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Spring pea and fresh ricotta ravioli with lemon butter, grape tomatoes, and micro pea tendrils from Davio's (Ann Woody)
On Thursday, April 2, this Bostonist had the pleasure of attending this year’s Taste of the Nation Boston event at the Hynes Convention center. Managed by Share Our Strength, a non-profit organization dedicated to ending childhood hunger in America, this year’s Taste of the Nation Boston boasted the presence of more than seventy of Boston’s finest restaurants, over forty wineries, and Bombay Sapphire drinks galore. To put it simply, this event is foodie heaven.
As we entered the convention hall last week, we were bombarded by fantastic smells and sights. In front of us was a veritable sea of chef’s stations and serving tables. Steam wafted from skillets and griddles around the room as complex culinary delights were created in miniature right before our eyes.
Behind the din of clanging pans, sizzling food, and people having a great time were the melodies of Cassavettes, a young Boston-based band. The band was up on a stage at the back of the convention hall and surrounded by, well, food coma tables. You could see people drifting in and out of seats throughout the night, pausing to enjoy the music and contemplate if they had reached the limits of their stomachs. The addition of live music to this event made it extra special and the band was really a great choice, their upbeat music kept the crowds awake and flowing throughout the evening.
Admittedly, the evening was a bit overwhelming, so remembering everything that was consumed is frankly impossible. However, there were some standouts worth mentioning.
Post and photos contributed by Ann Woody.
Masa, a southwestern inspired bistro with locations in the South End and Woburn, brought its tapas A game with sweet duck empanadas and chocolate barbeque sauce. At the Gargoyles on the Square booth, there was a black truffle soup with potato foam topped with beet pollen, which produced a complex flavor. The soup was rich and meaty—almost overwhelmingly so—but the potato foam calmed the richness while the beet pollen added a little extra kick. Davio's delivered a light, springy dish: spring pea and fresh ricotta ravioli with lemon butter, grape tomatoes, and micro pea tendrils.
On the dessert side, ChocoLee grabbed our attention with their beautiful display of gourmet chocolates. Despite everything that was going on around us, we actually stopped for a moment to savor rich almond marzipan coated in dark chocolate and the sinfully good salted chocolate caramels.
Despite all of these inventive and delicious offerings, the restaurant that stood out the most for this Bostonist was Lobby. While they presented a simple table, free of frills or special gimmicks, Lobby’s food spoke loudly. A salty duck quesadilla with fresh guacamole and a sweet and spicy butternut squash soup with ginger were simple, elegant fare done right. While all of the restaurants mentioned above have earned an in-person visit from this Bostonist, Lobby’s delicious offerings have put them first on the list.
Last but not least, we must mention the overabundance of alcohol (reminiscent of the Taste of the South End). There were beer stations set up throughout the event and glasses sporting the Stella Artois and Harpoon logos were spotted on several occasions. Bombay Sapphire was serving up Raspberry Tom Collins, Sapphire Royales, and Gimlets. And while the evening started with servings in tiny plastic martini glasses, by the end they were filling up wine glasses with their surprisingly delicious cocktails.
Not interested in beer or liquor? That’s ok, wine and water were abundant as well. Ziggurats of wine glasses were strategically placed at the entrance and near the band, allowing easy access for anyone wanting to sample the offerings of the abundant wine tables.
The event also featured a silent auction, raffles, and an ingenious ducky auction. The ducky auction was so intriguing we almost bought one. The idea is simple: for 25 or 50 dollars, guests could buy a small rubber duck. They came in a variety of costumes and entered you in an auction for some great prizes. Even if you didn’t win an auction, you still got to go home with a duck!
Overall, this was a fantastic event, well-planned and well-executed. Chefs, volunteers, and guests alike all enjoyed sharing in their love of great food and drink and everyone seemed to be having a genuinely great time. While the ticket prices were steep ($85-95 for general admission passes and $135-145 for VIP tickets), this event is worth the price—and all proceeds go to fighting hunger.
This Bostonist advises skipping the VIP tickets in favor of the cheaper general admission passes. The VIP room was a nice distraction, but the separate band packed into the small VIP space made it too crowded and loud to really enjoy the extra food and drink perks.
Staffed entirely by volunteers, all of the proceeds from Taste of the Nation Boston went to fight childhood hunger in America. This is a great event for a great cause; we highly recommend it to foodies and non-foodies alike.
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all of that food looks amazing! i wish i'd gone.