AW Stories of the Month
Downtown West Palm Beach: Pairings Food & Wine Event
By Saucy Sarah, our “Florida Foodie” writer
I have gone to many food festivals over the years – “The Taste of” this, “Flavors of” that, and so on – and I have never been impressed with the offerings. I go in with my hopes high on sampling unique, local cuisine at its best and, usually, end up tasting an endless string of mediocre morsels offered up by mainly chain restaurants. I do not mean to come off as a food snob, but I do dream of a world where fresh, simple, yet exquisite food is the norm at an event solely produced to celebrate and highlight food. I thought I was a hopeless romantic until I attended the Pairings food & wine event held Thursday, May 29th downtown on Clematis Street. I’m happy to report that Pairings was a delightful event that fulfilled my Foodie fantasies of what a food festival should be.
Pairings is a smart event, highlighting and celebrating the charm and delight to be found on Clematis street. Clematis street, the once-vibrant hub of Downtown West Palm Beach, now overshadowed by the Disney-esque glitz of City Place, is having a renaissance. Pairings is first and foremost a reminder that Clematis Street is still here and kicking. For Foodies like me, Clematis offers a sumptuous buffet of eclectic and exciting restaurants. Many are independently-owned. During the Pairings event, for $25.00 per person, you were able to sample over 25 participating restaurants. Each establishment offered a tasty bite-sized sample which was paired with a wine selection or a specialty cocktail. A great way to explore the restaurants and chose the ones you will re-visit for lunch or dinner.
Here are the top 10 most delicious bites from our journey through the event.
#10: The hamburger slider at Bar Louie: a great little slider. Beefy and a nice brightness from the pickle.
#9: The Anticucho at the Cabana Nuevo Latino: Perfectly grilled skirt steak on a sugar cane skewer accompanied with a lively ceviche-like sauce.
#8: The bread & bacon dumpling fries at The Backyard Bar: a strange and wonderful hybrid, like poutine and bread pudding had a love child. Hard to explain, just try it the next time the chef offers it!
#7: The chicken kebob and hummus at Leila: Moist grilled chicken paired with creamy hummus. Perfectly seasoned.
#6: The cilantro falafel w/Tahini at Wine Dive: A new twist on falafel. The cilantro matched exceptionally well and was the best surprise of the night.
#5: The buttermilk chicken and avocado wedges at Oli’s Fashion Cuisine: As good as the best fried chicken I’ve ever eaten in the deep south. The creamy avocado paired well with the crunchy chicken.
#4: The lump crab cake at Longboards: A nice balance between crab and filling. Great remoulade with a kick.
#3: The pork belly with lentils at Pistache: Flawlessly rendered piece of pork belly on a bed of creamy lentils. The crisp apple garnish gave the right amount of sweet to counter the richness of the pork.
#2: The roast pork sandwich Arancini at Hulaballoo: Deconstructed pulled pork sandwich formed into a croquette with Arborio rice and deep fried. A true wonder on flavors!
#1: The Scallop Ceviche at Off the Hookah: A single, sweet scallop with the exact balance of flavors. Perfection. I already long to taste it once again.
I hope that you attend next year’s Pairings event on Clematis and see for yourself what a hidden gem this event is. Look for it again toward the end of May next year!
