Shore's Finest Eateries Show Their Stuff

Thirty-five of the area's finest eateries gathered at on Monday for the 20th Annual Culinary Classic.

The event serves as the largest yearly fundraiser for the FoodBank of Monmouth and Ocean Counties and features tastings from some of the Jersey Shore's best restaurants.

"It's the oldest, best tasting event at the Jersey Shore— that's the bottom line," Ellen Koment, the FoodBank's media coordinator said.

A $75 ticket granted attendees access to some of the area's most innovative cuisine and the creative minds behind those culinary creations.

For Chris Brandl, of Belmar's restaurant, the event serves not only as an opportunity to showcase his food, but as a means to give back to the community.

"It goes to a good cause to the Monmouth and Ocean FoodBank," he said. "It goes directly to the people."

Brandl served a short rib and wild mushroom risotto combination that was a crowd pleaser.

2011 marks the first time the event has been moved to the Fall. It had previously been held in May.

The seasonal change was reflected in some of the food.

Executive chef and owner Mark Mikolajczyk of Spring Lake's offered pumpkin seed crusted local blue fish with purple potatoes and saffron aioli.

"We try to bring a fall aspect to a nice, summer day," Mikolajczyk said.

While some restaurants in attendance were new to the event, others were seasoned veterans.

"We've been doing it for 16 years now," Darrell Wordelmann, general manager of Rooney's in Long Branch, said. "It's very important to us."

For the event, Rooney's prepared a tuna bruschetta with spicy guacamole on a toast point with a cucumber wasabi dressing.

Fine dining doesn't always mean fancy and some local favorites also made strong showings at the event.

spiced things up with their signature pork mole on homemade tortillas while offered the comfort of home with Guinness short ribs and cheddar mashed potatoes.

In his fifteenth year at the event, Michael Fotinos, owner of in Wall Township, felt that a tasting event was fitting for the occasion as the end goal was to help feed the hungry.

"These pantries should be full," he said.

Displaying what Fotinos refers to as "new American cuisine," Scarborough Fair offered both a tenderloin beef carpacio and grilled thai shrimp in cucumber cups.

Not to be outdone in their own house, the staff of The Mill brought out some of their best— chateaubriand over a potato pancake with a pinot noir bordelaise and a Vermont maple and burgundy glazed braised short rib over crispy caramelized Bermuda onion.

"It means a lot giving back to those who are hungry locally," Don Rodgers, general manager of The Mill, said.

By the time visitors reached the veranda overlooking Old Mill Pond, it was time for dessert.

Offering an assortment of cupcakes and teas, Kate Heath of Sweet Tease in Manasquan was overjoyed to be a part of the event.

"We're very excited," she said. "I'm a big fan [of the FoodBank]. We love to support them."

While the bar was open and cocktails were flowing throughout the evening, some preferred to have their spirits infused with dessert.

Lisa Porada, owner and cake designed of Chocolate Carousel in Wall served up a variety of spirited sweets in shot glasses with flavors including margarita, Guinness stout, mojito, Kahlua and cream, cosmopolitan, apple martini and amaretto.

"We just figured for a night like this it would be perfect," she said.