On Monday, March 24, 2008, Dan took me to Taste of the Nation 2008 Washington, DC. Sure, it was a whopping $85 per ticket, but Dan convinced me that if we are to be serious food eaters, this was not an event we could miss. The event was also for a good cause and benefited Capital Area Food Bank and DC Hunger Solutions. You could feed your soul and your body all at the same time.

The event was a sensory overload. Over fifty of Washington’s best restaurants showcased their culinary skills, and over 20 vineyards provided a never-ending supply of wine. Some unique beers were also available at certain booths. Dan and I walked into the event in our jeans with sheepish facial expressions (we’re kind of shy) and were immediately surrounded by ladies in immaculate makeup and black cocktail dresses, and men in tailored suits and metro-sexual hairspray. I felt like a peasant intruding at an aristocrat’s debutante ball and just stood rooted to the ground, gawking with mouth agape and a hint of drool ready to roll out of it. Dan took immediate control of the situation and grabbed my hand, pulled me over to a table laden with the alcoholic bounty of the gods, ordered some exotic nectar called Cabernet Sauvignon and made me swallow. My vision cleared, my paralysis abated, and I was awkward no longer. I glanced at Dan and was amazed at how sexy he looked.

Fortified with alcohol, Dan and I plunged into the fray and went from table to table, gathering exquisite dish after dish before settling at a table to eat. Each restaurant seemed to be competing to outdo each other in presentation and taste, and the results were phenomenal. Lobster macaroni and cheese, filet mignon slices with garlic polenta, beef braised for 48 hours… We were determined to try everything, so we forced ourselves to conserve precious stomach space by splitting each sample between the two of us. There was, of course, delightful dessert a plenty as well, so we dragged our wonderfully drunk and rotund bodies to more tables, even after we were completely stuffed. The food was so good that I surreptitiously stuffed a chocolate delight into my purse, so I could surprise myself with it later. Eh? Qu’est ce que c’est? Mais, c’est du chocoloat! Quelle surprise.

Unfortunately, I got so intoxicated by the food and wine, that I couldn’t keep track of which amazing dish was from which restaurant. I just remember that my belly was fully indulged and pampered and coo’d at me in contentment.

This is an event not to be missed. They hold these events all across the country (you can find event information at different locations on their website), and I’m planning on dragging all of my friends with me next year.

Information

• URL: http://www.tasteofthenation.com
• Some of the participating restaurants: 1789 Restaurant * Belga Café * Berliner Distributors * Best Buns Bread Company * Bistro Bis * BLT Steak * Bobby Van’s * Butterfield 9 * Cafe Saint-Ex * Capital Grille * Carlyle * Caucus Room * Central Michel Richard * Charlie Palmer Steak * Circle Bistro * Dino * Farrah Olivia by Morou * Finn & Porter * Firefly * Hank’s Oyster Bar * Hook * ICI Urban Bistro * IndeBleu * International Trade Center at the Reagan Building * Kinkead’s * La Tasca * Lebanese Taverna * Les Halles * Locanda * L’oustalet * The Majestic * Mark and Orlando’s * Mendocino * New Heights * Neyla * Noras * Notti Bianche * Oceanaire Seafood Room * OLiVES * Oya * Perry’s Restaurant * Poste * Proof * PS 7’s Restaurant * PX * Restaurant 3 * Restaurant Eve * Ristorante Tosca * Rustico * Sam & Harry’s Steakhouse * Ten Penh * The Capital Grille * The Caucus Room * The Source * Vermilion * Vidalia * Zengo