Taste's great
Annual food extravaganza serves up plenty to enjoy
Last week, we headed north to Milwaukee for a look at Summerfest and all that goes with it. Today, we look to our own front yard -- Grant Park -- for all that's cool about Taste of Chicago.
Ah, the Taste of Chicago. Sweltering temperatures. Food on sticks. Milling throngs of sweaty tourists gazing skyward, meandering eight abreast and mopping barbeque sauce off their overstuffed maws. Oh, and let's not forget last year's outbreak of salmonella. We know you haven't.
If those are your only visions of the city's mega-popular annual music-charged gorgefest in Grant Park -- "America's City Picnic," as Mayor Daley has so jauntily dubbed it -- then there's probably no convincing you otherwise.
But that doesn't stop us from trying. Taste lures millions from near and far, and can be an enjoyable and possibly even a memorable part of your summer. Even if you're an incurable cynic, imagine savoring the varied offerings of 65 different Chicago restaurants -- including some Zagat-rated gourmet ones that'll set up shop at an aptly named Chef's Table. Recipes from Chicago's top toques will be prepared (and served) by chefs-in-training from the Washburne Culinary Institute. You'd probably rather dink with your iPhone (for which we can't really blame you) than soak in the strains of Stevie Wonder (who'll play Taste on Saturday) or, perhaps simultaneously, stake out a plot and chill with your honey beneath the (fingers crossed) starry skies and cloudless climes. As ever, there'll also be fireworks accompanied by the Grant Park Orchestra's performance of Tchaikovsky's bombastic 1812 Overture.
But you could dig it -- and much more, too. Believe it or not, there's a way for even those who've foresworn this 28-year-old, 10-day blowout as a tourist trap and public nuisance to actually glean a bit of joy from it. How? Two words: drink heavily. We kid!
Planning. It's all about planning and strategic strikes. That's the City's spin, anyway. Really, though, it makes sense.
"I think a lot of folks who've sworn [Taste] off have not been there for some time," says Cindy Gatziolis, a spokeswoman in the mayor's Office of Special Events. "I really do feel like the footprint has opened up a bit and there's more dining pavilions to go into. ... I also say to people, 'Have a game plan.' We have a Web site -- go on there, see which booth you're going to head to, get your tickets and go right to that booth. I think people don't realize they're sort of doing the same thing that everybody else is -- looking up and reading and stopping and blocking someone else. So if you have a game plan I think you can get through Taste and not feel bogged down by the crowds."
There's a bevy of family-focused fare, too. A Family Village area boasts everything from circus acts and kids' music, plus storytelling, face-painting, puppet-making, a 10-story-high Ferris wheel, a classic carousel and, new this year, an actual train ride. And in case you forgot the Huggies at home, Dominick's is sponsoring a baby changing area complete with free diapers. For those with untrained tots, it's a small but significant nicety that might just save the day.
Plus, for those with the time and inclination to jockey for position, the price is right (free) to see some top-notch acts in action at the Petrillo Music Shell. If you'd rather avoid the stageside scrum, there'll be two massive JumboTrons on which to watch the shows -- one more than in years past.
And by the way, Gatziolis says of the varied cuisine offerings that range from ribs and pizza to African delicacies and Cajun delights, "Not everything at Taste is on a stick."
Now that's just a shame.
EDITOR'S NOTE: The July/August issue of Draft magazine (a must publication for beer enthusiasts) cites Taste of Chicago as No. 2 on its list of Top Ten places in America to drink beer.