Monthly Aruba Culinary Festival at Divi Links

[Arubalisa]

First Monthly Aruba Culinary Festival on September 6 at Divi Links

http://www.aruba.com/news/cuisine/fi...at-divi-links/
For an exciting taste of Aruba and cultural experience, the Aruba Culinary Festival will take place on the first Monday of every month at the scenic outdoor plaza of Divi Links (next to Clubhouse).

The first installment will be held on Monday, September 6, 2010 from 6 – 9 pm. Restaurants of the Aruba Gastronomic Association (AGA) will be serving their delicious signature dishes and Arion Wine Company will be pouring its fine vintages. Local artists and artisans and live music will lend an authentic Aruban touch while Tattoo, Mi Dushi and Kukoo Kunuku add to the fun.

Savor the international flavors of AGA and Divi restaurants such as Amazonia, Aqua Grill, Driftwood, French Steak House, Gasparito, Giorgio’s, La Trattoria El Faro Blanco, Mulligan’s and Windows on Aruba. Learn more about food and wine, compliments of a professional chef and a wine specialist.

Admission of US $ 15.00 (awg. 25,-) includes 4 food tickets plus 2 wine tickets (or 4 soft drink tickets). The Aruba Culinary Festival, perfect for locals as well as tourists, is sponsored by Divi Resorts and the Aruba Gastronomic Association. Don’t miss it!
For more information, contact Aruba Gastronomic Association at 586 1266 or 592 6244.

[Arubalisa]

For those who remember it, this sounds like a revival of the old Watapana Festival. It was always nice for nibbling, mingling and shopping.

[badney]

Fabulous! I hope this is still going in Feb, as we will be there over the first Monday. I am a foodie and this would be so much fun

[PGinWA]

Many thanks Arubalisa for providing the information about the Aruba Culinary Festival. Should change my login to PG at CDM for 2 weeks, but at least we're here to report back.

Congratulations to AGA and Divi Links for hosting this event. Special thanks to the participating restaurants (alphabetical order): Amazonia, Aqua Grill, Driftwood, French Steak House, Gasparito, La Trattoria El Faro Blanco, Mulligan's, & Windows on Aruba. The food was excellent all round. The wine was from Arion - white or red, very good.

$15 provided 4 tickets for food - each giving you one appetizer sized portion of an entree. Also, 4 tickets for drinks - wine 2 per glass, or soft drinks, one each.

Some high/lowlights:
Best value for one ticket - French Steakhouse (Manchebo Resort). They filled the plate with Beef Stroganoff + focaccia bread, and added a free glass of wine ticket at their dining room.

Smallest portion - Aqua Grill. Although tasty, they provided a tiny Chesapeake crab cake that was dwarfed by the plate.

Special Mention:
Mulligan's for a superbly cooked beef tenderloin in port wine suace + a vegetable (couscous).
Amazonia for various choices of filet mignon, chicken breasts & sausages.
La Trattoria El Faro Blanco - a jumbo shrimp and asparagus wrapped in prosciutto ham + wonderful broccoli.

Everyone we spoke to was extremely positive about the event. All the restaurants provided great food.

Feedback to AGA was also positive, with a request for desserts at future festivals. We would have appreciated more vegetables with the entrees so that the meal was complete.

Anyway - mark your calenders for the 1st Monday of the month for the best food value in Aruba!

[Arubalisa]

"Food, Wine and Fun at the Aruba Culinary Festival
http://www.aruba.com/news/cruise-new...nary-festival/

The first installment of the Aruba Culinary Festival, an exciting taste of Aruba and cultural experience, was a smashing success! Taking place on Monday night, September 6, at the scenic outdoor plaza of Divi Links, more than 250 locals and tourists were wowed by this unique evening. A collaborative effort of the Aruba Gastronomic Association and Divi Resorts, this is the perfect formula for food, wine and fun!

There were unanimous rave reviews about the food and wine. The eclectic menu included abundant, exquisitely prepared signature dishes courtesy of restaurants of the Aruba Gastronomic Association and Divi Resorts. Amazonia’s perfectly-cooked chicken breast, sausage and filet mignon skewers were served right off the grill; Aqua Grill’s Chesapeake crab cakes with grain mustard sauce smacked of New England. Driftwood’s fresh catch of the day in Creole sauce and garlic sauce, caught by the owner himself, was served with pan bati (local corn bread).

The Manchebo Beach Resort was represented by its two fine restaurants; beef stroganoff, a favorite with diners at the French Steak House, was served with Italian focaccia bread prepared by Giorgio’s. Gasparito prepared two tasty versions of the traditional Aruban dish of keshi yena, one with seafood and the other with chicken. Mulligan’s beef tenderloin in a rich Port wine sauce was served with couscous while Windows on Aruba offered a unique trio of tuna sushi, smoked salmon with cream cheese and duck with feta cheese. La Trattoria El Faro Blanco spoiled guests with jumbo shrimp and asparagus wrapped in prosciutto ham.

The wine was flowing with Arion Wine Company’s fine Vendange Chardonnay California and Hogue Cellars Merlot (Columbia Valley Washington State), poured all night to appreciative wine lovers and perfectly accompanying the menu.

Erik van den Hengel, Food & Beverage Director, Divi Resorts, did an awesome job in working with his staff to create the perfect festival venue. The live music of Ernesto Ferro was the perfect touch, applauded by all the guests. Local artists and artisans and Aruhiba cigars lent an authentic Aruban flair while Tattoo, Mi Dushi and Kukoo Kunuku added to the fun.

Don’t miss the next Aruba Culinary Festival on Monday, October 4."

There are a lot of photos at the link above. They will make you hungry.

[Dom]

I will be in Aruba on October 4, it looks like I may go to the October event. Does anyone know the time it starts?

[Arubalisa]

Originally Posted by Dom

I will be in Aruba on October 4, it looks like I may go to the October event. Does anyone know the time it starts?

6 – 9 pm.

[MikeM]

This sounds great. I won't have far to walk at all for this.

[badney]

Is this happening tonight? I haven't seen any postings in the Morning News...I am not on the island, but hoping this event continues every month as we will be there for the first Monday in Feb and would love to go. Selfish, I know ;-)

[Dom]

I looked for it on Monday, but could not find it. I asked one of the security guards, but he had not heard anything about it. There is nothing in the local papers about it either.