Feast Wilmingon- Day 3, Craft and Cuisine, Sunday Brunch, March 24

      The last day of the event was Sunday Brunch. This day featured a wide range of local breweries in addition to more restaurants. I have listed the breweries at the end of this post, along with the beers they served, because a lot of the restaurants are also breweries. On the day of the event, they were paired, so you were offered a particular beer to go with each restaurant's offering. The level of creativity as well as expertise in execution was really impressive. What a way to spend the day!

Beat Street – Chef Kevin Kellum

AHI TUNA and SHRIMP TOASTADAS with Avocado, Mole Roja, Pickled Pepper Relish

Boombalatti – Kristen and Wes Betchel

TROPICAL PAPAYA & PINEAPPLE ICE CREAM

STRONGMAN MOCHA BROWNIE ICE CREAMA Beer Ice Cream infused with Hi-Wire’s Strongman Coffee Milkstout and swirled with a Mocha drizzle and layered with chunks of Wilmington Bread Company’s Chocolate Brownies

Brunswick Beer & Cider – Chef Denny Rivenbark

CARMELIZED ONION & GOAT CHEESE PUFF PASTRY with Honey & Pistachios

Burgaw Brewing – Chef Mark Relyea

CONFIT PORK BELLY & ANSON MILLS GRITS CAKE wWith Pickled Cabbage and Carrots and Hot Honey

Circle Pit BBQ – Chef Chris Tolbert

CHICKEN THIGH & GREEN ONION YAKITORI with house Tare (a sauce made from Sake, Mirin and Soy Sauce) grilled over Japanese White Oak charcoal and plated with Wasabi, Preserved Lemon, and Shimichi spice

Copper Penny – Chef/owner Brian Cadwallader

SWEET & SPICY SESAME GLAZED MEATBALLS over Penny Slaw

Coquina Fish Bar – Chef Scott Clemons

FISH BITES- Local Flounder, Gluten-free breading, and Coquina’s Famous Herb Tartar Sauce

RUM CAKE with Vanille Rum, and Caramel Sauce

Dram Yard – Chef Gordon Keene

ANSON MILLS GRITS with Tasso, Shiitake Mushrooms, Mirin, Togarashi, and Cream

Front Street Brewery – Chef Jon Barron

MOROCCAN-STYLE MERGUEZ LAMB PITA with Harissa Mayo, dried Apricot, Sultanas, Orange-Cinnamon Cucumber and Za’atar-herbed Yogurt Cheese

Los Portales Taqueria – Chef Ramon Villasenor

TACOS AL PASTOR- Thin slices of Pork marinated in a mixture of spices, Lime Juice, Chile Guajillos and Orange Juice and grilled in a Rostisserie grill topped with Cilantro, Onion, Sweet Chipotle Sauce and Salsa de Tomate

Marina Grill – Chef William Urena

THE KRAKEN- Pan Seared Scallops with a smoked, candied Pepper Bacon tentacle, Citrus segments, Jicama and a Pomegranate Gastrique, garnished with locally grown Borage and Pomegranate Arils

Panacea Brewing Company – Chef Artie Hill

ROAST PORK TENDERLOIN with Mango Chutney over Creamy Mushroom Polenta

Platypus & Gnome – Chef Matt Danylec

WILD BOAR MISO RAMEN 

Ponysaurus Brewing Chef Beth Little John

PONYSAURUS MEATBALLS - Beef and Pork Meatballs served in our Pizza Sauce and topped with Grana Padana

Rebellion – Chef Travis Weiss

SMOKED SHORT RIB SLIDER with Roasted garlic Aioli and shaved Red Onion on King’s Hawaiian slider bun

Steam Restaurant & Bar Chef Liam Haffender

BIRRIA BEEF OVER CAROLINA GOLD RICE- Gluten-free Fried Green Tomato base, Smoked Avocado Puree, and Cotija Cheese

The Boat Landing – Chef Ryan Duffy

TOGARASHI SPICED TUNA with Asian Pear Kimchi and Tamari-Sake Ponzu

The Spot – Chef Ronnie White

BLACK & RED WINGS- Fried and Grilled with Gorgonzola Crumble

Three10 – Chef Matthew Walker

PICKLED SHRIMP TOSTADA- Pico de Gallo, Collard Green Crema, Tasso Ham Chip, Roasted Peanuts and a Sweet Potato Tostada

Wrightsville Beach Brewery – Chef Rodney Peterson

BAJA-STYLE SHRIMP COCKTAIL

Participating Breweries and their beers that were posted on the event website:

DrumTrout Brewing Co. YACHT ROCK KOLSCH

Hi-Wire Brewing HAZY PITCH and CHURRO 10W-40 STOUT

Brunswick Beer & Cider THEY WHO SPEAK IN RIDDLES

Burgaw Brewing GOOD TIME GIRL VIENNA LAGER

Leland Brewing Company LELAND LITE

Mad Mole Brewing 1 MOLE 9 COPPER LAGER

Broomtail Brewing WHITE PEACH GALLOPING GOSE and MOE BEER BROWN ALE

Bill's Brewing Company GOODYEAR ESB

Front Street Brewery KISSABLE, HUGGABLE, UN-BEE-LIEVABLE HONEY BEAR

Wilmington Brewing Company JALEPEÑO SAISON

Outer Dunes Brewing RIVA ITALIAN PILSNER

Panacea Brewing Company PANACEA'S AMERICAN LAGER

Ironclad Brewery PRIVLEGED PIE

Ponysaurus Brewing SCOTTISH ALE

Waterline Brewing Co. CAPTAIN MAKER ENGLISH PORTER

Salty Turtle Beer Company LA SURFEZA

Flytrap Brewing PEACH SAKE SAISON

Good Hops Brewing GOOD HOPS BOARDWALK BROWN

Mannkind Brewing DARK AGES BLACK LAGER

Wrightsville Beach Brewery COBIA KOLSCH

     I repeat: This was not a competition, and I did not participate as a judge. But once again, even though I enjoyed everything I tried, I encountered a few places that I thought just deserved special recognition. Herewith, a few more personal favorites from the last day:

Most attractive presentation: Copper Penny – Chef/owner Brian Cadwallader, SWEET & SPICY SESAME GLAZED MEATBALLS; and Beat Street – Chef Kevin Kellum, AHI TUNA and SHRIMP TOASTADAS

Most creative/original idea: Marina Grill – Chef William Urena , THE KRAKEN                                 

Favorite Flavor: Ponysaurus Brewing Chef Beth Little John, PONYSAURUS MEATBALLS; and  The Spot – Chef Ronnie White, BLACK & RED WINGS