2018 Taste of Hoover enjoys a taste of fall at Aldridge Gardens
Cooler temperatures made for a pleasant atmosphere tonight at the 2018 Taste of Hoover event at Aldridge Gardens.
An estimated 400 or more people showed up to sample food from 26 Hoover restaurants, plus five caterers and several other food and drink providers.
“I think this was probably the best event we’ve had since I’ve been here,” Aldridge Gardens CEO Tynette Lynch said. “We had so many new restaurants because Hoover’s got so many new restaurants.”
Officials with the public gardens sold 350 tickets in advance and more at the door, in addition to some tickets that were given away, Lynch said.
This is the seventh year for the Taste of Hoover event. In some of the early years, organizers had to really push for people to buy tickets, but now people have heard about the event and the tickets are selling much easier, Lynch said.
Hoover residents Stan and Connie Shaffer said they’ve come every year. Connie Shaffer’s father buys the tickets, and they come and enjoy the food. “We love it,” Stan Shaffer said. “”It’s a great get-together.”
His favorite spot at the event was the R&S Food Service table, where he got a taste of some shrimp, roast beef, fruit and jalapeno poppers. He also liked the macaroni and meatballs from Carrabba’s Italian Grill and the ice cream from The Whole Scoop.
Sandee Poff and Taralee Smith may have earned the farthest traveler award, coming all the way from Bowling Green, Kentucky. They were in town for a women’s conference at the Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex and saw the Taste of Hoover event on a list of Birmingham area events and thought they would give it a try. They were not disappointed.
“We are enjoying every minute of it,” Smith said. “The variety — all the local flavors.”
Their favorite dish was the herb-encrusted pork tenderloin from The Happy Catering Co. It was served over haricot vert (also known as green beans) and mushroom risotto with bacon chutney aioli (also known as seasoned mayonnaise).
Tickets cost $45 for Aldridge Gardens members and $50 for non-members, which was a $5 increase from last year. Lynch estimated the event would net $15,000 to $20,000 for the gardens.
As people dined, they listened to music from the Birmingham Heritage Band, including everything from “Uptown Funk” to “Blueberry Hill” and “Somewhere over the Rainbow.”
Newk’s Eatery took advantage of the occasion to let people sample their new breakfast menu, which is already being tested in the restaurant’s downtown Birmingham location and will be offered at the Hoover location starting Nov. 1, said Sonya Jackson, who owns the Newk’s franchises in the Birmingham area. Birmingham and Hoover are the only test sites for the eatery, and if the breakfast menu is successful, it will likely be offered in all 130 stores across the nation, Jackson said.
Tonight, one of the Newk’s dishes served was blueberry lemon cream cheese French toast with real maple syrup and fresh in-house whipped cream. “We did not skimp. These are some good recipes,” Jackson said.
Other food and beverage providers participating included Back Forty Beer Co., Bruno Hospitality, Chattanooga Whiskey Experimental Distillery, Coca-Cola Bottling Company United, Customs Café, Dale’s Southern Grill, Edible Arrangements, Emily’s Heirloom Pound Cakes, Forest Bear Bakery, Fried Green Tomatoes, International Wines & Craft Beer, Jake’s Soul Food Café, Jefferson State Community College Culinary & Hospitality Institute, Jimmy John’s, Merk’s Tavern & Kitchen (at the Hyatt Regency Birmingham — The Wynfrey Hotel), Metro Diner, Moss Rock Tacos, Nothing Bundt Cakes, Panoptic Catering, Rock n Roll Sushi, Royal Cup Coffee, Savoie Catering, Simply Infused Olive Oil & Balsamics, Spoon & Ladle, Sprouts Farmers Market, Swamp Monster BBQ, Taziki’s, The Boot at The Grove, The Cajun Cleaver, The Cajun Steamer, The Greek Kouzina, and Vecchia.
Lynch said she’s already heard from several restaurants looking forward to coming back next year. “It’s great exposure for them, and it’s tremendous exposure for us.”
The Hoover Sun was a co-sponsor of the Taste of Hoover event.
This post was updated at 10:33 p.m. with a photo gallery and list of food and beverage providers that participated in the event.