An extravaganza for tastebuds

More than 50 food and drink purveyors at Taste of Petaluma|

Taste of Petaluma organizer Laura Sunday has done it again. She, and her friends at Cinnabar Theater, have put together a culinary extravaganza that will knock your socks off.

Now in its ninth year, the Taste of Petaluma is a culinary tour of what Petaluma has to offer to eager tastebuds. On Saturday Aug. 23, there will be more than 50 local food purveyors featured at locations throughout downtown Petaluma, each offering a sample of what they produce. The tour will wind participants through Theatre Square and Walnut Park, up and down Petaluma Boulevard and Kentucky Streets, with a zip up to Western and Washington Streets, and across the Petaluma River via the Balshaw footbridge.

Each taste replicates what each food purveyor would consider a $4 serving in their establishment. Here is just a sampling of what Taste of Petaluma diners can expect.

Paradise Sushi’s chef Gustavo Martinez will be serving two pieces each of his Ninja Roll and Ocean Roll. The Ninja Roll has shrimp tempura and crab topped with tuna, avocado, red snapper, tobiko (fish roe), eel sauce and spicy mayo. The Ocean Roll has calamari tempura and cream cheese with salmon, lemon slices, crab, scallions and eel sauce. Paradise Sushi is located in the River Plaza on East Washington Street, along with Everest Indian Restaurant and Taps Restaurant, which are also participating in Taste of Petaluma. Taps will be serving lamb gyros with tzatziki sauce and root vegetable chips. Everest will have vegetable biriyani, fried rice with cashes, cranberries and raisins and/or lamb kabobs.

Wishbone, which will be hosted by the Phoenix Theater since their own restaurant is too far off the walking tour, will offer guests a taste of their riff on a BLT, made of bacon jam, house made sourdough bread and sun gold tomatoes.

Twisted 2 will serve a plate of sashimi and a taste of sauvignon blanc from their extensive wine collection. Thistle Meats will provide samples of their house-made sausages, patés and terrines, accompanied by a pour of McEvoy Ranch’s Rosebud Rosé.

Sax’s Joint, which is being hosted by Marisa’s Fantasia at 29 Petaluma Blvd. North, will be serving up its crispy, seasoned fried chicken fingers in house- made country gravy. For something sweet, Sax’s will also have mini cupcakes in a variety of flavors for sampling. To satisfy the sweet tooth even more, they will be selling “Me-Maw’s” homemade jams and their gigantic, icing glazed cinnamon rolls, which Sax co-owner Tiffany Saxelby says sell out every morning at the restaurant.

Taste of Petaluma is a fundraiser for Cinnabar Theater. Tickets can be purchased online through the Cinnabar Theater box office, or at Blush Collections, Velvet Ice or Gallery One, all located in downtown Petaluma.

In addition to all the food offerings, there will also be entertainment at stages throughout the tour, and for those who find themselves wanting a ride, the Petaluma Pedi-Cab will be available for hire.

If all that’s not enough, there will be an after-taste party starting at 4 p.m. at Zodiacs offering even more music, dancing and food, and featuring Northern California craft beers.

Tickets are $40 and include 10 tasting tickets. Maps and advance tickets, as well as wrist bands that allow guests to sample alcoholic beverages, are available at will call, which will be located at Putnam Plaza beginning at 10:30 a.m. on the day of the event. If 10 tastes are not enough, you can purchase more taste tickets for $4 each. But having recently been on a mini tour to preview the event, it’s hard to imagine that 10 tastes will not be enough to satisfy even the heartiest of diners.

Taste of Petaluma takes place from 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Aug. 23. Admission is limited to 1,500 diners and frequently sells out.

If you want to attend, you are advised to get your tickets soon, and not wait until the day of the event.

For more information, to view a menu and locations and to purchase tickets, go online to tasteofpetaluma.org.

(Contact Lynn Haggerty King at argus@arguscouri er.com)

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