It would take more than a little rain to keep the crowds away from Taste of Atlanta 2015. This is the first year I received media credentials to attend the Bucket List Bash, which takes place Friday night and serves as the kick off event for the three-day food festival. A small gathering of participating restaurants put their best food forward for guests to enjoy while listening to live music, gambling (not real money), and enjoying beer, wine, liquor and cocktails. Attendees get a preview of what’s to come on Saturday and Sunday, but with a much smaller audience and under the stars. I highly recommend attending!
Not all of the dishes at Bucket List Bash were gluten free, but DBA Barbeque, Max’s Wine Dive, and Community Smith served up some fantastic gluten-free cuisine. I am kind of smacking myself for not frequenting DBA Barbeque after trying their glazed St. Louis ribs with Texas creamed corn. I might have gone back for seconds and thirds of the creamed corn because it was just amazing. Made with cayenne mayo, fresh corn, cream, salt and pepper, this simple dish had all the great textures mixed with just a little heat. I could eat a bowl full and still want more. Max’s Wine Dive (sadly this restaurant has closed) braised oxtails over polenta was rich and earthy. The shrimp on sweet potato mash with succotash from Community Smith was light and satisfying with great smokiness coming from the shrimp.
Saturday’s Taste of Atlanta got rained all over, but still the crowds came to sample the diverse cuisine (Italian, Indian,Mexican, Venezuelan, etc.) from more than 90 local restaurants. This year’s festival featured snazzy new RFID digital wristbands, five hands-on cooking stages, live music, and a VIP zone loaded with booze. The new digital wristbands did away with paper tickets making it much easier (and faster) to purchase and eat. Simply scan the wristband to purchase. Chefs are working each table, so determining the gluten-free status of a particular food was quite easy.
With mud on my boots and an orange rain slicker, I braved the crowds to enjoy gluten-free cuisine from Max’s Wine Dive, Alma Cocina, gusto!, and 1Kept. Because I was still sort of full from last night’s festivities, I was very selective when spending my tasting points. The Springer Mountain Farms fried chicken from Max’s was tender and flavorful. Thank you Alma Cocina for the savory pork cheek and butternut squash posole topped with apples and cabbage. gusto! was a new restaurant to me and one of the only ones featuring “GF” on their menu. I enjoyed their tender chicken and chipotle mango avocado bowl. I am now a fan of vanilla panna cotta, especially when it is topped with bourbon peach jam. 1Kept’s dessert was on point and left me wanting more.
People with food allergies/intolerance should definitely attend this three-day food festival that is loaded with gluten-free cuisine from some of Atlanta’s top chefs/restaurants.
What was your favorite dish from Taste of Atlanta?
