Taste of Greenwich House

Food Fest

More than 30 restaurants plan to participate in fundraiser

GREENWICH VILLAGE It's foodie heaven for downtowners, thanks to the Taste of Greenwich House fundraiser, now in its twelfth year.

The event takes place Monday, March 10, at the Metropolitan Pavilion, 125 West 18th Street (between Sixth and Seventh Avenues), at 7:30 pm.

Greenwich House ? a community service and education center founded in 1902 ? once again brings together some of the area's top chefs, representing 30 participating restaurants. BarBacon will be debuting with a pulled pork slider and pineapple slaw. Hundred Acres will be offering a smoked arctic char rillettes slider, and L'Artusi will be filling dessert with a hazelnut chocolate torta with praline crunch.

"The majority of our restaurants are based in the West Village," said Parisa Esmaili, a Greenwich House spokeswoman. But the event is "opened up to anyone who is interested," she added, which explains why The V Spot, a Brooklyn based, Latin-vegan-kosher restaurant will be joining this year's festivities. "It's exciting to have someone not from the Village," said Esmaili.

Along with BarBacon, which opened around three months ago, The Clam (a month ago) and Press Tea (last summer) are newly established eateries.

The annual taste event started as an initiative to raise funding for children's safety, part of a Greenwich House program that provides support and therapy for children who have been physically and sexually abused.

For the first five years, the event raised funding strictly targeted at the children's program, ultimately expanding to other areas, such as recreational efforts for children and adults to learn and practice their pottery and musical techniques; a chemical dependency program which aids New Yorkers in overcoming substance abuse problems, including a methadone initiative to help opioid dependent individuals; and a senior center which provides not only entertainment opportunities for elders but health and financial aid as well. The tasting event will also offer a live volunteer band, which will jazzify Top 40 pop hits, and an auction. Mimi Sheraton, former food critic of the New York Times, and the honorary co-chair for the event this year, became acquainted with Greenwich House through the auction. "She saw the ad that we placed and suggested to auction off a dinner with her and her husband," said Esmaili. The 12th annual Taste of Greenwich House will take place on Monday, March 10, 2014 at Metropolitan Pavilion, 125 West 18th Street (between Sixth and Seventh Avenues), at 7:30 pm. Tickets will be available online until Sunday, March 9, 2014 at 4:00 pm.