By COLlive reporter
Photos by Shmuel Amit
The skies were partly cloudy, leaves were gently falling from the trees and there was food everywhere in the Crown Heights section of Brooklyn on Sunday.
The second food crawl “A Taste of Crown Heights” attracted some 450 people, many of them from around New York City and the Tri-State Area looking to indulge in the latest and tastiest kosher dishes.
The walkable trail began on Eastern Parkway, where participants met with the organizers from JMenu, COLlive.com and Toys For Hospitalized Children, a non-profit organization that benefited from the event.
From there, equipped with a map and in warm attire, the foodies walked and spend the day sampling signature dishes or beverages while spending time with family and making friends.
Vendors included ALEN-bi, Baguette Express, Bakerie, Benz’s, Calabria, Chocolatte, Dean Street Cafe, Eber’s Liquor and Wine, Empire Grill, Ess & Bentch, Hal’s New York Seltzer, JJ’s Holy Cow, Koshertown, Mama’s Kitchen, Mendy’s @ the JCM, Mermelstein’s, Natural Treats Juice Bar, Noribar Sushi Lounge, Pho-Men on Troy, Prime Avenue, Raskin’s Fish, Sushi Spot, Sweet Expressions, The Jew Stew, Wine By The Case and Izzy’s BBQ Smokehouse.
Elected officials arrived with their families, among them New York State Assemblywoman Diana Richardson, State Senator Jesse Hamilton, Democratic nominee for NY State Senate Zellnor Myrie and Democratic District Leader Geoffrey Davis.
“Everyone loves food and everyone loves helping children. This event brings these two together. We hope everyone enjoyed, and will come visit Crown Heights again!” said Rabbi JJ Hecht, Executive Vice President of Toys For Hospitalized Children and Shmuly Wolff, CEO of JMenu.
“The food crawl successfully showcases the best in kosher food that Crown Heights has to offer,” said Mica Soffer, Publisher and Editor of COLlive.com. “Restaurants and food establishments are certainly stepping up their game and making kosher a sought-after experience.”
The best “taste of Crown Heights” was chosen by both a panel of judges and the “people’s choice.”
The Judges were Alex Cutler, veteran chef and instructor at the Culinary Institute of America; Josh Massin, Executive Chef and Owner at Nobo Wine & Grill in Teaneck, NJ; and Mina Newman, Executive Chef at Sen Sakana and 2009 winner of the “Chopped” competition.
The judges chose Mama Kitchen, a new eatery that specializes in Israeli and Middle Eastern cuisine. The People’s Choice went for the second year in a row to Koshertown Takeout, represented by Shimi and Shoshi Benabou.
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And gave us some tips too!!!! I thought the majority of vendors were in good spirits and thoughtful … they served us with warmth and grace …. I got to experience a taste of CH and walk on streets I never have before.
Thank you organizers…. I will come again!!!
What a great way to spend the day eating kosher and giving tzedaka. I even got to write a note to a sick child it was heartwarming.
Jew stew please come to my kitchen!!! How do we order? On line? Koshertown so pleasant and gracious. A great cause!
Was money well spent. If I want to donate some gifts for toys for hospitalized children who do I speak to?
Shlomie Sirota what a true Chosid!
I think its wonderful to see the options of Kosher food today which makes it so much easier to enjoy and observe Kashrus, and provides so many Jews with Parnasa.
But there are real Halachic and Hashkafic issues with eating while walking around, eating in the street, Brocha rishnona/acharona etc, and having the event in this style doesn’t represent well for a community of Torah observant Jews.
Shlomie Sirota you rock!!
Nice judges too!
They were all winners and were all so gracious! I’ll absolutely be going to a few places I wouldn’t have otherwise gone!
The goughnuts dean st cafe were divine!!!
Agree need vegetarian cholent!!!!
Had a great time and didn’t have to travel! Bh so much wonderfullness right here in our community!! Enjoyed enjoyed enjoyed! Was a great way for my fam to have fun.
To next year🥂l’chaim
The guy who took the time to help another Jew put on tefillin – food for his neshama.
B”H this “crawl” was supporting a worthy cause…otherwise, really(!) we’ve strayed way too far from “ess iz besser tzu essen tzu’lib davenin…..”
Shloommmieeee!!! Your the man!
Had an awesome time. Met new people and saw people making brachot with non religious Jews. Kashrut made easier today. A lot of kosher options. Wish Jew stew made vegetarian cholent.
Was it a fare game if the judges did not go to all the locations ?
While the idea behind making this event is a beautiful one, it would be a good idea for the organizers to look into the issue of eating on the street, which according to jewish law is a serious issue.
A possible solution would be to make this inside a hall – possibly Oholei Torah or the like.
If the point of this event is to promote kosher food it should be done in accordance with jewish law, not the opposite.
I do commend those vendors that did in fact serve their food inside their shops.
Mama kitchen!!!!
Kosher Town!!!!
Mendys!!!!
And adorable Jew Stew ( even though don’t like cholent lol)And Raskin’s fish the most gorgeous!!!!!
I’m still digesting.
This is a great idea, congrats to the winner and love the Tefillin that was involved, CHABAD!
Never heard of it before.
Jew Stew – Old fashioned and New Age ‘geshmak’!