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Chef Lea Smith of Yellow Bicycle Catering Co., at right, serves a Jamaican barbecue pork sandwich to a guest at the 2022 Taste of Hoover event at Aldridge Gardens in Hoover, Alabama, on Thursday, Oct. 6, 2022.
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Shannon Harney and Erin Harney of the Chapel Hills community were among guests at the 2022 Taste of Hoover event at Aldridge Gardens in Hoover, Alabama, on Thursday, Oct. 6, 2022.
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The Jefferson State Community College Culinary and Hospitality Institute served apple gallettes with whipped cream and almond pralines at the 2022 Taste of Hoover event at Aldridge Gardens in Hoover, Alabama, on Thursday, Oct. 6, 2022.
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Brendan Young provides entertainment at the 2022 Taste of Hoover event at Aldridge Gardens in Hoover, Alabama, on Thursday, Oct. 6, 2022.
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People eat food samples and socialize at the 2022 Taste of Hoover event at Aldridge Gardens in Hoover, Alabama, on Thursday, Oct. 6, 2022.
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Nick Nicholson, general manager of the Buffalo Wild Wings on John Hawkins Parkway, serves food samples to Philip Lamarque of Riverchase and Peyton Watts of Ross Bridge at the 2022 Taste of Hoover event at Aldridge Gardens in Hoover, Alabama, on Thursday, Oct. 6, 2022.
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Karen Fairfax and Cindy Irwin of the Riverchase community sample food at the 2022 Taste of Hoover event at Aldridge Gardens in Hoover, Alabama, on Thursday, Oct. 6, 2022.
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Mayi Martinez of Pollo Lucas serves food to Emily Haley of Vestavia Hills, Alabama, at the 2022 Taste of Hoover event at Aldridge Gardens in Hoover, Alabama, on Thursday, Oct. 6, 2022.
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Tre Luna Bar and Kitchen served spinach and artichoke dip with pita points at the 2022 Taste of Hoover event at Aldridge Gardens in Hoover, Alabama, on Thursday, Oct. 6, 2022.
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Ken Harrington of Emily's Heirloom Poundcakes talks with Nova Biggs of Mountain Brook, Alabama, at the 2022 Taste of Hoover event at Aldridge Gardens in Hoover, Alabama, on Thursday, Oct. 6, 2022.
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Jerry and Nan Miller of the Bluff Park community sample food at the 2022 Taste of Hoover event at Aldridge Gardens in Hoover, Alabama, on Thursday, Oct. 6, 2022.
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Savoie Catering served hand-rolled egg rolls with collard greens and Conecuh sausage at the 2022 Taste of Hoover event at Aldridge Gardens in Hoover, Alabama, on Thursday, Oct. 6, 2022.
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Guests sample food and socialize at the 2022 Taste of Hoover event at Aldridge Gardens in Hoover, Alabama, on Thursday, Oct. 6, 2022.
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People eat food samples and socialize at the 2022 Taste of Hoover event at Aldridge Gardens in Hoover, Alabama, on Thursday, Oct. 6, 2022.
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Dana Olivier, Debbi Wood and Jan Harris were among guests at the 2022 Taste of Hoover event at Aldridge Gardens in Hoover, Alabama, on Thursday, Oct. 6, 2022.
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Rebbecca Copeland of Edible Arrangements, at right, serves Shaunda Williams a piece of apple covered in chocolate and Twix bar pieces at the 2022 Taste of Hoover event at Aldridge Gardens in Hoover, Alabama, on Thursday, Oct. 6, 2022.
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People eat food samples and socialize at the 2022 Taste of Hoover event at Aldridge Gardens in Hoover, Alabama, on Thursday, Oct. 6, 2022. From left are Kim Rodgers of Trussville, Alabama, and Dee and Rhonda Taylor of Center Point, Alabama.
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Wesley Dean of Big Whiskey's American Restaurant & Bar serves a beer cheese pretzel sample to Bob Slanovits of Pelham, Alabama, at the 2022 Taste of Hoover event at Aldridge Gardens in Hoover, Alabama, on Thursday, Oct. 6, 2022.
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Hoover City Council Presient John Lyda poses for a photo with Chris Talley of Yellow Bicycle Catering after Yellow Bicycle Catering/R&S Food Service won best display at the 2022 Taste of Hoover event at Aldridge Gardens in Hoover, Alabama, on Thursday, Oct. 6, 2022.
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Hoover City Council President John Lyda poses for a photo with a team from Pollo Lucas after the restaurant won second place for best display at the 2022 Taste of Hoover event at Aldridge Gardens in Hoover, Alabama, on Thursday, Oct. 6, 2022.
