For 31 years, ambitious eaters have taken a tour of portable feasts in West Chester as part of the Chester County Restaurant Festival.
Those who ate their way through the sea of 60 restaurants took note of the best bites.
For the WC Dish Choice Awards, only two contenders took home first place wins. Owner/chef Marie Cantatore of The Olive Branch (142 W. Gay St., West Chester, 610-431-7141; 1411 Wilmington Pike, Chadds Ford, 610-455-0115) sweetly claimed victory for overall best appetizer and dessert. Owner/chef Andy Gadaleto of Gadaleto’s Seafood (929 S. High St., West Chester, 610-430-7777) nabbed the award for best entree.
Cantatore was honored and humbled to be selected as the top candidate for two categories. When she agreed to enter the culinary challenge, she said she was “in it to win it,” but found that the biggest win of the festival was the response to her velvetini.
“People would come to my booth and say, ‘That’s where the red cake everyone is talking about is,’” she said.
The velvetini, voted the best dessert in Chester County, is named for her business partner, Jon Rusakov, who “loves dirty martinis.” The velvet cake, divided into layers of New York-style white chocolate cheesecake, pops with its memorable hints of chipotle found in her cream cheese frosting. For the mouthwatering masterpiece served at the September festival, the chef /baker prepared 15 red velvet sheet cakes.
Cantatore also crafted her Olive Branch Figs, which are fresh Mission figs, pumped with bleu cheese, wrapped with prosciutto, topped with pecans and perfectly roasted for a crisp exterior finish.
“I wanted to do something different and I wanted to do something people wouldn’t normally try,” she said. “I heard people say figs are not their cup of tea, but once they tried these, they thought they were so good.”
A variation of the number-one appetizer will be on the menu through winter as a roasted fig crostini, prepared with figs from California. The velvetini is found regularly at Olive Branch.
But if you’re planning on tackling WC Dish’s Choice Award accolades, you’ll also have to sail to Gadaleto’s Seafood for the freshest and — by fa r — tastiest crab cake. Owner Andy Gadaleto said if they can’t find fresh jumbo lump crab meat, they will not even make them. But that’s not a current problem — the local seafood hub gets shipments four to five times a week.
Whether you prefer a dollop of honey creole mustard sauce topping your seafood cake, or a hearty dose of their lobster bisque, Gadaleto said he was honored to win yet again.
“It’s always important that we do well,” he said. “We have great customers, and their votes mean a lot.”
For more information on Olive Branch, visit www.olivebranchwc.net, and for details on Gadaleto’s, visit www.gadaletos.com.
