also meant the largest selection – Absolut Vodka, Devils Cut Bourbon, Hornitos Plata Tequila, Jameson Black Reserve, Malibu Red Rum, Patron Silver Tequila, Pucker Vodka, Ultimate Vodka, XO Dark Chocolate Liqueur, Baiting Hollow, Blue Point Brewing, Peconic Bay, Roanoke and East Coast Specialty provided the cocktails. Dining delights came from a group of local heavy hitters, like Batata Café, Big Bear Pizzelli, Copenhagen Bakery, Jellyfish, Macadoo’s, Mascali, Nocello Ristorante, Northport Fish & Lobster, Pumpernickel’s, Quetzacoatl, Smok-A-Burger and Whale’s Tale. Want some sweet-and-savory chicken mango tacos? We swung by The Whale’s Tale table. Italian classics? Nocello’s and Big Bear hit the spot every time. And for a trip to classic German– a bit of a rarity in this town, even as restaurant capital of Long Island – Pumpernickel’s delivered like it has for decades, with red cabbage, tender pot roast and melt-in-your-mouth potato dumplings.

Our final stop brought us to the Terrace Room, a relaxing spot to unwind and digest everything – literally and figuratively. But it wouldn’t be A Taste of Long Island without more goodies to feast on. Brooklyn Brewery, Edna Valley, Ghost Pines and Martha Clara Vineyards did the bar, and Andrea’s 25, Blondies, Clipper Ship Tea Company, Crossroads Café, Filetto’s Restarant, Nonnina Restaurant, The Lark Pub & Grub and Tutto Pazzo did the honors with our plates. It was particularly good to see the ladies from Blondies, surrounded by scores of miniature cupcakes and baked confections – their red velvet cupcakes are particularly decadent – and with the built-in portion control, how can you go wrong?

After hours of noshing and socializing, the hundreds of diners who attended A Taste of Long Island were all winners. But they were even bigger winners for another reason – the three charities the event handsomely benefited. Visiting Nurse Service & Hospice of Suffolk, the East Northport Chamber of Commerce and the Rotary Club of East Northport each received a portion of the proceeds of the event, ensuring the work they do for the community day in and day out can continue. And while there might be debates over your favorite restaurant, lending a helping hand is something we can all agree on.