For one weekend in October Sunset Park was the epicenter of the city’s food scene. The New York City Wine and Food Festival brought 80 culinary events and thousands of volunteers to the Brooklyn Army Terminal. With attendees traveling from near and far and proceeds supporting the non-profit God’s Love We Deliver, the 17th year of the festival was a foodie destination for a good cause. The Grand Tasting gave guests the opportunity to try out bites from local restaurants, craft cocktails from spirits brands, and specialty snacks. Here are some memorable finds.
Drinking it Up
This is the first year the NYCWFF was held at the Brooklyn Army Terminal in partnership with new investor, Invesco QQQ, and the ferry service was a fun option for commuting to the Grand Tasting. After a couple of boat rides on a sunny day, a lemonade sounded like a great idea. Conveniently, a gin lemonade with Still G.I.N. from Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg hit the spot. The gin has notes of tangerine making for a sweet tipple. Another delicious cocktail was a drink with Código 1530, a tequila that counts George Strait as a co-owner, and I also loved the spicy paloma with Don Julio.
To cleanse the palate, a Blue Moon Light was the right move. At only 95 calories, this citrus wheat beer tastes lighter than its Belgian White counterpart.
Restaurant Inspo
Having a chance to try the dishes from several restaurants without having to travel to each location was a treat. Guests benefited from the wealth of cooking talent at the Grand Tasting, and there were so many spots to be added to the restaurant bucket list afterward. Taqueria Ramirez, a Greenpoint restaruant that serves CDMX (Ciudad de México) tacos had a long line, and it was easy to see why. Both the tacos I tried–mushroom and chorizo–were so flavorful!
For burgers, I had a thick and juicy one from Neir’s Tavern, the Woodhaven bar you’ve probably seen in Goodfellas, and I also enjoyed a thinner, classic cheeseburger from Burgerhead, a West Village spot that has tasty fries fried in beef tallow to boot.
Leveling Up the Pantry
False confidence in the kitchen is probably a result of watching Food Network stars like Geoffrey Zakarian and Alex Guarnaschelli effortlessly whip up dishes during the demo portion of the Grand Tasting, but there were a lot of tasty foods on offer that would be a good addition to any grocery list. For goat cheese lovers, Montchevre handed out a delicious arugula flatbread that would easily impress house guests if you could master it. But, if you’re like me and your comfort zone is more in the doesn’t-actually-require-cooking category, there were a lot of plate-ready options to consider.
Kimchi Kooks brought piquant radishes that would be a fun party dish, and the Fairway tent had a lot of new-to-me snacks like the thick, zesty Lundberg Rice Chips in Fiesta Lime that would be perfect to serve with salsa. And since attending the Grand Tasting feels a bit like tryouts for the Ghost of Christmas Present, it was very much appreciated that EIRA Water was on hand around every corner to help hydrate after all the (no regrets) over-indulgence.
It’s easy to forget how spoiled we are in NYC with all the great food options abounding, but the annual New York City Wine and Food Festival is a great reminder for a good cause.