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Hoover City Council President John Lyda poses for a photo with Kara Puccio and Brittany Horn of Newk''s Eatery after Newk's won third place for best display at the 2022 Taste of Hoover event at Aldridge Gardens in Hoover, Alabama, on Thursday, Oct. 6, 2022.
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Zac Peoples of Savoie Catering serves an egg roll to Karen Mitchell of Vestavia Hills, Alabama, at the 2022 Taste of Hoover event at Aldridge Gardens in Hoover, Alabama, on Thursday, Oct. 6, 2022.
Tahara Evans thought she would come to the 2022 Taste of Hoover event at Aldridge Gardens Thursday night and then go get dinner afterward.
But this was her first time to go to the event, and she didn’t realize just how much food there would be, she said. “I don’t think I’ll want to eat for a couple of days now,” she joked after making the rounds of the 32 food and beverage vendors who were there.
The event is designed to give people a taste of the restaurants, caterers and drink providers in Hoover and a fun night out to socialize, said Tynette Lynch, the city’s director of hospitality and tourism and CEO of Aldridge Gardens.
Organizers sold about 350 tickets and gave out about 50 complimentary tickets this year, so there were a little more people than normal, Lynch said. She normally tells restaurants to plan to feed samples to about 300 people, so she was a little nervous they might not have enough food to make it through the night, but it turned out fine, Lynch said.
“We’ve never run out of food,” and this is the 11th year of the event, she said.
The Taste of Hoover also serves as a fundraiser for Aldridge. With contributions from sponsors lumped in with ticket proceeds, revenue was probably about $15,000 to $16,000, and net proceeds likely will end up about $10,000 after bills are paid, Lynch said.
Evans’ husband, Hal Wood, said he knew there would be enough food to equate to dinner, and he took advantage of the offerings. His favorite was the cornbread salad by Yellow Bicycle Catering & R&S Food Service, he said.
That was a new menu item, and it got a lot of good reviews, chef Lea Smith said. Yellow Bicycle Catering also served numerous other samples, including Jamaican barbecue pork sandwiches, chicken sandwiches, shrimp and grits, bread pudding and spinach potatoes.
Yellow Bicycle also won the prize for the best display at Taste of Hoover, with Pollo Lucas coming in second and Newk’s Eatery placing third.
Wood said he had never been to Pollo Lucas, a Mexican chicken restaurant off Lorna Road, but was very impressed with its food as well. He also is a big fan of The Whole Scoop ice cream shop and enjoyed the samples from Chattanooga Whiskey Experimental Distillery and Dread River Distillery, he said.
“All of it was fantastic,” Evans said. She’s an event planner who just joined with partner Donna Bishop to form Bishop Evans Events, and they will be looking for food and drink providers for their customers, she said.
Gloria Womack said she and her husband, Wally, of Vestavia Hills have come to the Taste of Hoover several times before, and she was even more impressed this year.
“I thought it was one of the best they’ve had,” she said. “The volume of food was wonderful. There were more places to sit.”
Wally Womack said his favorite was the bread pudding from Walk-On’s Sports Bistreaux and one other place he couldn’t remember, as well as a couple of samples of gumbo he had.
Karen Mitchell of Vestavia Hills said she comes to the Taste of Hoover every year because she loves the variety, loves seeing people and likes to find new restaurants she can visit. Her favorite dish Thursday night was the bread pudding from Tre Luna Bar & Kitchen, but “it’s all been great so far,” she said.
As people sampled food and socialized, they listened to live music from Brendan Young, a Nashville recording artist from the Birmingham area.
Food and beverage providers that participated in this year’s Taste of Hoover included:
- Baba Java Coffee
- Back Forty Beer Co.
- Big Whiskey’s American Restaurant & Bar
- Brock’s Gap Brewing Co.
- Buffalo Wild Wings
- Carrabba’s Italian Grill
- Chattanooga Whiskey Experimental Distillery
- Coca-Cola Bottling Co. United
- Dread River Distillery
- Edible Arrangements
- Emily’s Heirloom Pound Cakes
- GRK Street Cafe
- International Wines & Craft Beers
- Jefferson State Community College Culinary and Hospitality Institute
- Jimmy John’s Sandwiches
- Merk’s Tavern & Kitchen
- Newk’s Eatery
- Pollo Lucas
- R&S Food Services/Yellow Bicycle Catering
- Rock N Roll Sushi
- Savoie Catering
- Steak ‘n Shake
- Super Chix
- Taziki’s Mediterranean Café
- Teriyaki Madness
- The Casual Pint at The Grove
- The Happy Catering Co.
- The Joyful Food Co.
- The Whole Scoop
- Tre Luna Catering
- Twin Peaks
- Walk-On’s Sports Bistreaux
