Last night, I had the pleasure of attending Taste of the Nation at the Grand Hyatt Hotel. It was a phenomenal night for a great charity, with some of the best food I’ve ever tasted! I love these big food events with so many restaurants in one room, where you can really see what the trends are and it’s like a big competition.

Taste of the Nation is New York’s premier food and wine event to end childhood hunger in America. It is hosted by Share Our Strength, a national organization whose motto is “No Kid Hungry”.

Sarma from Pure Food and Wine

Some of my favorite dishes included the Hazelnut Crisp with wild mushrooms from Pure Food and Wine. They’re so crunchy, it’s fantastic.

Hazelnut Crisps from Pure Food and Wine

The Bread Pudding in Caramel Sauce from Gramercy Tavern was one of the most decadent desserts I’ve ever put in my mouth. The Chicken Arepas from Yerba Buena, Parmesan Pudding from SouthGate, and Sticky Asian Short Ribs from Asia de Cuba were all so flavorful, as well.

Spring Vegetable Martini from Felidia

I loved the Spring Vegetables in a martini glass from Felida. It was like eating spring in one bite. I had 3 of the cocktails from Pegu Club, which, I  admit, left me a bit tipsy as I collected my goodie bag–but a true foodie has to try everything, right?

One of Pegu Club’s cocktails

 

*The original blog was called Flavors in Love. All material has been transferred and some has been edited for easier reading, and archiving.