If you thought gambling was the only form of entertainment in Atlantic City, then think again. Once a year in November, Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa transforms this Sin City of the East Coast into an ultimate culinary destination when it throws Savor Borgata Weekend, a two-day food festival showcasing the talent of Borgata's star-studded culinary roster.
I had naively thought
every foodie's favorite event of the year is New York City Wine and Food Festival, but that answer may be up for debate after attending Savor Borgata. This unique festival was the perfect place to indulge all my guilty pleasures, from steak to wine to gelato, while attending delicious dinners hosted by celebrity chefs, cooking classes and demonstrations, and spectacular walk-around tastings.
Upon arriving in Atlantic City (the drive was within 2.5 hours with a slight traffic on a Friday afternoon...totally doable!), my boyfriend and I checked in to the luxurious Water Club at Borgata. While hotels like Bally's, Tropicana, and Caesars are situated right along the boardwalk, The Water Club and Borgata in the Marina District are continually
voted the top hotels in Atlantic City.
Because the theme of the weekend was
#treatyoself, we decided to indulge in the multiple indoor and outdoor pools, floor-to-ceiling windows, Egyptian cotton sheets,and other premium amenities that The Water Club offered to its guests.
Dinner with Iron Chef Geoffrey Zakarian
After settling into our room and perusing the hotel for a brief self-guided tour, my boyfriend and I got ready for the kick-off event to our weekend culinary agenda: Dinner with Iron Chef Geoffrey Zakarian! For this magnificent 4-course dinner, Zakarian prepared special dishes that delighted even the most experienced palate. The dinner event began with an intimate cocktail reception and meet-and-greet with the Iron Chef himself.
I was too busy sampling mouthwatering canapes like yellowfin tuna tartare, wood smoked chestnut and celery root soup, and grilled pork belly to realize that Zakarian was standing right next to me, reaching out his hand to introduce himself! Well, he's a man that needs no introduction, but I will gladly shake his hand and take a photo with him.
The 4-course seated dinner began with a simple yet elegant salad of wood roasted root vegetables, Spanish Garrotxa cheese, and toasted seeds tossed in slightly spicy carrot vinaigrette. The second course highlighted buttery littleneck clams atop a puree of Yukon gold potato, barbecued gem lettuce, and Bottarga Bagna Cauda (warm sauce made with garlic, anchovies, olive oil, and butter). The richness of this dish enticed our palate for the entree - wood grilled prime beef ribeye with pastrami spices, braised red cabbage, and stout beer jus. The tender, medium rare beef was glazed with thick stout beer jus with a dust of pastrami spices and savory red cabbage that complemented the dish perfectly. To top off the experience, we indulged our sweet tooth with creamy matcha tea panna cotta with fire roasted figs and white chocolate cremeux.
I will gloss over the details of how my boyfriend and I blew $50 in less than 2 minutes on the casino floor (some memories are better forgotten..), and move on to the more glorious part of the weekend. The next morning, we lounged at the Immersion Spa located on the top floor of The Water Club. The whirlpool had a breathtaking, panoramic view of the Atlantic shore. I could stay here and enjoy the view all day.
Culinary Demonstration by Iron Chef Bobby Flay
The culinary adventure continued in the afternoon with Iron Chef Bobby Flay's live cooking demonstration, where he whipped up some of his favorite recipes from his newest cookbook, Brunch @ Bobby's. Within one hour, Flay managed to create tomato bruschetta with olive oil poached eggs, entertain the guests with his witty banters with the surprise host Zakarian, and swoon his adoring fans with his charisma.
"Tasting in the Dark" Blind Wine Tasting Seminar
Savor Borgata wasn't only about food, but also about drinks. My boyfriend and I attended a wine seminar called "Tasting in the Dark." As the name of the seminar suggested, we were asked to put on a blindfold upon arriving at the venue for a truly sensory experience.
Taking away the visual aspect challenged us to explore wine as we never have before. I smelled and tasted different dimensions of the aroma, from fruity to floral. The biggest surprise at the end was when we took off the blindfold and realized that our host - Hoby Wedler - is a blind wine expert. He certainly dazzled us with his tasting skills.
Walk-around Tasting: Street Eats, Savor the World
The final event of Savor Borgata was Street Eats: Savor the World. In this unique walk-around tasting celebrating global street fare prepared by Borgata's celebrity roster of chefs, not only did I get to savor delicious food created by the likes of Bobby Flay, Wolfgang Puck, and Geoffrey Zakarian, but also mingle with the chefs themselves.
Of all the delicious bites from the event, my favorites were Zakarian's Beef Bourguignon with roasted root vegetables and creamy grits (it also won people's choice!) on the savory side, and an assortment of French macarons from the Borgata Baking Company on the sweeter side.
In addition to pleasing my palate, I also danced to the upbeat live music, received a caricature drawing, and got my fortune told by a fortune teller, who told me to follow my passion. And I certainly did...by attending Savor Borgata, every foodie's heaven!
Photos courtesy of Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa
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