{"id":5500,"date":"2009-05-08T12:20:44","date_gmt":"2009-05-08T16:20:44","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/foodembrace.com\/?p=5500"},"modified":"2009-05-08T12:20:44","modified_gmt":"2009-05-08T16:20:44","slug":"may-7th-2009-taste-of-the-independents-recap-part-i","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/foodembrace.com\/2009\/05\/may-7th-2009-taste-of-the-independents-recap-part-i\/","title":{"rendered":"May 7th, 2009: Taste of the Independents Recap Part I"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Hey

Hey there<\/p><\/div>\n

Hi gang!\u00a0 Last night Scott and I attended our first ever Dine Originals Taste of the Independents event<\/a>.\u00a0 Dine Originals is an organization that puts an emphasis on eating at locally-owned restaurants instead of chains, like Applebee’s for example.\u00a0 Scott and I try to eat at local restaurants as much as possible.\u00a0 But as with anything it can be trial and error because until you go, you won’t be sure if you like it or if the restaurant suits your tastes.\u00a0 With an event like Taste of the Independents, local restaurants who are members of Dine Originals, come and set up tables with samples of their cuisine.\u00a0 As an attendee you are required to purchase a ticket and the proceeds from the event go towards a charity.\u00a0 Last night’s charity was The Buckeye Ranch<\/a>.\u00a0With samples of wine along with food from 40+ restaurants, there was plenty to see, drink, and eat!<\/p>\n

When we arrived, it was a little busy in the front.\u00a0 People were everywhere sampling, chatting, and mingling.\u00a0 Like a good food blogger, I pulled out my camera and started taking pictures right away.\u00a0 It took Scott and I a while to find a groove and figure out a course of attack.\u00a0 While most people there seemed to have done this before and were chatting away like it was any normal cocktail party thrown by your friends.\u00a0 Scott and I were on a reconnaissance mission to gather intel and we just happened to be nicely dressed.\u00a0 I did get to wear my dress!\u00a0 Which I was happy about because it was cute but at the same time I was freezing cold during the event.\u00a0 Eeep!<\/p>\n

I tried a lot of food, but this post would be very long if I tried to show you everything.\u00a0 Most things I just took a bite of and either it wasn’t my thing or I just wanted a bite to give it a try but didn’t want a whole serving.\u00a0 Instead I’ll post the dishes that I ate the entire portion. :)<\/p>\n

Our first run was a little disorganized because I was trying to snap pictures and take food and listen to the servers at the same time.\u00a0 I was asking questions or trying at least, with all the attendees it was a bit hard to hear what the servers\/chefs were saying.<\/p>\n

The first item we got was presented by G. Michael’s Bar and Bistro.<\/a><\/p>\n

\"G.<\/a>

G. Michael's<\/p><\/div>\n

It was shrimp and grits!<\/p>\n

\"Shrimp&grits\"<\/a>

Shrimp&grits<\/p><\/div>\n

The grits were blue so I headed back over to ask about them.\u00a0 I asked if they were blue corn and the chef confirmed that they were.\u00a0 I ate my shrimp and the sausage but gave my grits to Scott.\u00a0 I’m not a big grits person; honestly it’s too gritty of a dish! I know, I know, that’s the whole point.\u00a0 But grits are not a texture I favor.<\/p>\n

\"Elevator<\/a>

Elevator Brewery <\/p><\/div>\n

After this we headed over to another section and the first place we came upon was The Elevator Brewery & Draught Haus<\/a>.\u00a0 Mostly because Scott wanted a drink and none of the wine stations had glasses available at that moment.\u00a0 They brought 3 of their beers with them and Scott started off with a lager.<\/p>\n

\"Lager<\/a>

Lager <\/p><\/div>\n

For a sample, that was a really decent size!\u00a0 I had a few sips of it and it was very tasty.\u00a0 Had a nice finish and hearty enough to have with food.\u00a0 The Elevator Brewery was serving up two samples.<\/p>\n

\"Pulled<\/a>

Pulled pork<\/p><\/div>\n

Pulled pork sliders with what seemed to be beets on top.\u00a0 I couldn’t really hear the gentleman who was explaining them to me.\u00a0 I loved the beets but didn’t really care for the pork, it seemed a bit on the greasy side.\u00a0 I gave my portion to Scott.<\/p>\n

\"Crab<\/a>

Crab salad <\/p><\/div>\n

The next item sure was pretty!\u00a0 It was a crab salad on top of a fried wonton.\u00a0 I actually didn’t really like this either and neither did Scott.\u00a0 Sorry Elevator!\u00a0 That doesn’t impact anything though, we still want to check out the restaurant especially since it’s a local brewery.<\/p>\n

