14th Annual Wildwood Restaurant Showcase

A wise person once said, “when one or more restaurants gather together for a good cause, taste buds are sure to be in for a good time!” While I am sure that the wise person was me, this statement proved true the night I attended the 14th annual Wildwood Restaurant Showcase.

Restaurants from all across the island, near and far, old and new, joined forces to raise money toward college scholarships for Wildwood students.

I certainly had my cake and ate it too, literally. My taste buds went on an amazing adventure from a Stewart’s Cherry Root Beer float by Stewarts Restaurant with Johnson’s Popcorn to an award winning Red Curry Clam  Chowder by The Establishment at 100, Wildwood’s first farm to fork restaurant.

Served cold and fresh, I predict the Seafood Gazpacho from Coastalblue Oceanside Grill will be an amazing summer dish. After mingling with talented chefs, Chef Albert Paris insisted if I thought his gazpacho was amazing I have to check out the view at the newly launched restaurant on Atlantic Avenue in Diamond Beach. With a “Daily Gazpacho” on the menu, seeing that view might be in my future this summer.

Moving along to the next showcase, “The Wild Burrito” by self-proclaimed Burritologist Joe Carpente. Joe told me about his desire to serve a different kind of food. He definitely succeeded by serving his amazing guacamole and chips. It wasn’t just guacamole it was crabmeat guacamole. The menu has featured Burritos Galore for the last two years in Wildwood Crest, and people keep coming back for more. I am pretty sure The Wild Burrito will be on my family’s summer bucket list.

What did I mean when I said I had my cake and ate it too? I had chocolate covered bacon and fudge and chocolate covered Oreos all from Laura’s fudge. Laura’s and Wildwood have history, and I didn’t mind hearing all about it as I indulged on some strawberries. I promise I was paying attention.

Now, back to the cake. If you’ve never heard of Polito’s, they have been a South Philly bakery for over 30 years. Now they’re also a full-service bakery at 1700 Central Avenue in Wildwood after following their customers to The Shore. I will remember the display at Polito’s for a while. After seeing the display of 5 dozen cannolis inside one huge cannoli, you would too.

At the beginning of the night, I set out to try some food and learn a little about the culinary offerings of Wildwood. I accomplished all that and took my taste buds on a wild adventure. I cannot wait for next year. What a great way to spend a Wildwood pre-summer night – hanging out with friends, sipping a drink, and getting to taste the best foods the island had to offer.

Elizabeth NortonElizabeth Norton is the Jersey Bites Regional Editor for Cape May County and is a Jersey lover at heart. She loves Jersey Products, Jersey People, and Jersey Food. She runs a digital network for online moms who live in, you guessed it, New Jersey. She is a baker and sweet connoisseur and is on a personal mission to find the best place to eat brunch at the Jersey Shore. Her mantra is “Keep the Kitchen Clean. Eat Out!” She loves a good party and loves being a mom of 3. Her favorite night of the week is date night where her and her husband take turns trying out the newest restaurants Jersey has to offer.