Taste of the South End

   Last week I attended the Taste of the South End with Jen, an annual event whose proceeds support the Aids Action Committee. In addition to food and wine, the event included a silent auction, and some great costumes!

          We started out in the VIP lounge, where we picked up some plates and glasses. We were both impressed by the clever design, and surprised that no one else had thought of it (or at least not that we'd seen)!
           The VIP Lounge was small, but included a couple of additional restaurants, special cocktails, and extra seating. 



   After sampling everything in the VIP Lounge, we headed out into the main room to check out the rest of the lineup. There were tons of big name chefs represented including Barbara Lynch, Top Chef winner Kristen Kish, Gordon Hammersley Ken Oringer, Jamie Bisonette, and Brian Poe. Although a few places ran out food early, I really enjoyed the dishes I did try! Some of my favorites were:
 Coppa: Whole wheat pasta with chicken sausage
 The Beehive: Shrimp and Grits
 The Big Easy: Red Blend
 Masa: Habenero Margarita
 Stephi's: Braised Shortribs
 Stir: Tuna Nicoise
Hammersley's: Smoked Salmon
   This was the first time I attended the Taste of South End, but it definitely won't be the last! Overall it was a great mix of high end restaurants with creative dishes, and the proceeds go to support a great cause!