The popular Taste of Tribeca school fund-raiser returns to Duane St. between Greenwich and Hudson Sts. on Saturday May 20 for its 23rd year.
BY JACKSON CHEN
Foodies and fundraisers will flood Duane Street on May 20 for the 23rd-annual Taste of Tribeca event.
The Saturday event kicks off at 11:30 a.m. with more than 60 neighborhood restaurants lining Duane Street between Greenwich and Hudson streets. Patrons will get a tasting card — $45 if you preorder, $55 if you buy it the day of — that redeems for six dishes and three drinks.
The proceeds will go towards arts and enrichment programs for the nearby schools, PS 150 and PS 234.
Several restaurants are returning for their 23rd appearance to offer signature dishes, some of which are exclusive to the event.
Madeline Lanciani, the owner of Duane Park Patisserie, said she’s whipping up molten chocolate cakes topped off with bittersweet chocolate sauce that she only makes for the Taste of Tribeca, explaining that her children attended both the public schools the event benefits.
“I was closely associated with the schools, and I still am even though my kids are adults now,” Lanciani said. “I still contribute to the school because it’s part of the fabric of our neighborhood and part of what makes Tribeca such a cool little town.”
Those seeking bittersweet decadence should stop by Lanciani’s booth early, since her molten cakes seem to a crowd favorite. The pastry chef said she’s expected to provide up to 800 of the cakes, but over the years, she’s learned to pack a few more.
“I always make at least 100 extra and even when those are gone, people are still waiting in line for more,” Lanciani said.
If your sweet tooth is still craving for more, another longtime festival restaurant is offering its take on a simple pastry. Tribeca Grill’s executive chef Scott Burnett said he’d be carrying on the tradition, offering a honey-glazed French cruller.
The festival will also be offering aperitifs and digestifs through the third-annual Beer and Cider Tour of Tribeca.
Visitors can apply two of their tasting cards’ three drinks to pours of beer or cider from the participating breweries, and use the remaining slot to enjoy one of several non-alcoholic drinks on offer, such as cold-brew coffee or artisanal sodas.
And the organizers haven’t forgotten about the tots — kids can attend the interactive pasta-making station hosted by Eataly NYC Downtown where they’ll learn to make pasta from scratch, and get to taste their creation afterwards.
Tribeca Grill’s sister restaurant, Bâtard will be making its Taste of Tribeca debut this year.
“We knew about the event for quite a while and always wanted to be part of the neighborhood,” said Bâtard’s executive chef and co-owner Markus Glocker. “It’s nice to have a community around your restaurant and I think it’s a great event to showcase your restaurant.”
Combining his Austrian background, affinity for schnitzel, and his co-owner’s Indiana roots, Glocker will be offering a fried pork tenderloin sandwich with slaw, lettuce, and tomatoes on brioche buns. Just recently coming onto the Tribeca culinary map, Glocker said he’s hoping to get the Bâtard name out into the local scene.
“Tribeca is a fantastic restaurant neighborhood,” Glocker said. “It’s family driven, people dine out, and people travel down here for the experience. It’s what we love about it.”
