Soirée in the Park is part of New Taste of the Upper West Side food festival
Theodore Roosevelt Park, Columbus Ave.
May 27-30, $105-$225
www.newtasteuws.com
It wasn’t too long ago that the Upper West Side was not exactly known for its culinary excellence. But times change, and the neighborhood will be strutting its comestible stuff this week at New Taste of the Upper West Side, a trio of food-based events benefiting the Columbus Avenue Business Improvement District and Theodore Roosevelt Park. On May 27 at 7:30, Soirée in the Park ($150) will bring together Sarabeth Levine of Sarabeth’s, Rodney Mitchell of Calle Ocho, Dennis Petronio of Gastronomie 491, Lala Sharma of Savoury Indian Restaurant & Bar, Scott Bryan of the Milling Room, and Luke Holden and Ben Conniff of Luke’s Lobster for an elegant cocktail party featuring hors d’oeuvres, champagne, and live chamber music. On Friday night at 7:00 ($105), Comfort Classics consists of forty local restaurants serving “home-style fare,” hosted by Adam Richman, with food tastings, wine, cocktails, beer, and live music by the Silver Arrow Band; among the participating eateries are Artie’s Delicatessen, Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola, Firehouse, Gabriela’s, Haru, Isabella’s, Momofuku Milk Bar, Pasha, Serafina, Sugar and Plumm, the Meatball Shop, and Virgil’s Real BBQ. And on May 30, Best of the West (general admission $135, VIP $225) promises glitz and glamour from forty preeminent UWS chefs and restaurateurs, including host Marc Murphy (with Anne Burrell and Lauren Scala) and Haley Fox and Lauren Fox from Alice’s Tea Cup, Olivier Quignon from Bar Boulud, Matthew Tivy from Café du Soleil, Michael Navarette from Café Luxembourg, Chris Wall from Cesca Enoteca, John Frasier from Dovetail, Bobbie Lloyd from Magnolia, Olivier Dessyn from Mille Feuille, Andy D’Amico from Nice Matin, William Sanders from Ocean Grill, Michael Lomonaco and Michael Ammirati from Porter House New York, Joe Quintana from Rosa Mexicano, Jacques Torres, Jean-George Vongerichten, and many more.