The fifth annual Taste Chandler culinary festival was held Saturday night at Downtown Ocotillo. Thanks to its new venue (it previously had been held in downtown Chandler), the event had an easier-to-navigate layout, better crowd flow, and more convenient parking.
Newcomer H&H City Pizza, which opened three weeks ago at Arizona and Ocotillo, handed out samples of its delicious wood-fired pizzas.
Tien Wong Hot Pot had spicy Japanese chile ramen made with house-made noodles, a new item that’s only been on its menu for a week.
After the spicy ramen, what better to cool your mouth than a root beer float from BJ’s Brewhouse? The brewery makes its own root beer.
Bourbon Jacks highlighted a pair of menu items: Its Sonoran pulled pork and its four-cheese Mack & Cheese.
Latitude Eight skipped this year’s fest, but owner David Fliger was pimping his soon-to-open Thai restaurant. Despite the sign that says “Chao Phraya,” Fliger said that won’t be the name.
CHoP, one of the restaurants located at Downtown Ocotillo, only had to bring its house-smoked salmon across the street.
The best thing I ate all night? A carnitas taco with “the works” from El Palacio. A little spicy, a lot delicious.
Street tacos were the most common offering. D’Vine opted for the shredded beef variety.
Part of the festival was held indoors, where the sushi from Otaku drew an inquisitive crowd.
You can’t have a Chandler culinary fest without beer from SanTan, the hometown brewery.
NYPD Pizza handed out samples of two pizzas – white and buffalo chicken. The latter is a new topping developed at the Chandler location. It doesn’t roll out at the chain’s other locations until November.
Porkopolis was dishing out brunt ends and cole slaw.
The Living Room offered several different kinds of bruschetta.
Shimogamo showed up with a small army of sushi chefs.
Instead of its coal brick-oven pizza, Grimaldi’s brought cannolis.
