Boca Raton Bowl: March to Bowl Season Begins with Great Chefs Tailgate Showcase

Boca Raton, FL — College football bowl season may have yet to begin, but that doesn’t mean that preparations aren’t underway. On September 10, the Boca Raton Bowl held their ABC Supply Great Chefs Tailgate Showcase. Some of the best restaurants, breweries, and eateries had a chance to show off their food and drink to the crowd at the Boca Raton Innovation Campus. It was a fun event that allowed those in attendance to truly see the flavor and taste of South Florida.

The Boca Raton Bowl Great Chefs Tailgate Showcase

The aura entering the Boca Raton Innovation Campus on Wednesday night was real. One could tell that every participant in the showcase was ready to put their best foot forward for the crowded event. The room was buzzing, and people were starting to explore all of the different options available at this event. Additionally, there were multiple prizes up for grabs in the silent auction, with all of the proceeds going to children in need.

I started on the right side of the room, at least in relation to the entrance, with Red Pine Restaurant and Bar. Located at 1 Town Center in Boca Raton, Florida, the restaurant was offering Chinese sticky spare ribs. And to put it simply, they were fantastic. The taste was superb, especially thanks to the flavor of the sauce on the ribs. They were not too tangy or spicy; it felt like the ribs were in the perfect sweet spot to enjoy. In fact, it was a high bar to set for the rest of the night.

Next were the offerings from The Farmer’s Table and Drift. Both located in Boca Raton, The Farmer’s Table offered attendees a vegan-beef empanada, while Drift offered plantains with beef on top of it. Keeping the trend going from Red Pine’s offerings, these two restaurants had great food as well. The empanada, with a crunchy exterior, tasted like real beef on the interior and had some nice flavor. Meanwhile, Drift’s plantain was bursting with flavor and had an impressive taste. It was an easy eat and a dish that one could definitely eat more than one of.

Yet soon after, I found one of my favorite dishes of the night.

Los Bocados, located in Parkland, Florida, offered chicken and rice, one of the many offerings they have at their location. And to put it simply, the chicken was phenomenal.

The exterior had a perfect blend of spice, tanginess, and flavor. The interior was soft and did not lose the taste from the exterior; combined with the rice, it made the dish one that couldn’t be missed at the event.

Keeping the food line moving, the next two dishes were from Dear Olivia Bar & Kitchen and Cacti Park, the Spring Training home of the Houston Astros and Washington Nationals. Dear Olivia had phenomenal Carolina Gold BBQ Pork Sliders; this item had great taste and some of the best overall flavor of any item on the entire night. Cacti Park had a very tasty chicken cutlet, which was combined with mozzarella, pickled onions, pepper, and a toasted crostini.

At this point of the evening, it was time to switch things up. The food had legitimately blown me away, but it was time for some sort of refreshment. Enter Cove Brewery.

Located in Deerfield Beach, Florida, Cove’s Pineapple Blonde was a smooth and refreshing drink. As someone who does not frequently drink beer, it was a brew that did not leave a sour taste. With that in mind, it’s a highly recommended beverage from a place complete with a wide variety of drinks.

After a quick break, the food tasting adventure continued. How Ya Dough’n offered up an incredible brisket, while the well-known Duffy’s Sports Bar impressed with their BBQ pulled pork nachos and a shot of their Jack Honey Smash cocktail. The cocktail was very apple-like, tasting like a Jolly Rancher in the best way. The nacho had everything needed for a high-quality dish; the taste was great, as was the flavor.

And the final stretch this taste-testing journey, ended with two slam-dunks: Boca West Country Club and Ceasar’s Famous Ribs & Catering.

Boca West Country Club had attendees buzzing at this event, and the dish did not disappoint. The brisket was filling, tasty, and exquisite flavor.. Add in the cheesy grits and it was a major contender for best dish of the night before it was all said and done.

As for Ceasar’s, the pulled chicken with sauce was incredible. Cooked to perfection, the sauce put everything over the top and made it truly stand out as a dish. Even with a full stomach at this point in the night, it was a treat worth finishing.

Wrapping up with the Boca Raton Bowl’s Showcase

There were so many other great restaurants that participated in the event, it was impossible to try them all.

Marco’s Top Burgers, Owls Catering, and Mississippi Sweets all had people swarming their tables on a consistent basis. The cookies from Just Baked were so popular that they were completely wiped out, causing me to miss out on the popular dessert. Add in more restaurants and different options to get drinks from, and you truly could not have gone wrong at the event.

There were also a plethora of awards given at the night’s showcase. The event’s judging panel included Celebrity Chef Lindsay Autry, George Petrocelli (Director of Catering, The Boca Raton), Christiana Lilly (Editor-in-Chief, Boca Magazine), Reggie Laroche (Assistant VP, Baptist Health Orthopedic Car), and Michael Mayo (Food Critic).

Barrel of Monks won Best Beverage, Boca West Country Club won the People’s Choice, and How Ya Dough’n won Best Bite.

The Boca Raton Bowl and Community

The Boca Raton Bowl is, in an era of bowl games losing their luster, one that truly shines bright. The focus on the community is a pleasure to see, especially when it’s benefiting those who are in need. Instead of the game influencing the events, the game is built around the events that support the community.

In that sense, the ABC Supply Great Chefs Tailgate Showcase is a perfect opening event for this journey. And now, with the opening salvo fired, the march toward the 2025 Boca Raton Bowl now begins.