COVA's Best of Party

"Virginia is for lovers"

Best of Party by Coastal Virginia at the gorgeous Half Moone Cruise & Celebration Center

This past Thursday evening, I had the pleasure of being invited to Coastal Virginia Magazine's Best Of Party! It was filled with amazing people, live music, and super delicious food! Even, Williamsburg Winery was doing a tasting of their summer wines - and you all know I love some vino. The year COVA's event was a luau theme, and they totally nailed it. As you walk into the room, you are given a lei and ushered into the large banquet hall - truly a wonderful moment and so much fun!

Arriving to Half Moone Cruise & Celebration Center to kick-off the big event!

Coastal Virginia had so many wonderful food vendors at the event! The food was amazing, and the variety was on point - from Meatballs to Cupcakes, the flavors were amazing! I'm really thrilled that I was able to learn about new restaurants and happy to see some old favorites present! 

Today, I will be sharing my top three food tables at the event as well as my ratings for each item. 

Swan Terrace Grill at The Founder's Inn

Rating: 5/5

Volcanic Crab Cakes - Chesapeake blue crab, fire roasted corn, cilantro, pickled green tomatoes with a bacon aioli

Okay, so I had a couple of these Volcanic Crab Cakes and I'm not ashamed. These goodies were so delicious and worth it! The ingredients blended so well together and packed a huge flavor punch. Also, they were flying off the table super fast! Many of the guests, raved about this item - the crab meat was fresh and everything complimented one another so well.

Also, I've been to the Swan Terrace for their amazing Sunday brunch, but trying this yummy item, I may need to go back for their lunch or dinner very soon!

Alkaline

Rating: 4.5/5

Dinuguan Nachos - Filipino-style pork blood stew with shredded cheddar cheese, pickled thai bird chillies, cilantro, served over corn chips

This was my first time enjoying Alkaline's food, and honestly I've been missing out this gem. Everything was so delicious and amazing. The pickled thai bird chillies on the Dinuguan Nachos stole the show - it was the perfect balance of heat and it complimented the flavors so well. These nachos were super popular, and many guests were raving about it all night!

Miso Butter Cake - Chocolate chip miso cake, topped with miso caramel and candied pecans

Not to be outdone by the nachos, the Miso Butter Cake by Alkaline was delicious. G absolutely loved it, and he's not a huge sweets person! This item really blew us away, and definitely was a surprise favorite of the night. 

Carolina Cupcakery

Rating: 4.8/5

Assorted Cake Pops & Mini Cupcakes

I've been a huge fan of Carolina Cupcakery for awhile now, and trying their yummy dessert bar reminded me that I need to visit a little bit more often. The star of the show for me were their delicious cake pops! They were incredibly moist, and the distribution of icing was absolutely perfect! 

There were so many outstanding vendors at the event. We were able to try so many unique dishes. Below are some of the fantastic restaurants who participated.

Participating Vendors (pictured above): Primo Pizzeria & Ristorante | Culinary Institute of Virginia | The Egg Bistro | Kahiau's Bakery & Cafe | Volcano Sushi | Jody's Gourmet Popcorn

The night was filled with great food, wonderful entertainment, and so much fun.

XO, Analise