Twelve Mid City restaurants, chefs, grocers and more will be showing up and showing out at the second-annual Taste of Mid City this Sunday, April 14, at the Executive Center.
Jude Franklin, growth manager of the event’s sponsor Franklin Associates, says restaurants like Bistro Byronz, Elsie’s Plate & Pie, MJ’s Cafe and other Mid City eateries will serve samples of the classic dishes that they’re known for, plus off-menu items with a twist. Lesser-known culinary teams will also be in attendance, like the Baton Rouge General, which won the Taste of Mid City Fan-Favorite Award last year for its braised short ribs over stone-ground grits.
The net proceeds from the festival support local nonprofit and afterschool programmer Youth City Lab, located just around the corner from the event’s home at the Executive Center. Franklin says the goal is to raise $15,000 through the event.
|
|
|
Last year, Taste of Mid City drew in about 300 ticketholders. Franklin says that number is expected to almost double this year, with a little more than 500 people expected to attend.
“We were just overwhelmed by the support we got in our first year,” Franklin says. “And it was cool to see that many people come out for such a good cause and spending some time with us on the weekend (in) support (of) Youth City Lab.”
And while food is arguably the main focus of Taste of Mid City, Franklin says there’s much more to enjoy.
Taste of Mid City is a family-friendly event with lots of activities to keep young children occupied while adults can taste around. The event will feature a children’s area, life-size tic-tac-toe, face painting, bubble machines and more. Live music will be provided by Baton Rouge Music Studios, featuring multiple bands comprised of kids from the community, some of whom will be performing in front of an audience for the first time.
“It’s a way for us to give back to the community that’s given us so much,” Franklin says. “And we also get to help showcase Mid City as the culture and food hub that it is for the city. We’re just happy to be a part of something like this.”
Taste of Mid City runs from 1-5 p.m. The Executive Center is located at 250 S. Foster Drive. Tickets are $40 for adults and $10 for kids ages 4 to 12. Kids 3 and under enter for free. Purchase tickets here and visit theexecutivecenterbr.com for more info.
Here’s the full restaurant lineup
•Baton Rouge General
•Bistro Byronz
•Crafted Nibbles
•Elsie’s Plate & Pie
•Ethelene Pralines
•Mestizo
•MJ’s Café
•Monjunis
•Reginelli’s Pizzeria
•Rouses
•Spoke & Hub
•The Village Cofe’