centerpiece of assorted cheeses, crudites, parma ham, etc courtesy of Wolfgang Puck catering
It was an awesome event! If you didn’t go then you missed out a lot. My sister and I arrived a little after 5pm and there were already a good number of people. Come 8pm, the place was packed! We left around 9pm and there were still people coming in.
I was totally impressed at how this event was so well organized: you show your ticket and you get ushered in to pick up your wine glass as well as a notebook and pen so that you can take down notes if you so desire. The notebook has great information in it which included the floorplan, vendors, their table number, vendor information, etc. Once inside, there are rows of tables to sample wine and food. I like that there are several garbage cans strategically but inconspicuously scattered all over as well as numerous servers who are roaming around to dispose of your trash. There are water stations offering bottles of still and sparkling water; and a coffee station just outside the main hall where there are several tables and chairs so you can sit for a bit, kick off your shoes and enjoy a cup of Pete’s coffee. Once you’ve had your fill, there is a table where you can pre-pay your parking before you leave. Really, this is one very organized event. And I like that you don’t have to purchase food tickets to sample food.
The evening was filled with foodies and wine enthusiasts chatting about, what else, food and wine. It was so nice that you can ask the vendors themselves about the wine and get their recommendations on what food goes with which wine. The top restaurants at hand had the most delectable food and desserts. Can you imagine — all these under one roof!
the ceiling lights changed colors all throughout the nightSo if you did miss this amazing event, here’s my
Top 10 Reasons Why You Should Not Miss This Event Ever:
- Over 100 wines and spirits vendors offering wines and spirits from all over the world
- Food, Food, Food!! — from the top restaurants in Atlanta including the beautiful cheese centerpiece provided by Wolfgang Puck Catering
- Wine experts to answer any questions you may have about wine
- Georgia Aquarium — you get a private viewing of the Belugas, Whale Sharks and more from the very posh Ballroom
- Very organized event — from checking in to paying your parking
- The opportunity to learn more about different wines, spirits, and food
- A fun evening to meet other foodies and wine enthusiasts
- Lively music from an amazing band
- Pete’s Coffee and Saratoga Water (still and sparkling)
- Meeting the chefs and someliers
I’m not really a big drinker but this event was an opportunity for people, especially for me, to sample wines that some or I would not normally have access to or would not even think of trying. And the food — there were so many good food from so many great restaurants! What a fun evening for food and wine.
Now about the food, overall, there were some misses for me but a lot more hits. Notable ones include Seasons 52’s dessert offerings. I give them points for presentation alone, but more for the great taste of each of their mouth-watering dessert.
I was most impressed with Justin’s (P. Diddy’s venture) for their fork-tender, tasty braised short ribs. It had a perfect balance of sweetness, saltiness, and sourness that tasted like it’s been slow cooked for hours. And their Red Velvet cake rocks! It was moist and had a subtle-tasting cream cheese frosting. I must have eaten dozens of it!!!
Chateu Elan’s Cucumber-Melon Soup with Crab was also a big winner. It was so refreshing and tasty: cubes of crunchy cucumbers and melons in sugar syrup that was slightly sweetish with lumps of crab that provided a little saltiness. It was really good.
I really had fun. This is something you should never miss. See you there next year!
See more pictures in my FlickR account: click here.
Technorati Tags: Toast of the Town, Georgia Aquarium Ballroom