I had my first sample of wine with these bites.<\/p>\n

\"Bethal<\/a>

Bethel Hill <\/p><\/div>\n

I believe this was a Bethel Hill Pinot Grigio.\u00a0 I know for sure it was the Pinot but I don’t have a picture of the wine description!\u00a0 Ooops!\u00a0 It was so yummy.\u00a0 Very light, crisp, and refreshing.\u00a0 It would be great with light meals and even a heavier dish because of the light citrus notes; it would cut through heavy stuff clearing your palate.\u00a0 We were outside at this point and that was a bad move.\u00a0 It was way too windy and chilly for me to be out.\u00a0 I was shivering, trying to eat, and trying to stop my dress from flying up!\u00a0 So we headed back inside.<\/p>\n

Next up was Figlio Woodfired Pizza!\u00a0 We were most excited to try this one.<\/p>\n

\"Figlio<\/a>

Figlio served pasta and pizza <\/p><\/div>\n

They also had two samples to hand out and the gentleman working the pasta station was extremely nice!\u00a0 He didn’t mind me taking pictures and had no problem with my questions.\u00a0 Thank you!<\/p>\n

\"BBQ<\/a>

BBQ Chicken Pizza <\/p><\/div>\n

First up was a small slice of BBQ chicken pizza with homemade BBQ sauce on a regular crust and with peppers and onions.\u00a0 This was so good!\u00a0 The crust was perfect and the BBQ sauce was spot on.\u00a0 Exactly how BBQ sauce should be: sweet, spicy, and tangy.\u00a0 Scott and I have had the worst time trying to find decent pizza in Columbus.\u00a0 I am so picky about pizza.\u00a0 First of all, I like nice triangle slices and I want veggies! And lots of them!\u00a0 This place will deliver all of those I believe.<\/p>\n

\"Drunken<\/a>

Drunken Pasta <\/p><\/div>\n

Next up was drunken pasta which was marinated and grilled chicken with penne in a vodka cream tomato sauce.\u00a0 Heaven!\u00a0 Oh goodness this was so, so good.\u00a0 The pasta was creamy, but not overly so, so it didn’t sit like a rock in your stomach.\u00a0 Plus it had a bit of a spicy kick in the background giving it just enough heat to make it interesting, but not so much that you were running for water.\u00a0 The chicken was outstanding and very flavorful.\u00a0 I had a few bites of pasta and all of the chicken.\u00a0 Then I passed the remaining pasta off to Scott.<\/p>\n

By this time we had an established plan.\u00a0 We found a table and we worked the room as a team.\u00a0 First I went through and took pictures of everything.\u00a0 Then I went back around and started picking up samples of things I wanted to try.\u00a0 This worked so much better!\u00a0 With one of us always at the table holding down the fort, the other was able to move about the room.<\/p>\n

After finishing my pasta, it was time for another wine sample.\u00a0 This time I went with a red.<\/p>\n

\"What<\/a>

What to choose<\/p><\/div>\n

I ended up with a Bordeaux.<\/p>\n

\"my<\/a>

my first red <\/p><\/div>\n

Unfortunately, I don’t know too much about this wine.\u00a0 It was tasty though!\u00a0 Scott went back for another beer.<\/p>\n

\"Elevator<\/a>

Elevator Red <\/p><\/div>\n

He wanted to try a beer from Columbus Brewing Company but they didn’t have any which was a bit surprising.\u00a0 Being resourceful, he tried a red from Elevator.\u00a0 I had a sip but didn’t care for it too much.\u00a0 It had a nutty finish which was nice though.<\/p>\n

My next stop was Barcelona<\/a> for some scallops.<\/p>\n

\"Bacelona<\/a>

Barcelona Scallops <\/p><\/div>\n

These smelled amazing as I was taking the picture.<\/p>\n

\"Up<\/a>

Up close<\/p><\/div>\n

These were in a cream sauce with edamame, bacon, mushrooms, and dates.\u00a0 It was interesting for sure.\u00a0 It was a bit too sweet for me but I did eat my portion!\u00a0 I had the edamame and the scallops.\u00a0 The scallops were perfectly cooked and very light, the way scallops are supposed to be.<\/p>\n

After the scallops, I decided to be brave and try The Burgundy Room’s<\/a> duck dish.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/a>

The Burgundy Room <\/p><\/div>\n

I’ve never tried duck before. For some reason I had it in my head that it would be very gamy, heavy, and greasy.\u00a0 But I’ll never know unless I try, right?\u00a0 And since these were samples, I felt comfortable enough testing the waters (See what I did there?\u00a0 Duck, waters.\u00a0 You love it.).<\/p>\n

