Article published May 06, 2007
Chefs, restaurateurs got raves at Taste of the Nation
More layers of flavor, more creative presentations, and trendy ingredients made food the big story at Share Our Strength’s Taste of the Nation Toledo.
The annual gourmet food event that benefitted anti-hunger efforts in Toledo was held at Cousino’s Navy Bistro at the Docks on April 29. With the 35- plus restaurateurs, chefs, and food vendors serving their food, ticket holders and volunteers meandered from table to table.
The four national chefs brought raves from the crowd of nearly 1,000 guests. San Francisco food personality and cookbook author Joanne Weir featured Gnocchi with Roquefort Cream, which was so creamy and cheesy that many diners went back for seconds. R.J. Cooper of Vidalia in Washington had a perfect taste of mini rosemary biscuits layered with barbecued pork served with Vidalia onion slaw, which is used as an amuse-bouche at the restaurant.
Don Yamauchi, executive chef of Tribute in Farmington Hills, Mich., featured coconut curry crab soup made with fresh shiitake mushroom, crab, and micro cilantro. I watched him fill the mini bowls with a “shotgun sauce dispenser” to keep pace with the crowd.
Eve Aronoff of Eve The Restaurant in Ann Arbor had a spectacular display of Thai Minced Chicken wrapped in a wonton skin and flash-fried like a little fritter. Little bowls of Carrot-Lime Puree and creme fraiche offered additional dollops of flavor. For the presentation, three large mirrors doubled as serving platters mounded with the Thai Minced Chicken fritters accented with beautiful spring pansy flowers.
The local chefs were equally creative with presentation and flavor. Gus Mancy told me about his inspiration for the tasting from Mancy’s Steakhouse: Roasted Beet Salad with Sliced Beef Tenderloin on fresh arugula and spinach topped with grated Cabrales Blue Cheese with Walnuts and sherry vinaigrette. To hear his complete explanation, visit toledoblade.com.
Next to this table was Mancy’s Blue Water Grille, where Chef Rob Campbell served Macadamia Nut Crusted Opakapaka, a Hawaiian pink snapper with a wood-grilled artichoke salad and grapefruit berre blanc. It was delicious.
Chef Campbell was not the only chef using crushed nuts on entrees.
Chef Mike Rosendaul of Ciao! featured pistachio and pine nut encrusted rack of veal served with a pan-roasted spinach and portabella risotto cake and micro arugula. The veal chops, a true delicacy, were slim and tender and reminiscent of a lamb chop.
Chef Erika Rapp of Diva prepared hazelnut crusted veal sweetbreads with Johnny cakes and roasted sweet corn milk.
Toledo’s classics were also on hand.
Chefs from Labib Hajjar’s Beirut and Byblos served the famous lamb chops and hummus. Nearby, his son, Elias Hajjar of Poco Piatti, featured Bayou shrimp with a spicy sauce and cornbread pudding.
George Kamilaris of Georgio’s Cafe International featured his signature crab cakes served with pesto cream sauce. Premier Catering with Chef Todd Vander Pol also had crab cakes with a sweet red bell pepper sauce. Lee Tebbetts of the Rose & Thistle Pub & Restaurant featured sole stuffed with Alaskan King Crab.
Mike Sader of Gianno’s at the Inn filled his table with fresh seafood, including poached salmon, oysters on the half shell, mussels, and scallops.
Fifi’s Restaurant had steak Diane tips on crostini. Nearby, Frog Leg Inn’s grilled lamburgers with herbed cheese pleased the crowd, and a tiered serving tray held the most perfect chocolate truffles.
Expanding the culinary spectrum was Cousino’s Navy Bistro and corporate chef Lance Scott with crispy duck confit wontons with yuzu glaze and micro-mint.
Chef Alan Mehar of Evans Street Station in Tecumseh featured a roulade of chicken and pancetta.
Chef Rick Whitehead of Gladieux Catering pulled out all the stops with the crusted wahlu escalar served with a white bean and spinach risotto cake and a compote of tomato and poached elephant garlic with lobster beurre blanc and a touch of osetra caviar. It was a delicious combination.
Happily for Helen Lambert and Laura Notestine of the Katz Sisters Authentic Midwestern Cheesecakes, their array of delicious desserts was in the thick of the culinary tasting this year, thanks to the 10,000-square-foot tent for the chefs.
Sushi lovers got their fill of California & Spicy Tuna Rolls at Koto Buki with Dennis Chung, and at Yoko Japanese Restaurant, Steve Lee featured Maki Rolls. “There’s spicy tuna inside and fresh tuna on the outside of the Hawaii rolls,” says Mr. Lee. The Washington Roll is similar, with spicy salmon inside and fresh salmon on the outside.
The 2007 grant recipients are Aurora Project, Toledo Day Nursery, Toledo GROWs and Toledo Northwestern Ohio Food Bank.
Kathie Smith is The Blade’s food editor.
Contact her at: food@theblade.com or 419-724-6155.
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