22
Jan/15

CHOICE EATS 2015

22
Jan/15
It can get pretty crowded at the annual Choice Eats festival (photo by twi-ny/ees)

It can get pretty crowded at the annual Choice Eats festival (photo by twi-ny/ees)

THE VILLAGE VOICE CHOICE EATS EIGHTH ANNUAL TASTING EVENT
Metropolitan Pavilion
125 West 18th St. between Sixth & Seventh Aves.
Friday, March 13, $65-$99, 6:00 – 10:00 (21 and older only)
choiceeats.villagevoice.com

Tickets are now on sale for the eighth annual Village Voice Choice Eats festival, but you have to move fast if you want access to tastings from more than fifty New York eateries. Last year’s festival was a smash sellout, and for good reason; we thought it was one of the best food events of the year, with generous, unlimited samplings of signature dishes, sides, and desserts from some of the city’s most innovative chefs, along with complementary craft beer pairings and specialty wine and liquor. This year’s event, taking place March 13 at the Metropolitan Pavilion, includes dozens of cool names, many new to the event and others longtime favorites. Among those signed on so far are 2 Duck Goose, 606 R&D, Awadh, Bobwhite Lunch & Supper Counter, Brooklyn Kolache Co., Butter & Scotch, Casa Mono and Bar Jamon, the East Pole, Fletcher’s Brooklyn Barbecue, Gloria’s Carribean Cuisine, Huertas, John Brown Smokehouse, Littleneck, Mable’s Smokehouse, MAX, No. 7, the NoMad, the Queens Kickshaw, Spicy Pot, Thai Rock, and Tuome. We’ll be sure to return to Butter & Scotch’s table, which we declared best in show at the 2014 event, which took place at Basketball City; this year they are celebrating the launch of their first restaurant space. Although the lineup so far contains a generous helping of Brooklyn’s world-famous (or infamous) artisanal offerings, all five boroughs will be represented. General admission at 7:00 is $65; we have never been fans of extra pay for extra play, but the huge and enthusiastic crowds surging through the aisles of Choice Eats can feel overwhelming and make the Early Entry tickets ($85, 6:30) very attractive, while the VIP passes ($99, 6:00) come with a gift bag and private VIP lounge (pssst, with its own facilities, ahem) as well. You can also purchase a Choice Eats / Choice Streets combo ticket ($115-$170), which will also get you into the May 5 food truck fest at the Intrepid.