\"Duck<\/a>

Duck confit <\/p><\/div>\n

This was duck leg confit with bowtie pasta and topped with goat cheese.\u00a0 Oh my goodness this was amazing!\u00a0 I loved it!\u00a0 I had a few bites and then made sure to save some for Scott so he could try.\u00a0 I was on cloud nine.\u00a0 The duck was not heavy or gamy at all.\u00a0 It tasted like chicken honestly, a nice perfectly cooked dark meat piece of chicken.\u00a0 I liked it so much that I went back over and told them so.\u00a0 I said it was my first time with duck and their dish was superb!<\/p>\n

After my affair with the duck, I tried some samples from Blackcreek Bistro<\/a>.\u00a0 They had two samples, one a dessert and one dish.<\/p>\n

\"Salmon<\/a>

Salmon patty <\/p><\/div>\n

First up was a salmon patty topped with a creole mustard.\u00a0 This little patty was fantastic but it didn’t taste like salmon.\u00a0 Honestly it tasted like a crab cake.\u00a0 The mustard was creamy and cool on the cake.\u00a0 I wouldn’t mind if it had a bit more spice to it.<\/p>\n

\"Mini<\/a>

Mini cookie <\/p><\/div>\n

I’m not sure if this had a specific name to it.\u00a0 It was described to me as a shortbread cookie base, raspberry cream layer, and then on top caramelized slivered almonds.\u00a0 I loved this little dessert!\u00a0 And you know that I am not a big sweets person but this was such a great little bit of goodness.\u00a0 I saved some for Scott who only thought it was okay so I finished it. :D\u00a0 It was the perfect size for me.\u00a0 Just a wee little square of dessert.<\/p>\n

I headed over to The Clarmont<\/a> to pick up some samples for Scott.\u00a0 They were offering two dishes that were more geared toward his tastes.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/a>

The Clarmont <\/p><\/div>\n

I bring this up because I ended up eating most of a sample!<\/p>\n

\"Lamb<\/a>

Lamb slider <\/p><\/div>\n

This was a lamb slider and it had a sort of mustard sauce with it but I don’t remember the name.\u00a0 Normally I’m not a fan of lamb.\u00a0 The taste and smell are too potent for me.\u00a0 In full disclosure, the smell of lamb turns my stomach.\u00a0 It reminds me of venison (deer meat) which has a very gamy distinct smell.<\/p>\n

But, again in the vein of trying something new, I gave it a wee little taste.\u00a0 And it was awesome!\u00a0 So I had more.\u00a0 It was a bit too raw\/pink for me in the middle so I ate the outer edges.\u00a0 I’m not a huge meat eater (I much prefer seafood and rabbit food) but I do eat it on occasion.\u00a0 When I do, I like it to be fully cooked.\u00a0 I was surprised how delicious this slider was!\u00a0 Very moist, well seasoned, and so tasty.\u00a0 Not gamey or potent at all.\u00a0 Great size too!<\/p>\n

Next to it, you can see some seared Ahi Tuna.\u00a0 I did not eat this aside from a very very small bite.\u00a0 Again, I like things to be fully cooked.\u00a0 That portion was for Scott.\u00a0 Two thumbs up for The Clarmont Slider though!<\/p>\n

One last little portion in this section of the event put out by Cafe Corner<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"Tandori<\/a>

Tandoori chicken <\/p><\/div>\n

This was tandoori chicken salad on top of organic spinach and lavish bread, topped with a wee slice of tomato.\u00a0 This was really tasty and I could definitely pick up the curry flavor.\u00a0 It looked very pretty as well and made a great presentation.\u00a0 Scott also had a portion and enjoyed it.<\/p>\n

By this time Scott wanted a sample of wine and I was ready for another small splash as well.\u00a0 This was a chardonnay but I don’t have a picture of it nor do I have a name.\u00a0 Sorry guys!\u00a0 Moving and organizing, some things got away from me.<\/p>\n

This wraps up the first building of samples.\u00a0 There were two more buildings to walk through!\u00a0 I know, it was a blast!\u00a0 The next two buildings of eats will be covered in Part II of my recap tomorrow.\u00a0 Stay tuned!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Hi gang!\u00a0 Last night Scott and I attended our first ever Dine Originals Taste of the Independents event.\u00a0 Dine Originals is an organization that puts an emphasis on eating at locally-owned restaurants instead of chains, like Applebee’s for example.\u00a0 Scott and I try to eat at local restaurants as much as possible.\u00a0 But as with […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"spay_email":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_is_tweetstorm":false,"jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[58],"tags":[62],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p4KYWa-1qI","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/foodembrace.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5500"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/foodembrace.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/foodembrace.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/foodembrace.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/foodembrace.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5500"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/foodembrace.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5500\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/foodembrace.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5500"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/foodembrace.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5500"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/foodembrace.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5500"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}