A taste of the South Shore

At one table, there was steak. Another featured sushi and yet another had a Mexican delights. Then there was dessert. More than 30 local restaurants, bakeries, chocolate stores and other eateries set up shop at the Woodmere County Club for a night for the Peninsula Counseling Center’s annual A Tasteful Evening fundraiser.

The event raises money for the Valley Stream-based mental health facility to supports its various programs. Audrey Goodman, the coordinator of special events for the center, estimated that at least 300 people attended this year. “I was pleased,” she said. “It was crowded.”

For $75, guests could enjoy a sampling of food from restaurants all across the South Shore. They could go back for seconds, thirds, or as much as they wanted until their stomachs said no more.

Jerry and Susan Jacobs, owners of Jerry’s Bagels in North Woodmere, said this was their second year participating in A Tasteful Evening. “It’s really a great charitable event,” Jerry Jacobs said. “You get to see a lot of the people in the community you don’t get to see every day.”

Jacobs said in addition to a sampling of his bagels, he also brought some freshly sliced Nova Scotia fish and some solid white tuna fish, which he said were a hit with guests last year.

Noel O’Connell, owner of Brooks and Porter Steak House in Merrick, took part in the event for the first time. He said he has friends on the Peninsula Counseling Center’s Board of Directors who encouraged him to promote his restaurant at A Tasteful Evening. “Anything for charity is good,” he said.

A pair of Valley Stream chocolate shops had one side of the room smelling rather sweet. Diane Portillo, manager of the 5th Avenue Chocolatiere on Rockaway Avenue, said this was her second year participating in the event, and was looking to give the business some exposure as it only recently moved to Long Island from New York City.

Jeannine Maloney, owner of the Bold Chocolatier on Franklin Avenue along with her husband Chuck, said this was their first year at A Tasteful Evening. She said she knows Goodman after speaking to a Peninsula Counseling Center group many years ago about chocolate making. Her shop is also located right around the corner from the center.

“This event is great,” Maloney said of A Tasteful Evening. “I’m always happy where people love chocolate.”

Mike Laby, who said it was definitely worth missing the Yankee game for, said he has been coming to A Tasteful Evening for many years. “This is by far one of the best events I’ve ever seen,” he said, noting that many caring people come together for a good cause.

A Tasteful Evening is one of the Peninsula Counseling Center’s two largest annual fundraisers along with a triathlon. Goodman said she didn’t have an estimate on how much money this year’s event raised, but said she was encouraged by the excitement it generated.

This year’s event also honored Mark, Rhonda and Marissa Goodman of the Rolling River Day Camp in East Rockaway. Rolling River’s Campmates program, which launched this past summer, provides children from the Peninsula Counseling Center with a free one-month camp experience.

There were also numerous raffles, each valued at $1,000, which helped raise money. Many of the items were donated including diamond earrings, a flat-screen television and a night in New York City with dinner and a magic show.

Goodman had high praise for all the restaurateurs who participated in A Tasteful Evening, and said many have been coming year after year. She noted that while it is a chance to promote their business, it is a big commitment because they provide all their food for free and pay staff to be there to serve the guests. “The restaurants are amazing,” Goodman said. “It’s good for them as far as advertising, but it’s wonderful for us because we couldn’t have an event without them.”