Dan's Taste of Two Forks 2018 Celebrated the Bounty of East End Dining

Dan’s Taste of Two Forks presented by Farrell Building Company was the perfect love letter to East End dining on Saturday night, July 21. The enormous tent located on Bridgehampton’s Fairview Farm overlooking Mecox Bay was packed with visitors from far and wide, tasting the crème de la crème of local food and drink.

Chef, caterer and award-winning actor David Burtka kicked off the night with a toast to the East End, while husband Neil Patrick Harris and their kids looked on from the audience. After his speech, Gideon joined his dad on stage to show off his epic dance moves.

DJ Phresh, presented by Mohegan Sun, kept the party going all night with his sick beats. They were so infectious, even the chefs couldn’t fight the urge to dance.

Try naming a majot protein that wasn’t offered at Taste of Two Forks. Guests chowed down on lamb from Insatiable EATS Catering & Events, shrimp from North Sea Tavern, lobster from The Halyard, fluke from Simons Center Café, pork from Smokin’ Wolf BBQ & More!, beef from Spiro’s Restaurant & Lounge, yellowtail from Scarpetta Beach, scallops from red|bar Brasserie and The Maidstone Hotel & Restaurant, oysters from The Frisky Oyster, brisket from North Fork Bacon & Smokehouse, crab, chicken, and more.

There were lots of tasty goodies for the vegetarians in attendance as well, such as PORT Waterfront Bar and Grill’s addictive watermelon skewers and Calissa’s fantastic Hotos Feta cubes. Delicious salads were prepared by North Fork Roasting Co. and Little|Red, and The North Fork Table & Inn offered a wonderful corn soup.

RELATED: Dan’s Taste of Two Forks 2018: Photos from an Unforgettable Night

Art Ludlow, co-owner of the Fairview Farm property said, “I’m very lucky,” when it was pointed out that he didn’t have to leave the farm to dine out. Meanwhile, his brother Harry was doling out hugs and warm fruit pie samples. Guests attacked the desserts as soon as the event started, devouring Stop & Shop cookies, Chocology Unlimited mousse, North Fork Chocolate Company chocolates, Mademoiselle Patisserie macarons, Main Road Biscuit Co. buttermilk biscuits and ice cream from Shock Ice Cream and 63 South Chill Street all night long. And best frozen dessert tagline goes to…My/Mo Mochi Ice Cream: “Blow your mouth’s mind.”

Backyard Brine brought huge buckets of artisan pickles that paired nicely with Saaz’s plates of naan, rice and tender, mildly spicy chicken. If you were craving something a little spicier, the paella from Chef Peter Ambrose of Endless Summer Catering & Events was just the right amount of hot.

The papaya and mango salad from Highway Restaurant & Bar was bright and lively, and Buoy One Seafood’s salad of local, fresh corn, blue claw crab and black beans was great too. The giant chip served with it was the perfect tool to scarf it up with. Claudio’s handed out the most adorable carved, two-pronged forks with their delish scallop samples.

Oreya’s chickpea panisse could be considered the night’s ultimate savory dish, but the Hudson Blue Crab House mini crab cakes were unbelievably soft and savory as well. If they were any bigger, one might have filled up too soon and skipped the event’s countless other offerings. Which would be a real shame, since someone finally brought hot dogs to a Dan’s Taste of Summer event! Gurney’s Montauk Resort & Seawater Spa prepared BBQ hot dogs that were so good, only a vegetarian could pass on them.

The steakhouse fare from Hampton Bays’ 1 North Steakhouse could only be described as “mmmeaty.”Coral Tapas & Wine Bar in East Moriches never fails to put big flavor in their small plates so their offerings on Saturday night were no anomaly. Maison Vivienne brought a taste of French Provence cuisine to the forks of eager eaters.

Shuckers Lobster & Clam Bar offered up the freshest possible oysters with a choice of sauces in the VIP lounge. The horseradish called for a lychee cocktail from Jue Lan Club to wash it down. And speaking of the VIP lounge, it was huge this year! It featured spacious and comfortable seating and lots of other exclusive treats, including Jon Bon Jovi’s hard-to-find Diving into Hampton Water rosé.

The drinks were as numerous as the foods, and patrons enjoyed some of the very best of Long Island wines from Borghese Vineyard, Martha Clara Vineyard, Montauk Wine Company and Palmer Vineyards. While guests also
sipped Smirnoff Spiked Sparkling Seltzer, Campari cocktails, Jack Daniels, Tito’s Handmade Vodka, Aperol Spritz, Bai beverages, Woodford Reserve and wines from Anna Codorníu and Palm Bay. Anyone need a new summer cocktail recipe? Look no further than Blue Moon’s Summer Moon, a perfect blend of ale, vodka and lemonade. And who could forget the besequined aerialist pouring wine from above?

Thankfully, the party stayed cool and dry under the tent, although it’s not like a little rain ever hurt anyone. Many guests enjoyed playing foosball and cornhole, courtesy of California Closets, in the refreshing drizzle. Patrons enjoyed sitting behind the wheels of gorgeous Porsches—if only for a fun photo op. Did you notice there wasn’t a bug in sight? That’s because Twin Forks Pest Control sprayed the lawn with natural pesticides before the event.

Eternal Roses brought a rainbow of roses guaranteed to live for three years, and Fenelon Landscapes brought an elegance to the whole affair with their plantings and flowers throughout the setting. Patrons were also taken with their custom-made ensembles worn by mannequins.

Speaking of custom clothes, Chef Works provided the official Dan’s Taste of Two Forks chef uniforms, and they looked sharp! In addition to full tummies, Peconic Bay Medical Center sent guests home with nifty gift bags. There were goodies along the way to fill them up—notably Bellringer Security provided packages of Tate’s cookies. And Intellitec Security showed off their many advanced security devices and patrons entered to win an iPad.

If you missed it, don’t fret; Dan’s Taste of Summer isn’t over yet. Join us at Dan’s Corona MonTaco at Gurney’s Montauk Yacht Club & Resort on Saturday, August 4. The waterfront fiesta will be hosted and DJed by Hannah Bronfman presented by Mohegan Sun and celebrate chefs’ culinary twists on classic Mexican cuisine, paired with Mexican cerveza, specialty cocktails, wine and more! The fun starts at 7:30 p.m. and concludes with a VIP after party presented by Whispering Angel. Get your tickets now at DansTaste.com. Patrons must 21 or older to attend.