Restaurants serve 7,000 at Taste of Bonita

Dominic Calla, sous chef at the Tarpon Bay Restaurant at the Hyatt in Bonita Springs, flips diver sea scallops with roasted tomatoes, shaved onions and golden raisins at the 13th annual Taste of Bonita at Riverside Park.

No one was counting calories at the 13th annual Taste of Bonita at Riverside Park on Sunday.

Most of the food was fried, salted, dunked in sauce or just plain tasty — and that's what brought more than 7,000 to the park as part of a fundraiser to benefit local charities through the Bonita Springs Rotary Noon.

"It's a lot of fun and the restaurants are doing a super job," said Betsy Bridge of Bonita Springs while enjoying an almond crusted grouper she bought at the Tropical Reef Seafood Restaurant. "I don't have a favorite food yet, but there hasn't been anything I haven't liked."

And there was plenty for Bridge to enjoy with more than 35 restaurants from Bonita Springs and Naples showing off their best tasting foods such as Buffalo Chips' fried green tomato with special sauce, Tarpon Bay Restaurant's diver sea scallops and Naples Cheesecake Factory's Key Lime Pie.

"The food was wonderful and these ribs are delicious," said Valerie Schiessl of Estero while devouring Roy's Restaurant's samplings. "It's such a nice day to come out here and have a good time."
Event organizer Tony Valego was glad to see the turnout and thinks the weather provided a perfect day for good eating, drinking and enjoyment.

"People are sitting on their lawn chairs and blankets on the grass and spending time with their family. It's a great day to be out here and enjoying the food," Valego said.

Valego started the Taste of Bonita 13 years ago with only 10 restaurants and 2,500 people to raise money for the Rotary. He hopes this year's event raises $50,000.

Aside from good eats, attendees also enjoyed musical acts and a bigger children's area with a laser tag game, giant slide and bounce house.

"We try to add something every year to make it more of a family event that lasts a few hours," said Valego, who last year moved the event from the Sunshine Plaza to Riverside Park.

Fred Barry, 59, came out to the event with his wife, Shirley, 44, because the day was beautiful and the eating plentiful.

"I love what Bonita has done with this venue, and the quality of life here is wonderful," Fred Barry of Estero said.

"The music and the food is a great experience to taste some of the best of what Bonita has to offer."