Taste of Galena

What a great excuse to get out of the house for a great cause. Like the other reviewer said, you don’t really eat everything in the room, but the point is to show support for our local arts and recreation center.
A couple of points to note for next time:
1. Event is business casual/​cocktail dresses, etc.
It doesn’t really matter how you dress, but that seems to be how most people are dressed, and I am guessing you will feel like an idiot in flip flops and a baseball cap.
2. I arrived a bit late… about 45 minutes after it started and parking was zero. They are creatively accepting of parking where you can, but your life will be easier if you get there earlier.
3. Scope everything out before you get started. There are way too many vendors to get to try everything, so take your time, try only one bite, etc.
Parking was kind of a complaint, but the other real complaint I would have is that I could only find two trash cans and they were full. Eagle Ridge resort is our host and they were doing a great job, but perhaps they just needed some more trash cans.
The trash and parking almost bring this to a 3 star event, but the coat check and welcoming nature of the organizers and staff definitely make up for it.
OH! and let’s not forget the jazz quartet they seem to have booked every year: Rob Martinsen. Excellent.

2010 — My first time at the taste of Galena, what a blast.
Tons of food and drinks from the top dinning places in Galena. In my opinion, if a restaurants in Galena doesn’t show up here then they aren’t worth dinning at. I know it’s on a weekend night and puts a lot of strain on them to support there customers and also do this extra event, but it proves to me they take their food seriously.
Notes:
Tickets — the food items are all ticket based, you get a roll of 20 tickets and each establishment gives a value of # of tickets for each food item, there are plenty of tickets for you to get a tummy full of food. Mostly the vendors don’t care if you’ve got enough tickets or not, it’s mainly a way to prevent folks from a little over indulging, but that didn’t stop me.
My Notes:
Driving — this time of year it gets dark early — so bring your favorite GPS to navigate quickly to the event. I don’t know this neck of the woods very well and there are a lot of signs — but some don’t point in the direction I’m driving.
Parking — Come early as good parking is tough to find if you’re running ½ hour late. :(
Bar — Cash bar at the event, if you want to drink Galena Wine use your tickets but if you drink diet coke like me, bring a few bucks.
Food — There is a wide variety of food to sample and it changes every year, check their website to see which foods will be there.
(tons of pictures from this year’s event — check it out)
Duration — Okay, I arrived a ½ hour late but I stayed until the place closed down that’s unusual for me — I like to peek in, say I was here and then leave. so what does that tell you?
People — in 2010 this event had about 300 or more folks at it but the place could have supported more, which is great.
Weather — it’s in the winter time and wearing your warmest coat isn’t a problem because they have a coat check down stairs and it’s worth a buck to me to not lug my winter parka.
Bonus — Okay, so the event is to have the local restaurant dive for bragging rights to own the choice «Taste of Galena» award. You vote, so make sure you take notes and choose wisely, some take this very seriously and «go balls to the wall» — all out in presentation and quality.
Child Care — This year they had child care for your kids during the time of this event, sweeeeeeeeeeeeeeet! That’s how I was able to go! The kids had a great time at their Kids Club Styled Party and so did Dad and Mom at the Taste!

Last Friday I attended the Taste of Galena for the first time. Taste of Galena is a benefit for the Galena Art & Recreation Center (ARC) and is held at the Eagle Ridge Resort & Spa. It is described as an «opportunity to sample the full spectrum of Galena’s finest – from restaurants to wineries and candy makers to cheesecake bakers». This year’s was their 20^th Annual Taste of Galena.
I have been to Taste of Chicago many times over the years and think of it as as crowded with long lines and hot with sweaty people in t-​shirts and shorts intent on eating. Not much fun. Taste of Galena was crowded with short, or no, lines, climatically controlled, and with better dressed people intent on eating. Much more fun. Neither is very conducive to savoring food but they do give you an idea. Nor are they bargains but the Galena Taste is a benefit for a good cause. Both are entertaining.
What I most remember about this year’s Taste of Galena is the garlic stew/​soup from the Galena Garlic Company and the portabello mushroom soup from the Market House Tavern. If the point of having a table at a Taste event is to get people to come to your restaurant /​store I think the most successful table was the Galena Garlic Company. They gave out gift cards with $ 5 credit you could use at the store and a little packet of garlic spice.
I voted for the Little Tokyo as the best restaurant.