Don't Miss It! I've Been Chosen as a Judge for the 2014 Movers&Shakers Cocktail Competition at Boston Center for the Arts (Cyclorama)

I have been chosen to be a judge at this year's Movers & Shakers cocktail competition this year!  

 

IT IS NOW SOLD OUT!  HOPE YOU BOUGHT YOUR TIX!  NONE SOLD AT THE DOOR...DON'T FORGET YOU IDs.

RICHARD BOUCHARD and MARKEYA WILLIAMS will join fellow judges ELIZABETH DOBRSKA and VERONIQUE LE MELLE on Wednesday, April 23 7-9 pm as they eat, drink and judge their way through the best food and drink samples that 20 of Boston's best restaurants have to offer. 

EAT. DRINK. VOTE.
Guests will gather as the city's best restaurants and caterers compete to craft a cocktail worthy being called a work of art. Fabulous food pairings will be presented alongside these creative concoctions to ramp up the competition, and YOUR vote will help to decide the favorites.

https://secure.qgiv.com/for/bca/event/48399/

2013 Movers & Shakers Cocktail Competition, Cyclorama, Boston, MA

 

I must say, this year's lot was much smaller and the overall energy a LOT less enthusiastic than last year.  The smaller turn out was a bit disappointing also because this event serves as a fundraiser for the Boston Center for the Arts.
There were, however, a few standout cocktails.  A few simply fell flat but the small bites were consistently good and a few were exquisite!





 



Hamersleys's Bistro served tender, pan-seared duck breast served over cool quinoa salad with spring peas and house made mustard sauce. 

Hamersley's cocktail,  the "Femme Fatale", was heavy on the Lillet and too light on the Bully Boy white whiskey and prosecco.  More bubbly would have elevated this cocktail just a bit.

 

If you love heat and citrus, Naomi Bevy of Eastern Standard Kitchen & Drinks created just the drink for you!  The winner of over the past 3 years, ESK's cocktails are fantastic in competions, events, and in-house.  "The Green Line" was made with Bully Boy white rum, Cocchi Americano (an aperitif wine), Creme de Cacao, chipotle, and lime.

Unfortunately, I didn't get a chance to try the sliders, but they sure looked great!

Aquitaine served yummy sweet & spicy chicharones paired with the most interesting cocktail, "The Root Choot" - made with Angels Envy bourbon, chili-spiced bitter orange, house made root beer, and Memphis BBQ bitters!  The housemade root beer neat was perfect!

BG Events & Catering, by far revealed the best display - elegant and tastefully colorful - the display grasped the attention of attendees easily.  They served a beautiful combination between nigiri and sasazushi with cured tuna on a kaffir lime rice cake with ponzu custard and hibiscus caviar.

Cured tuna on kaffir lime rice cake with ponzu custard and hibiscus caviar

BG's cocktail was refreshing with dominant cucumber notes on the palate.  The cocktail was a combination of  cucumber, lemon ginger tea and blackberry lime.

One of the South End's newest Italian restaurants, Cinquecento (Part of the Aquitaine group), served a pretty bland pink shrimp crudo with rhubarb and chilies, but I did enjoy their herbacious cocktail, the "Rhubarbella", made with Zyr vodka, house made verbeena cordial, rhubarb lime puree, basil, and soda.  They had me at basil!

The Beehive smartly, and probably unknowingly, took a page out of Off the Vine Catering Co.'s servings last year where they dish and cocktail was one in the same!  They presented "The Beehive Ceviche Bloody Mary" made with Zyr vodka.

Joy Richard

My personal favorite and the overall winning cocktail pairing was served by Citizen Public House.  Joy Richard served a frothy, coffee liqueur-based flip drink with perfectly spiced, moist house made sausage.

Common Ground Bar & Grill served a pretty mediocre cocktail but I loved their drunken pork dish.

Made with Angels Envy bourbon.

Avery Bar served another, more successful orange cocktail and by far THE best dish of the eventing - the citrus-vanilla bacon glazed pork meatball with spring onion and creamy polenta- I went back for seconds and refrained from thirds! 

