Wrightsville Beach, NC – At the Blue Water Grill parking lot, the Taste of Wrightsville Beach and island restaurants put on an amazing show of creative culinary delights in all categories of savory and sweet dishes. Taste of Wrightsville Beach is a charity fundraiser for Weekend Meals on Wheels.
Patrons were able to sample over 20 culinary dishes and over 15 flavors of beers, wines, and spirits. The crowd was lively and happily chose the “People Choice” category awards.
Celebrity Judges, comprised of well-known chefs and journalists, judged all of the entries to choose the winners listed below in a close, blind vote
Judges Overall Dish
1st place – EAST at BLOCKADE RUNNER’S Cocoa and red wine braised beef with black bean puree and plantain chips
2nd place – EAST at BLOCKADE RUNNER’S Horchata cupcake with spice buttercream frosting
3rd place – FISH HOUSE with Southern Style Fish Stew
Best Savory Dish
1st place – EAST at BLOCKADE RUNNER’S Cocoa and red wine braised beef with black bean puree and plantain chips
2nd place – POES TAVERN’S pimento cheese sliders with jalapeno jack cheese and Pico de gallo sliders
3rd place – KING NEPTUNE’S sliced beef short rib with chimichurri and parmesan
Best Sweet Dish
1st place – EAST at BLOCKADE RUNNER’S Horchata cupcake with spice buttercream frosting
2nd place – BEACH BAGEL’S Monkey Bread
3rd place – NOTHING BUNDT CAKE-Moist and delicious bites of pumpkin spice bundt cakes with our signature butter cream cheese frosting
People’s Choice Dish
1st place – PORT LAND GRILL’s balsamic-espresso glazed beef short ribs over yukon gold mashed with pickled shallots, pomegranate, beef tallow breadcrumbs and micro greens
2nd place – BLUEWATER GRILL’s redneck Rockefeller style roasted oysters topped with pimento cheese and bacon crumble
3RD PLACE – GELARTO’S GELATO made with fresh ingredients and milk from our own herd of cows grazing in the alps near Turin, Italy
People’s Choice Beer
1st place – WATERMAN’S BREWING COMPANY
2nd place – WILMINGTON BREWING COMPANY
3rd place – CATAWBA BREWING
People’s Choice Wine
1st place – NONI BACCA
2nd – WINDHAM DISTRIBUTING
3rd place – PRESTIGE BEVERAGE COMPANY
