VERO BEACH — Here in Vero, we are blessed with an abundance, especially when it comes to the choices of places to eat. Per capita, Vero Beach has more restaurants than many large cities, and we seem to keep getting more good ones.
The Taste of Vero, an annual event put on by the Oceanside Business Association, is one of the best culinary deals in town.
This year, the event was sold out, with 450 gastronomes paying $35 per ticket, to sample some of our community’s most delectable edibles.
Over-the-Bridge eateries outnumbered beach side restaurants, in this epicurean adventure, giving Barrier Island residents a chance to see that there is life west of the Indian River.
As the sun dipped into the west, guests had three hours to sample the offering from several area restaurants and caterers. The jovial crowd made the not-quite-a mile trek, beginning at Beachland Boulevard, down Ocean Drive to Dahlia Lane, and back up again, sampling appetizers, entrees, and desserts.
Beach side restaurants participating included Michael’s Table, serving lamb chop lollipops, and The Boardwalk Cafe served cheese steak with jalapenos and brownies a la mode.
The Wave at Costa d’Este tempted people passing by with peach sangria and ceviche.
Moans of pleasure were heard from the crowd eating crab cakes and bisque from Joey’s Seafood Shack. Osceola Bistro’s Chris Bireley served made to order chicken wings and chopped salad.
Waldo’s channeled New Orleans, serving Cajun pasta, mahi fingers, and their infamous “voodoo juice.” Revelers were given the opportunity to put the name of someone on life sized voodoo dolls.
Chicken saltimbuca and cannoli were the mouth-watering offering from South Beach’s Trattoria Dario.
Countryside Citrus showed off their new digs, and guests cooled off their palates with key lime pie, peach cobbler, and soft serve ice cream
The downtown arts district was well represented by Baci Trattoria, on 14th Avenue, serving sausage and peppers, antipasti, zeppoli, and Bellini.
Blue Agave, a new Mexican Bar and Tequilieria, also on 14th Avenue, served roasted corn and crab salad with queso fresco and cilantro in a yucca cup.
Chive, another new spot on Old Dixie, served Hawaiian tuna salad with a sriracha wasabi aoli.
“Very hot,” panted one man, fanning his mouth. “But good, a little sweet, a lot of spice.”
Orchid Island Brewery was nearby, serving its ice cold flagship Star Ruby American India Pale Ale. Owner and Central Beach resident Alden Bing will be opening in the Portales de Vero Building, next door to the Polo Grill, around July 4th.
Other participants included Agape Cafe, Culinary Capers, Il Giardino, A Butcher Shop & A Bit More, Fishack, Pizzoodles, and Treasure Coast Seltzer Works.
Sponsors for the evening included Riverside Theatre, Coldwell Banker Ed Schlitt Paradise, Marine Bank & Trust, Dale Sorensen Real Estate, I’ll Never Tell, Dede’s Shoe Salon, The Beach Shop, Costa d’Este, South Beach Place, Orchid Island Brewing, Norris & Company Real Estate, and the Farmers Market Oceanside.