Taste of Roxbury was bursting at the seams Monday night, as hosting venue Junction 46 neared maximum capacity of 500.
Lucky patrons were probably feeling to same way, after sampling the risotto, pizza, curry, barbecued ribs, alligator sausage and lamb stew, just to start, and then topping it off with a full slice of homemade cheesecake from Roxbury Diner.
Sixteen area restaurants offered samples from their menus and special dishes, while High Grade Beverages and Junction 46 offered a wine tasting. Patrons paid $25 at the door for tickets.
The 8th annual Taste of Roxbury was the biggest event ever, said Roxbury Area Chamber of Commerce vice president Linda Dora. It doubled in attendance from last year. The chamber split proceeds with the Rotary Club to benefit charity causes including scholarships, she said.
Diners were lined up the length of Junction 46 and Quality Inn as doors opened at 6:30 p.m. The feast slowed around 8 p.m. as many vendors served their last plates of
Sabretti's Hot Dogs and Wild Game owner Rohan Shetty holds samples of 607 pieces of alligator sausage that he served at the event. Like many vendors, he served every sample he brought to Taste of Roxbury, Monday, May 19.Photo by Karen Mancinelli.
food, surprised by the substantial increase in attendance from last year.
Serving to the end was Junction 46 owner Bob Weinegar, who said that he and his wife Janice had a home-court advantage. They served 40 pounds of volcanic chicken, 25 pounds of hot bites – chicken wrapped with bacon and jalapeno, and 250 mushrooms stuffed with spinach and mozzarella, topped with garlic and lime sauce.
Teri Messina of Flanders raved about Junction 46’s stuffed mushrooms and Irpinia Italian Gourmet’s mushroom risotto. After the tasting, she said she also planned to eat out at Fresco Mexican, which is near her home, and Morris Tap & Grill, two restaurants she had never tried.
“The desserts are killing us,” said friend Amy Mateja of Ogdensburg, as they stood by the Sweet Spot Bake Shoppe’s table of mini cupcakes, just around the corner from the cheesecake.
Sabretti's Hot Dogs and Wild Game owner Rohan Shetty served samples of alligator sausage, joking with the endless line of customers that he’d “wrestled it out of the pond this morning, folks.” He said he was surprised that he went though all 607 pieces of the slightly spicy meat. He ate the 608th piece himself. An alligator sausage sandwich with peppers and onions runs around $8, so he wanted to give area residents a sample so they knew that they’d like it.
Greeting customers as they came in the door was a table laden with Italian food from Cambiotti’s Tomato Pie Café in Landing. Owner Dave Cambiotti brought a copy of their new menu and served up penne in vodka sauce, spiral pasta with pesto cream sauce, and many varieties of pizza.
“I like coming here. It’s for a good cause. We see our regular customers and attract some new customers. It’s a good time,” he said.
Kristin Faroci, owner of Joe's Pizzeria and Restaurant describes the pasta Caprese that the restaurant served customers. Taste of Roxbury drew a packed house Monday, May 19, at Junction 46, the restaurant in the Quality Inn. Sixteen restaurants doled out samples of food ranging from ribs to Thai to cupcakes. Roxbury Area Chamber of Commerce organized the event and proceeds will be split between the chamber and Rotary Club to benefit charity causes. Photo by Karen Mancinelli for Lake Hopatcong News
Cliff's Dairy Maid drew a line. Taste of Roxbury drew a packed house Monday, May 19, at Junction 46, the restaurant in the Quality Inn. Sixteen restaurants doled out samples of food ranging from ribs to Thai to cupcakes. Roxbury Area Chamber of Commerce organized the event and proceeds will be split between the chamber and Rotary Club to benefit charity causes. Photo by Karen Mancinelli for Lake Hopatcong News
Felicia Stoer of Roxbury Diner cuts slices of homemade blueberry cheesecake. Taste of Roxbury drew a packed house Monday, May 19, at Junction 46, the restaurant in the Quality Inn. Sixteen restaurants doled out samples of food ranging from ribs to Thai to cupcakes. Roxbury Area Chamber of Commerce organized the event and proceeds will be split between the chamber and Rotary Club to benefit charity causes. Photo by Karen Mancinelli for Lake Hopatcong News
Chocolate cupcakes with vanilla icing from The Sweet Spot Bake Shoppe in Chester. Taste of Roxbury drew a packed house Monday, May 19, at Junction 46, the restaurant in the Quality Inn. Sixteen restaurants doled out samples of food ranging from ribs to Thai to cupcakes. Roxbury Area Chamber of Commerce organized the event and proceeds will be split between the chamber and Rotary Club to benefit charity causes. Photo by Karen Mancinelli for Lake Hopatcong News
David Cambiotti of Cambiotti's Tomato Pie Cafe cooks spiral pasta with pesto cream sauce. Taste of Roxbury drew a packed house Monday, May 19, at Junction 46, the restaurant in the Quality Inn. Sixteen restaurants doled out samples of food ranging from ribs to Thai to cupcakes. Roxbury Area Chamber of Commerce organized the event and proceeds will be split between the chamber and Rotary Club to benefit charity causes. Photo by Karen Mancinelli for Lake Hopatcong News
