Park Slope Reader

Taste of Fifth

A Satiable Taste of Fifth

By Leave a Comment Filed Under: Community, Eat Local, Feature Tagged With: , , ,

Prospect Bar and Grill, photography by Emily J. Davis

A Taste of Fifth 2019

A Taste of Fifth has seen yet another successful year, marking its highest ticket sales to date. More than 600 tickets were sold and a whopping $15,000 raised for the 15 benefitting non-profits. The excitement and merriment was undeniable throughout the evening as guests indulged in a myriad of local food and beverage selections on and around 5th Avenue. Returning veterans like Calexico (5th Ave. between Garfield Place and 1st Street) shared its famed Gringo Taco in adorable, colorful mini shells along with its delicious vegan Beet Tacos. Blue Sky Bakery, (5th Ave. between Bergen and St. Marks; 8th year veteran) showcased its token daffodil décor with platers of dairy-free veggie muffins such as  Pumpkin Apple Cranberry and Zucchini Strawberry Chocolate Chip.

Calexico
Simple Loaf Bake House

There was an impressive number of first-timers joining the fun this year. New businesses such as Simple Loaf Bake House (5th Ave. between 2nd & 3rd streets; opening May 2019) shared delectable treats such as Lemon Bars, Caramel Blondies, and Fudge Brownies. Also, Lizzy King Parlor (corner of 5th & Prospect Place) has joined the Fifth Avenue family boasting menu items which are sourced solely from New York purveyors including  Fleishers on 5th, from where their meat is purchased for the signature  pork sliders which were featured at the event. The Shaking Crab (corner of President Street & 5th Ave.) was on deck, marking its second participation. Guests sampled the spicy crawfish and head-on shrimp in a pool of ‘Shaking’ sauce: a savory mix of cajun spices, butter, and garlic with a kick.

With all the scrumptious tastes, there were many thirst-quenchers to pair along.  Zula Wines & Spirits, (5th Ave, between 11th and 12th streets, opened late 2018), had a constant line as guests enjoyed three wines – a Portuguese Rosé, an Austrian Grϋner, and a Montepulciano – and is co-owned by couple Amy Miles and Mike Robertson, and friend/comedian Amy Poehler. The featured wines are available for $12 or less. Brooklyn born Breuckelen Distillery (77 19th street; first time participant), stirred Manhattans and Gin and Tonic sippers through the night along with tastes of its whiskeys in the Grand Ball Room’s speakeasy as Hot Club of Flatbush regaled visitors.  

  • Zula Wine
  • A Taste of Fifth, 2019
  • Fogo Azul Drumline

The night was not only a fantastic opportunity for the community to meet restaurateurs and the charities, but was a treat for the hospitality community to socialize with one another.

The night was not only a fantastic opportunity for the community to meet restaurateurs and the charities, but was a treat for the hospitality community to socialize with one another. Owners of SkyIce (corner of 5th Ave. & St. Marks) were very excited about returning to A Taste of Fifth (7th year participant) and spending time with fellow industry comrades. The dine serves provincial Thai cooking and all-natural homemade ice cream, and offered Krapraw Gai Sub( a dish with minced chicken in a chili basil sauce), along with Thai Tea and Roasted Thai Coconut ice creams – just two out of the 300 flavors offered in-house. Prospect Bar and Grill provided its best seller Four Cheese Mac and Cheese, and a Roast Pork Slider with pickled cherry pepper, broccoli rabe, and mozzarella. 

All entertainment, including members from Fogo Azul, an all women Brazilian drumline, was spot-on for the festive occasion. Congrats to all participants, restaurants, charities, and the Park Slope Fifth Avenue Business Improvement District for a job exquisitely done! 

Breukelen Distillery

 Photography by Emily J. Davis

Eating a Tuesday Night Away at “Taste of Fifth”

By Filed Under: Eat Local Tagged With: ,

If there’s one New York neighborhood you’d expect to be getting down on a Tuesday night, it certainly wouldn’t be Park Slope. However, if you throw in unlimited tastings of both food and alcohol, the residents can and will make an exception. This past Tuesday’s Taste of Fifth proved to be a massive hit, with hoards of people eating and dancing their way through the swanky yet funky event space of The Grand Prospect Hall. If Jay Gatsby were to have hosted his own food festival, he would’ve definitely put this venue on his list. 

[pullquote]Taste of Fifth continues to be a festive and filling gathering of neighborhood foodies, families, and New Yorkers looking for a good time and a good bite, of course.[/pullquote]With three full banquet rooms of 40+ businesses, Park Slope’s varied dining scene was truly showcased; Vendors served everything from Thai street food and ice cream (Sky Ice) to miniature tacos (Calexico). With an ever increasing amount of cafes and restaurants stepping up to the challenge of conquering the Fifth Avenue dining scene, the yearly Taste of 5th is easily the most fun, cost efficient, and timely way of deciding where your next go-to spot in town will be…and reversibly, which ones you may want to avoid! While Park Slope boasts an overwhelming amount of taco joints, both fusion and traditionally presented, not all vendors managed to match the savory flavors and fires of your true, authentic street taco. Similarly, the vast number of dessert providers had great ideas in concept, but in flavor may have fallen short in texture and quality. Regardless, Taste of 5th easily displayed just how diverse Park Slope can really be in its food scene, as I myself walked away with double samples and my own mental list of places I’ll be sure to grab full meals from later on.

 

A speakeasy serving up Tito’s Vodka cocktails provided a true getaway for folks seeking alcoholic provisions, while live jazz band Hot Club of Flatbush fueled both foodies and drinkers with an excess of strong energy and plenty of high-tempo jams to dance off the calories. Plenty of wine and beer vendors also managed create “warm spirits” throughout the evening. Not to mention, this was an altruistic occasion. 33% of the cost for every ticket went to a local charity of the buyer’s choice. Thanks to a myriad of humble and local sponsors, Taste of Fifth continues to be a festive and filling gathering of neighborhood foodies, families, and New Yorkers looking for a good time and a good bite, of course.