This year’s Taste of Arcadia on Sept. 23 will feature the food and beverages of more exciting local restaurants than ever – more than 40 in all, including a first-time Korean (K-food) restaurant. All will be competing for a handful of prizes for best tasting and most innovative entrees, desserts and drinks.
All you can eat and drink for 3 1/2-hours for one entry price. Tickets are $60 now and $70 at the gate ($10 discount for Chamber members).
Taste of Arcadia offers food, drinks and desserts of every variety from more than three dozen local restaurants, bars, caterers, wine and beer vendors and distributors, hotels, and even retirement homes and a hospital. No money changes hands at the food booths lined up in the idyllic lush Los Angeles County Arboretum setting nestled on the soft green grass surrounding the beautiful Bauer Fountain, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. The majestic San Gabriel Mountains provide a picturesque backdrop.
<Story continues below the following 60-sec. video teaser…>
Attendees will find many familiar and fun new names offering food and desserts for every taste from the following:
Restaurants (including fine dining establishments in hotels and Santa Anita Park race track, fast food), pastry and cookie shops, and caterers (vendors subject to change):
- 41 Olive – specialty olive oils and vinegars
- Beard Papa’s – Creampuffs with lemonade and milkberry
- BJ’s Restaurants
- Bonnie B’s Smokin Barbecue Heaven – chicken and ribs
- Cabrera’s Mexican Cuisine – Pollo ala mozzaza in a salsa
- California Pizza Kitchen – Thai crunch salad & penne noodles
- Carmine’s Italian – gumbi, rigo with carmine’s sauce
- Charlie’s Trio – three exotic salads
- Claro’s Italian Market – marinated mushroom, broccoli salad
- Corner Bakery Café – hot pasta & sandwiches
- Dave & Buster’s – mac and cheese
- The Derby – chocolate chip bread pudding
- Four Seasons Tea Room – tea and sandwiches
- Santa Anita Park/The Frontrunner – bakery dessert
- Hot n Sweet Chicken – dak dori lang (braised chicken, green chillies, scallions & steamed rice) and ddbuk bok ki (onions, green onions, fishcake & boiled eggs in special spicy sauce, noodles and cheese.
- Juan’s Restaurante
- Kelly’s Kookies – Chocolate Chip Krispy Oatmeal; and Coconut Delight (roasted coconut and key lime shortbread dipped in white chocolate).
- Matt Denny’s Ale House – Beef Tri Tip and Pulled Pork, both served with our homemade BBQ Sauce; and also serving beer.
- Natural Selection – wraps
.
- Nikki C’s – corn pizza, beet salad
- Opera
- Paco’s Mexican Restaurant
- Peacock Grille (Embassy Suites) – Chile Verde soup; Oriental Salad and Chicken Picatta
.
- Red Robin – riblets, pretzel bites
- Rosebud Cookie Co.
- Saute’ Culinary Academy – pasta
- Stonefire Grill
- Subway at the Promenade (Westfield Santa Anita mall)
- Twohey’s Restaurant
- Zelo Pizzeria
.
Beer and wine vendors include (vendors subject to change):
- D’Aquino Italian Imports
- Goose Island Brewing
- Hamilton Wines
- Matt Denny’s Ale House – beer
- Red Carpet Wines
- Wine of the Month Club
A hospital, two hotels, a bowling alley, a country club, and two retirement homes will also show off their own tasty cuisine:
- Arcadia Gardens Retirement Hotel – appetizer
- Bowlmor Lanes – Pasadena (formerly 300 Pasadena) – gourmet sliders
- Gables of Monrovia / Brookdale Senior Living – appetizer
- Sierra La Verne County Club – meatballs
.
- Courtyard by Marriott
- DoubleTree by Hilton
- Methodist Hospital – Corn beef tartlets
Food and drinks are just one element of Arcadia’s annual signature event, The Taste of Arcadia, from 5:30 p.m. – 9 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 23. There is also a new Monday Night Football Lounge, a classic car show, a Hollywood-style red-carpet experience complete with paparazzi taking photos as guests arrive, a live band, the return of the popular and exotic Brazilian dancers, more than 40 participants in the Business Showcase at the Taste, face painting, and much more.
None of it would be possible without the following unprecedented number of sponsors:
- Presenting Gold Sponsor: Westfield Santa Anita (also year-round Community Builder Presenting Sponsor Member)
- Business Showcase at the Taste Sponsor (first-ever) – Rose Hills Memorial Park & Mortuary (also year-round Keystone 365 Connection Sponsor Member of the monthly Networking Breakfasts and first premium sponsor of Chamber’s planned new Digital Display sign board
- Silver Sponsor, Classic Car Show: Professional Advisory Services, Wayne Williams
- Silver Sponsor: Methodist Hospital
- Silver Sponsor: Wells Fargo, Baldwin Avenue
- Silver Sponsor: Breeders’ Cup
- Bronze Sponsor: Merrill Lynch, Arcadia
- Red Carpet Sponsor: Printing Control-Jerry Dominguez and The Executive Factor-Andrew Gregson
- Monday Night Football Lounger Sponsor: State Farm, T.G. Metzger
- Ticket Sponsor: Metro Gold Line Foothill Extension Construction Authority
- Gift Bag Sponsors: Century Rooter Service and Plumbing; Vons
- Live Music Sponsor: City of Arcadia’s Shop Arcadia and Arcadia Transit
- Tram Sponsors: Arcadia Association of Realtors; Southern California Edison
- The Roost Sponsor: Dolphin Event Services
- Media Partners: Beacon Media’s Arcadia Weekly
- Parking Light and Support Services: Jan’s Towing
And the tireless Taste of Arcadia Committee of Volunteers, including:
- Bruce McCallum, CTO (Chief Taste Officer)
- Pete Siberell (Santa Anita Park), Administration & overflow parking
- Gil Stromsoe (Mark Shaefer Associates), Budgetary controls
- Aaron Rose (Avid Learning Resources), Volunteers
- Jerry Pavelec (Nancy Bond Insurance), Businesses Showcase exhibitors, including new car dealers and classic cars, and overall support
- Vicki Knight (Century Rooter Service and Plumbing), Business Showcase exhibitors support, and food/vendor recruiter, overall support
- T.G. Metzger (State Farm Insurance), Ticket sales, Promotion/Publicity/Marketing/Advertising, Monday Night Football Lounge
- Wayne Tay (Town & Country Event Rentals), Overall Facilities, Logistics, Layout
- Errol Simonitsch (Dolphin Rents), Rentals
- Bill Geist (Event Power), Electrical
- Mike Real, Food/Beverage vendors and Culinary Contest
- Don Fandry (Elks Lodge) & Bruce Snell, Security, Parking Control
- and Chamber staff Taste of Arcadia coordinator Jan Shimmin, CEO Scott Hettrick (sponsors, entertainment, publicity, co-marketing/promotion/advertising), and support staff Bonnie Wilbur and Cherry Liu.