Avery Bar's cocktail was reminiscent of an orange creamsicle.

dBar's cocktail was fantastic.  I loved the primarily kiwi puree-based drink.  The kiwi seeds added a bit of texture.  They served a pretzel roll with tomato based topping.

Dave Willis

We spent a some time with Dave Willis, Co-founder/Distiller of Bully Boy Distillers.  I was excited to sample their American Whiskey, as it was still aging in the barrel last fall during my tour of the distillery.

 Cocktail Competition Results 2013:

Crowd Favorite: dBar

Best Pairing: Citizen

Judges Pic: Cinquecinto

Save-The-Date: Movers & Shakers Cocktail Competition, April 10, 2013, 7:00-9:30 pm, Boston Center for the Arts (Cyclorama), Boston, MA

I am SO looking forward to this year's Movers & Shakers Event!  Check out my review of last year's event, here. 

If your are looking for fun, food, and tipples, this is THE event for you!  Only $35.00 for entry.  Purchase your tickets, here.

 

 

Come out and check out the best of the best small bites provided by local restaurants/chefs and brilliant local bartenders featuring spirits sponsors like Bully Boy, Angels Envy, Berkshire, and Zyr! 

Review to Follow!

2013 Taste of the South End @Cyclorama, Boston, MA

 

Maybe it was the excitement, or the lack of guidance by the door hosts, or my ravenous appetite, but though my friend and I held VIP tickets, I foolishly traveled onto the  main floor in childlike delight to begin making rounds before the major crowds, only to realize that had I only looked to my left upon entering or to the right while waiting for my coat check ticket, I would have realized the VIP Lounge was there awaiting our entrance...no such luck!  We were totally stuffed by the time we realized where it was at the end of the night.




 

I've attended several food and cocktail philanthropic events at the Cyclorama over the past year and a half or so, but this was my first Taste of the South End.  I will be sure to pay attention next time around (if I'm still in the city) or perhaps skip the couple of bubbly aperitifs with Mark at Hamersley's Bistro beforehand.

On to the Yummy Bites:

Haley House presented a nice spicy white meat Jerk chicken, with collards and whipped naturally sweet potato.

Keeping up with the spice, we enjoyed a beautiful chicken tikka masala, Basmati rice, Veggie Samosas and Saag Paneer by Mela

An interesting Indian-Italian fused Masala ravioli by Da Vinci Ristorante

 Kitchen showed off a number of pates, sausages and jerky.  My favorite being the hot smoked venison sausage!

Aquitane's Socca Crepes with roasted mushrooms, Swiss chard, and Cantal fondue

 Hamersley's Bistro smoked, spiced fish and dill cream topping

B&G Oysters' fresh, shucked oysters...

Beautifully, tender pork (whole roasted pig) served with Vigoron salad by Chef Rodriguez of Orinoco

Chef Karen Akunowicz, Executive Chef at Myers & Chang and one of my favorite chefs in the city, presented a lovely salmon and honey apple crisp tartare with a spicy soy vinaigrette, pomegranate, on an airy sesame crisp

 El Centro's lovely plates.  I absolutely loved the salmon dish in a light sauce with microgreens and tortilla crisps.  The zucchini and squash dish was lovely as well.

Fresh smoked salmon on baguette was served up by a favorite French bistro Petit Robert

I couldn't get past the truffle oil on Davio's gnocchi with mushrooms and shaved Parmesan

 Yummy deviled eggs with housemade pickles and pickled carrot by Chef Eric Gburski of Estelle's!  

Masa offered a refreshing habanero watermelon margarita and a delicious poblano vegan chili!

The Stephi's on Tremont team demonstrated real teamwork and served up a tasty dish of tender braised short rib over toasted brown butter farro, with Brussels sprouts, and butternut squash and fig glaze!

Whole Foods knocked it out of the park with their spoons of layered flavor, color, and texture:

Mistral

 Stir's Niçoise Salad

The Beehive's shrimp and grit with a nice roux and Cajun spice

I believe it was The Butchershop that served this beautifully rich soup:

The Gallows served these toasted marshmallow treats:

There were many more great dishes and my favorite wine station of the the evening was of course Rodney Strong!

Proceeds (ticket costs and auctioned items) benefit the Aids Action Committee http://www.aac.org/