Burt Rose of Philadelphia and Ventnor said the bouillabaisse at Stella was the best.
VENTNOR – The Ventnor Beautification Committee held another successful Chefs Night Out, Sunday, May 19. The organization sold 275 tickets to the sold-out dine around, which has become an event locals look forward to every year. It was the eighth annual event, with 19 eateries sharing tastings of what’s to come when they book a reservation.
The highlight of the event was the food, but the ambiance was amplified with the sounds of local musicians strumming lite rock tunes, and artisans sharing their creations.
Diners hoofed it or arrived in groups on bicycles to taste small bites prepared by local chefs, bakers and ice cream dippers.
Enlightened Café offered organic dishes including a delicious rice pilaf with roasted and shredded Brussels sprouts on the side.True to its sustainability message, the cafe offered tastings in compostable cups with bamboo utensils.
Sapore offered slices of a variety of specialty pizzas with a mélange of perfectly roasted vegetables on the side.
Cardinal Bistro, which will be serving its last meals on Memorial Day and take a hiatus before opening a new place in an undisclosed location with an orange glow in Atlantic City later this year, prepared vegetarian tacos made with roasted eggplant.
Burt Rose of Philadelphia and Ventnor said the offering at Stella topped all others. The restaurant offered a saffron infused bouilliabaisse made with locally caught fish and shellfish.
“The bouilliabaisse at Stella is superior to any other offering I’ve tasted so far,” he said about half-way through his tour.
Speaking of fish, the sushi at Yama Japanese Fusion held a slightly crispy outer layer of rice that surprised the taste buds.
And the meatball served atop a polenta rice cake at Red Room Café topped off what for most Italians would be Sunday supper.
Funds raised through the dine-around will be used to beautify the city, according to organizer Shelley D’Orazio, who worked the crowd and put out a few fires normally expected during a big event such as Chefs Night Out.
Funds from past events will be used to assist the city in upgrading and beautifying the park at Ski Beach. D’Orazio said the Beautification Committee would likely purchase concrete picnic tables for the park.
