On Wednesday, April 1, A Taste of Fifth—hosted by The Fifth Avenue Business Improvement District—showcased the culinary offerings of more than sixty local food and beverage heavy hitters. Participants included both veteran and newbie restaurants along Park Slope’s Fifth Avenue, complemented with libations by wine and spirit vendors and craft breweries. The night was a rousing success, with sold out attendance and proceeds supporting local nonprofit organizations.
Under the chandelier-lit glow of the elegant Grand Prospect Hall, foodies from all corners of the Slope came to meet their favorite restaurateurs and imbibe with their neighbors. On one of the first spring evenings of the year, participants showed off their signature dishes and cocktails to a hungry and thirsty crowd of Park Slopers.
The best in show was the brand new Vietnamese gastropub, Bricolage, headed up by Chef Lien Lin from The Slanted Door in San Francisco. Plates couldn’t be replenished fast enough for an eager line swooping up the beef tendon carpaccio with cilantro, onion, peanut, and white anchovy.
Other crowd favorites included Prospect Bar and Grill, as the buzz about their meltingly tender brisket and oozing mac and cheese seemed to be the icebreaker among guests as they mingled. And the much celebrated, local favorite Stone Park turned heads with a simple and brightly-flavored grilled octopus soup with preserved lemon.
While stomach space had to be judiciously rationed out, there were no regrets about sacrificing some in the name of thick-sliced smoked salmon and a cream cheese schmear at Beygl’s table. And who could resist scarfing a slice of Two Boots’ Bayou Beast, having just arrived steaming from the pizza oven?
The beverage world represented just as hard. With the almost overwhelming amount of food tables to hit up over two hours, a breather at Greenhook Ginsmiths’ table sipping Old Tom Gin with bitter lemon soda freshened the palate and staved off an impending food coma. The rosé from Rioja poured by Acme Wines & Spirits was a welcomed reminder of the summer wine season just around the corner, and Coco Roco treated guests to a surprising—maybe even scandalous—take on the Peruvian national cocktail, the pisco sour.
Much of the crowd topped off the evening feast with a powerful shot of Gorilla Coffee and a sweet finale with desserts from The Chocolate Room and Le Pain Quotidien.
After breaking it down on the dancefloor, stuffed-to-the-brim attendees teetered out, content from a fantastic evening and with a renewed appreciation for the talent on what is arguably the tastier Fifth Avenue in New York. From one food lover to another, it’s going to be a delicious spring here in Park Slope.
For more information about upcoming events, check out parkslopefifthavenuebid.org
