A Feast of the Senses at the Taste of Willow Grove

On Dec. 4, was host to over 20 local restaurants, food and wine sellers showcasing their best at the Willow Grove Chamber of Commerce’s annual “Taste of Willow Grove.” 

A ticket cost $20 in advance, and $25 at the door, and provided guests with a feast for the senses (and the waistline.) 

Gorgeous poinsettias lined in the lush interior spaces as participants wound down the ramp and lined up to sample and schmooze amid sounds of the season from violins, cellos, and strolling carolers.

The event was packed with local foodies, township commissioners, and business sponsors eager to taste all that Willow Grove had to offer. 

Newly opened restaurants Mad Mex, Bravo!, and (coming soon) participated, alongside Willow Grove staples like Weinrich’s Bakery.

Mad Mex, which opened on Moreland Road in November, was dishing out blue and yellow tortilla chips with your choice of dip. The avocado tomatillo salsa, bright green and flecked with cilantro zipped with the tang of the tomatillos, while the guacamole was creamy, chunky and pleasantly garlicky.

Bravo! Italian Bistro chefs dolled out tastes of their blushingly pink lobster bisque, spiked with sherry and bits of lobster meat, and caramelized the sugar atop creamy cool crème brulee, while Miller’s Ale House dished out a smoky jambalaya made with wild rice, small shrimp, spicy sausage, and soft peppers.  Miller’s sign read, “Home of the Zinger,” which is a fried chicken tender dipped in one of their many sauces.  There, they were offering a bath in the Original Sauce, which packed a punch in the spice department.

Nearby bar , offered their signature devilled egg, truly devilish in heat and made even more sinful with bacon.  And, local Beer Garden and German staple, , had a mélange of wursts – smooth creamy Weisswursts, big and hearty hot-dog-like Bockwursts, and spiced Hungarian Bratwurst – embedded in a mild soft sauerkraut flavored by whole juniper berries.

Known as another local watering hole, but new to the public dining scene, the was serving samples of their spicy chili and a tomato vodka soup, which was thin, but flavorful and it warmed patrons’ throats with alcohol heat. 

Italian flavors dominated at the , Village Italian Bistro, Vintage Bar, and Grandmom’s Grotto booths. 

Carrabba’s was handing out soft, herby meatballs smothered in tomato sauce and parmesan cheese, a chicken marsala that got good reviews from my table mates, and a ruby red super sweet sangria with a big blackberry.

The Village Italian Bistro in Hatboro had three dishes to try – a Chicken Francaise dripping in a savory white wine sauce, a penne in a pink tomato cream sauce, and an exceptionally tasty pasta dish called Village Delight with sautéed spinach and chicken in a light sauce.

The Vintage Bar and Grill on York Road in Abington also offered penne vodka, and chicken marsala, while Grandmom’s Grotto were trying to get patrons excited about gluten free food like their tomato pie. 

Students from were cooking crabcakes to order and serving them up golden brown with a chipotle remoulade.  Full of crabmeat, the cakes paired well with the sauce, which was creamy with resonating heat. 

Eastern students seemed to be working the always tasty French and Thai restaurant booth, which offered fried rice, edamame, and tasty pot stickers that were slightly spicy with notable scallion, and topped with a neon orange spicy chili sauce.

offered sandwiches and chips, and had a spread that included slices of their ham, cake and cookies.  Honey Baked Ham also presented a tasty and tender pulled pork, and a melt-in-your mouth savory beef brisket rich with tiny pockets of delicious fat.

had a table offering Swedish Meatballs, cream puffs and cheesecake squares. Other desserts included Truly Custom Cakery, which displayed a lovely tiered wedding cake and a digital slide show of cake possibilities. Their pound cake, spiked with whole blueberries and spread with lemon curd, was moist and topped with buttercream icing.

Willow Grove’s quintessential bakery, , had quite a display of holiday decorated petit-fours, jelly rolls, napoleons, and chocolate éclairs.  Even Santa, known well for his sweet tooth, was seen tasting something sugary at the Weinrich’s booth.

Other consultant businesses like Tastefully Simple and Dove Chocolate Discoveries offered tasty treats as well as in-home demonstrations and parties.  Edible Arrangements occupied a booth and offered chocolate covered strawberries and oranges artfully placed to look like a bouquet.

Though some food ran out, surely no one left hungry. Willow Grove Chamber of Commerce president John DiMarzio reminded everyone to mark their calendars for next year, as they intend to keep up this annual tradition emphasizing community camaraderie and the international flavors available right here in our own little town.