Taste of Hillcrest 2012

Yesterday was the 2012 Taste of Hillcrest.  It was an event that we had been looking forward to for a couple of months!  We have been to Taste of Hillcrest 4-5 times in the last 10 years.  Every time we’ve gone, we’ve marveled at the concentration of great restaurants in one neighborhood.  We bought the tickets before my cutting back of sugar and carb diet started a month ago.  So I had to cut back on the eating for a couple of days, and run three miles yesterday before the event.  It still was a lot of food and I was really full by the end, even though at some places I just ate a bite or two.  We went with our friends Dejah and Roby, which made for a fun afternoon of hanging out with friends and trying out new restaurants.

When you pick up your Taste of Hillcrest tickets at Will Call, they give you a punch card with the numbers 1-60.  There were 52 participating restaurants and we made it to roughly 26, although I seem to have photos of only 25.

1. Urban Eats Plates & Bar – pulled pork BBQ sandwich with cole slaw
2. Tandoori Hut – chicken tikka masala, chicken curry, and garlic naan
3. Saigon on Fifth – a chicken dish and a shrimp dish
4. Fig Tree Café – french toast with strawberry, mango, & powdered sugar
5. Pink Noodle – pad thai noodles
6. Burger Lounge – grass-fed beef cheeseburger
7. Luna Grill – gyro and grilled chicken with spicy hummus
8. Urban Mo’s – fried green beans with wasabi mayo dip
9. Fiesta Cantina – buffalo chicken wing & frozen margarita shot
10. Edible Arrangements – chocolate-covered apple slice
11. Ortegas Mexican Bistro – carnitas taco
12. Empire House – pulled pork taco
13. Freebirds – steak, bean, and cheese burrito
14. Bombay – saag, chicken curry, vegetable korma, samosa
15. Wine Lover – brie cheese on toast
16. Nami Sushi – california rolls, teriyaki chicken
17. Taste of Thai – cucumber salad, chicken satay w/ peanut sauce, pad thai nooodles
18. City Delicatessen – fudge brownie, vanilla cream éclair
19. Whole Foods – quinoa & veggie salad
20. Wine Steals – syrah and chardonnay
21. Mama Testa – green mole chicken & carnitas tacos
22. Baja Betty’s – carnitas taco
23. Gossip Grill – vodka raspberry chocolate cupcake
24. Golden Spoon – mini sized yogurt
25. Eden – tiny burger with blue cheese
26. Babycakes – chocolate martini shot (not pictured)

We had a great time, even though the weather turned from sunny to overcast and the temperature dropped by quite a few degrees while we were out and about.  Our favorite bakery Bread & Cie were on the tour.  They were giving away authentic French croissants, but I didn’t take one due to it being all simple carbs and butter fat.  I would have loved it though!

A few photos of us along the way.

We got free inflatable crowns at Urban Mo’s. 




The tiles outside of Whole Foods matched Roby’s outfit.


Todd, Dejah, and Roby in front of the iconic Hillcrest sign.


What a fantastic event!  Can’t wait to next year.  Perhaps we’ll try to hit up the other 26 restaurants that we didn’t get to go to first next year!  :)