Family and friends enjoy their samples in the garden outside Junction 46. Taste of Roxbury drew a packed house Monday, May 19, at Junction 46, the restaurant in the Quality Inn. Sixteen restaurants doled out samples of food ranging from ribs to Thai to cupcakes. Roxbury Area Chamber of Commerce organized the event and proceeds will be split between the chamber and Rotary Club to benefit charity causes. Photo by Karen Mancinelli for Lake Hopatcong News
Thidarut Sinith of Twist on Thai serve a sampling of red curry chicken to Maria Dontas, who was working the Roxbury Diner table. Taste of Roxbury drew a packed house Monday, May 19, at Junction 46, the restaurant in the Quality Inn. Sixteen restaurants doled out samples of food ranging from ribs to Thai to cupcakes. Roxbury Area Chamber of Commerce organized the event and proceeds will be split between the chamber and Rotary Club to benefit charity causes. Photo by Karen Mancinelli for Lake Hopatcong News
At left, Jospeh Christoff of Anthony & Sons in Succasunna serves chicken scarpiello to a sampler. Taste of Roxbury drew a packed house Monday, May 19, at Junction 46, the restaurant in the Quality Inn. Sixteen restaurants doled out samples of food ranging from ribs to Thai to cupcakes. Roxbury Area Chamber of Commerce organized the event and proceeds will be split between the chamber and Rotary Club to benefit charity causes. Photo by Karen Mancinelli for Lake Hopatcong News
Gloria Long of Budd Lake, Maria Cattano of Landing and daughter Victoria. Taste of Roxbury drew a packed house Monday, May 19, at Junction 46, the restaurant in the Quality Inn. Sixteen restaurants doled out samples of food ranging from ribs to Thai to cupcakes. Roxbury Area Chamber of Commerce organized the event and proceeds will be split between the chamber and Rotary Club to benefit charity causes. Photo by Karen Mancinelli for Lake Hopatcong News
Vanessa Lynch and Brad Mundo of Morris Tap & Grill prepare tomato marinated shrimp with marinated citrus salad topped with pesto dressing. Taste of Roxbury drew a packed house Monday, May 19, at Junction 46, the restaurant in the Quality Inn. Sixteen restaurants doled out samples of food ranging from ribs to Thai to cupcakes. Roxbury Area Chamber of Commerce organized the event and proceeds will be split between the chamber and Rotary Club to benefit charity causes. Photo by Karen Mancinelli for Lake Hopatcong News
Janice Winegar, who owns Junction 46 with husband Bob Winegar, serve volcanic chicken, hot bites (chicken wrapped with bacon) and mushrooms stuffed with spinach and mozzarella and topped with a garlic lime sauce. Taste of Roxbury drew a packed house Monday, May 19, at Junction 46, the restaurant in the Quality Inn. Sixteen restaurants doled out samples of food ranging from ribs to Thai to cupcakes. Roxbury Area Chamber of Commerce organized the event and proceeds will be split between the chamber and Rotary Club to benefit charity causes. Photo by Karen Mancinelli for Lake Hopatcong News
Texas Smoke BBQ owner Scott Reid flips a rack of ribs. Taste of Roxbury drew a packed house Monday, May 19, at Junction 46, the restaurant in the Quality Inn. Sixteen restaurants doled out samples of food ranging from ribs to Thai to cupcakes. Roxbury Area Chamber of Commerce organized the event and proceeds will be split between the chamber and Rotary Club to benefit charity causes. Photo by Karen Mancinelli for Lake Hopatcong News
Janice and Bob Winegar, owners of Junction 46, serve volcanic chicken, hot bites (chicken wrapped with bacon) and mushrooms stuffed with spinach and mozzarella and topped with a garlic lime sauce. At right, customer Marc DiGiorgio of Succasunna gets a sampling. Taste of Roxbury drew a packed house Monday, May 19, at Junction 46, the restaurant in the Quality Inn. Sixteen restaurants doled out samples of food ranging from ribs to Thai to cupcakes. Roxbury Area Chamber of Commerce organized the event and proceeds will be split between the chamber and Rotary Club to benefit charity causes. Photo by Karen Mancinelli for Lake Hopatcong News
Roxbury Diner owner and cheesecake chef George Dontas cuts one of the 25 cheesecakes he served at the event. Taste of Roxbury drew a packed house Monday, May 19, at Junction 46, the restaurant in the Quality Inn. Sixteen restaurants doled out samples of food ranging from ribs to Thai to cupcakes. Roxbury Area Chamber of Commerce organized the event and proceeds will be split between the chamber and Rotary Club to benefit charity causes. Photo by Karen Mancinelli for Lake Hopatcong News
Maureen and John Cerra of Stanhope with samples of volcanic chicken from Junction 46 in Roxbury, the hosting restaurant. Taste of Roxbury drew a packed house Monday, May 19, at Junction 46, the restaurant in the Quality Inn. Sixteen restaurants doled out samples of food ranging from ribs to Thai to cupcakes. Roxbury Area Chamber of Commerce organized the event and proceeds will be split between the chamber and Rotary Club to benefit charity causes. Photo by Karen Mancinelli for Lake Hopatcong News
Kristin Faraci, owner of Joe's Pizzeria and Restaurant in Kenville serves pasta Caprese to Arlene Spencer of Denville. Taste of Roxbury drew a packed house Monday, May 19, at Junction 46, the restaurant in the Quality Inn. Sixteen restaurants doled out samples of food ranging from ribs to Thai to cupcakes. Roxbury Area Chamber of Commerce organized the event and proceeds will be split between the chamber and Rotary Club to benefit charity causes. Photo by Karen Mancinelli for Lake Hopatcong News