Taste of Kansas City: Eat, drink and be royally entertained

There will be a culinary debut of a new product tomorrow night at  The Pitch’s annual Taste of Kansas City food-and-drink event: Hungry Monkey Party Bites will be introducing a new flavor, Kansas City Barbecue Popcorn.

“We’ll also be serving our award-winning wedding cake popcorn, our all-natural garlic toast popcorn, and our Bad Boy garlic and cheese popcorn,” says Hungry Monkey co-owner Dillon Bond.

This year’s Taste of Kansas City will feature 23 local food and beverage vendors — ranging from Westside Local and Waldo Pizza to Scratch Bakery and Plowboys Barbeque — sharing delicious samples of their signature products and dishes beginning at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, May 21, in the KC Live Block of the Power & Light District.

Armed only with a hearty appetite, patrons at the event can also sample the signature desserts, mini-sandwiches on focaccia bread and bruschetta prepared by Pezzettino Italian Deli & Market; the iconic Tippin’s bakery will be serving samples of freshly baked fruit pies (including cherry, apple, strawberry-rhubarb and peach). Crunchy cookies from Grace’s Best will also be on hand.

The delicacies can be enjoyed with alcoholic beverages, sodas, or perhaps a cup of robust hot coffee served by Parkville Coffee. Tyler McCall of Parkville Coffee plans to be offering cold brew Guatemalan Reserve coffee, pour-overs and cups of steaming Sumatran and Mexican java. 

There will also be bites from such famous local dining venues as Cooper’s Hawk Winery & Restaurant, Unforked, Morton’s Grille, the Melting Pot,  Pizza Bar, Hotel Phillips, and Jerusalem Café.  

Beverage vendors include Captain Morgan rum, Red Bull, Stiletto vodka, Tallgrass beer and United Beverage. US Foods is the event’s presenting sponsor; other sponsors are Vapur West, Mac Properties, and the WellSpring School of Allied Health.

The Golden Fork competition will feature six of the metro’s top chefs in a lively culinary battle emceed by caterer Stewart Lane and actress-bartender-bon vivant Missy Koonce.

Taste tickets cost $45 for VIP admission or $35 for general admission. See pitch.com to purchase in advance or bring a few dollars more to buy at the gate Thursday evening. The event is for patrons who are 21 years of age and older.