Guests at the Fourth Annual Taste of Elmwood sampled fare from restaurants in West Hartford’s Elmwood neighborhood and beyond.

By Ronni Newton

“Yum” was probably the most common word of the evening as approximately 160 guests enjoyed delicacies from Elmwood area restaurants.

DJ Darth Fader entertained guests with great tunes throughout the Fourth Annual Taste of Elmwood, held in the gym at St. Brigid St. Augustine School on Thursday night.

On a chilly February night, comfort food – like shepherd’s pie and chicken pot pie from Corner Pug, and beef stroganoff and bread pudding from Fernwood Restaurant – was a big hit.

Sliders Bar & Grill served up a spicy selection of wings that also added some heat, and Seoul BBQ & Sushi’s Korean beef and sushi were packed with flavor.

Arugula isn’t located in Elmwood, but the owner’s children attend St. Brigid St. Augustine so the restaurant joined in, serving up a delicious and savory Israeli couscous dish.

It was hard to have just one of Goldberg’s pastrami and swiss sliders, and they paired well with some of Café Louise’s bite-sized appetizers like the house-made potato chips topped with piped Boursin cheese.

Dessert was the provenance of Classic Cakes and Elmwood Pastry Shop. Cupcakes piled high, brownies and other sweets provided the perfect finish for the evening.

Maximum Beverage made sure that no one was thirsty with a selection of beers and wines as well as soft drinks.

Chick-fil-A is busily preparing for its Feb. 9 opening so they weren’t able to man a booth, but all guests got a promotional card for a breakfast menu item courtesy of Owner/Operator Daryl Jackson.

GOLFTEC will be opening on New Britain Avenue this March, and brought a mini-putting green which was enjoyed by guests – and donated the grand prize for the raffle.

Many guests also enjoyed chair massages courtesy of Nurturing Hands.

Other sponsors included Keating Agency, Jerry’s Artarama, Argelia Novias Gowns/Oscar’s Tux, Bristle & Blade Barber Shop, Sheehan Hilborn Breen Funeral Home, JP Carroll Construction, and Lux Bond & Green. 

West Hartford Media Solutions, West Hartford Magazine, We-Ha.com, and Eat IN Connecticut hosted the event, which also served as a benefit for the Elmwood Business Association and St. Brigid St. Augustine School. Organizers are also thankful for the contributions and assistance of Taylor Rental Party Plus, West Hartford Chamber of Commerce, and Merchant Solutions. 

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