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Pressroom

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 27, 2010
Contact: Mary Prier
Sara Steil
(757) 305-9064

Crab takes the cake at Homearama's Taste of East Beach

Critics’ Choice winner:
Photo by Sara Steil, Tidewater Builders Association
Capt. Groovy's Grill & Raw Bar took home the Critics' Choice award for its seashore crab soup on Monday, Oct. 25, 2010, during the Taste of East Beach. From left to right are: Executive chef and co-owner David Watts and Sandy White of Capt. Groovy's and Sandy Godwin of Hampton Roads Magazine, the event's co-sponsor.

It may have been rainy outside, but inside the Homearama homes, the crowds were lining up for a taste of warm crab soup, crab cakes, pumpkin soup, shrimp and grits, delectable desserts and much more at the Taste of East Beach.

Sponsored by Hampton Roads magazine and Virginia Natural Gas, the evening offered hundreds of Homearama guests the chance to taste local restaurant fare during their visit Monday, Oct. 25.

Eight local establishments served up samples from their menus in competition for the awards in Norfolk’s East Beach, the site of Tidewater Building Association’s 2010 Fall Homearama.

At the end of the evening, Captain Groovy’s Grill and Raw Bar clinched the coveted Critics’ Choice award for its seashore crab soup. Patrick Evans-Hylton, food editor of Hampton Roads magazine, led a team of local food writers in determining the winner of the Critic’s Choice award.

The City Dock at the Sheraton Norfolk Waterside took home the Peoples’ Choice honors for its crab cakes with sweet chili sauce and she crab soup shooters.

Peoples’ Choice winner:
Photo by Sara Steil, Tidewater Builders Association
The City Dock took home the Peoples' Choice award on Monday, Oct. 25, 2010, during the Taste of East Beach for their crab cakes with sweet chili sauce and crab soup shooters. From left to right are: City Dock manager Christopher A. Settimo, Virginia Natural Gas employee Mary Lou Vaughan, City Dock chefs Rena Armstrong, executive master chef Robert Cillizza and Patricia Harris. With the City Dock team is Taste of East Beach co-sponsor Virginia Natural Gas marketing director Tom Rumley (back row). For the past five years, every restaurant that Vaughan has helped during the Taste of events has won an award.

Also participating in the tasting were chefs from Carolina Cupcakery, East Beach Catering, Todd Jurich’s Bistro, Sandfiddler Café, Cagney’s American Restaurant and Ice Cream Parlor and The German Pantry. Chef Todd Jurich also provided a cooking demonstration and the recipe while preparing his pumpkin and crab soup for visitors.

Homearama features nine fully decorated and landscaped showcase homes, as well as luxury condominiums of The Villas at East Beach. Each home displays a distinctive architectural style and attention to detail that is synonymous with East Beach.

In addition to the showcase homes, an Idea Marketplace offers hundreds of products for the home and garden. Homearama is open to the public now through Oct. 31, noon until 9 p.m. Sundays through Thursdays, and until 10 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays. Ticket sales will stop one hour before closing.

General admission is $10 for a one-day pass and $17 for a two-day pass. Active duty and retired military guests and seniors (62 or better) get a $1 discount Monday-Thursday. A $1 discount coupon good for Monday-Thursday will be available at homearama.tv. Only one discount applies. No discounts Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Children 12 and under and guests in wheelchairs are free.

Presenting sponsor is BB&T. Official sponsors are the city of Norfolk, Norfolk Redevelopment and Housing Authority, Dominion Virginia Power, Monarch Bank, JES, Phillips Automotive, Titan America, Virginia Natural Gas and TowneBank. Promotional co-sponsors are RSVP Publications, Cox Communications and Pilot Media.