BY JOHN SNYDER
OF PASCACK PRESS
WESTWOOD, N.J. — Part foodie’s delight, part block party, and all fundraiser, the Friends of the Westwood Library’s 9th Annual Taste of Westwood pulled in $20,000 after expenses over three hours on Sunday, fueling months of library programs that patrons of all ages grow on.
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According to Friends volunteer Mike Violano, the money is approximately 70 percent of the organization’s annual income, and funds such off-budget offerings as children’s activities, monthly concerts, seasonal reading programs, refreshments, film screenings, craft materials, digital collections, and museum passes.
“Alongside our monthly book sales and annual fund drive, this is the event of the year, and it’s a heck of a lot of fun” Violano told Pascack Press the next day.
A third-time sellout crowd of 350 attended the sprawling event at the Public Library from 5 to 8 p.m. on a golden Sept. 24, there to revel in the signature dishes of the best in local eateries.
Other draws: live classic rock wrought by Dave Kopec and friends, magic by Mark Zacharia, a super 50/50, a silent auction, fine wines and battle-tested beer, and widespread schmoozing.
The top-valued auction item ($1,200) was a three-course meal prepared in the winner’s home by Chef John Vitale and Mayor John Birkner Jr., wine included.
The winner: Tom Hardin.
That super 50/50 prize, $2,650, was shared by Chris Montana, Christopher Owens, Russell Huntington, and Joseph Letizia.
Bringing the savory, the sweet, and the heat were Alementary Brewery, Bibi’z, Caffe Anello, Ciel Dessert, Conrad’s Confectionery, Cricket Hill Brewery, Defiant Brewery, Downtown Dhaba, Goldberg’s Bagels, Hanami, Harmony Tea Room, The Iron Horse, Jack’s Cafe, Johnny’s Italian Market, Kimchi Smoke BBQ, The Melting Pot, Mezza, P.J. Finnegan’s, The Rolling Pin, Sogno Coffeehouse & Creperie, Super Cellars, Ventimiglia Vineyard, and Westwood Prime Meats.
Sponsors were BAI, Burton Agency, Hackensack Meridian Health Pascack Valey Medical Center, Huntington Bailey LLP, Inserra Supermarkets, Johl & Co., Lakeland Bank, Oritani Bank, Pascack Press, Rapunzel Creative, Ray’s Reproductions, Speedpro Imaging, Super Cellars, Unity Bank, Wegmans, and the Westwood Education Association.
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‘It’s all about the library…’
According to Mike Fitzsimmons, owner of Westwood Art Gallery and the event’s inaugural president of the Chamber of Commerce, the Taste is to the credit of the Friends of the Library and Library Director Martha Urbiel.
“It’s all about the library. Their staff and volunteers make this happen. I just wrangle the restaurants, but it’s the library volunteers and staff who put this together,” he said.
He added that a big draw for “the younger demographic” this year was the Battle of the Breweries, giving crowd favorites Cricket Hill and Defiant competition for bragging rights.
(And those rights would go to Defiant Brewery, winner of the popular vote for best craft beer with its Oktoberfest lager.)
Fitzsimmons noted that Westwood is making a name for itself as a restaurant town, with the roster of top local eateries wanting in at the venue exceeding the space.
Downtown Dhaba, which just expanded here from Allendale, is here for its first Taste. Kimchi Smoke, which Fitzsimmons noted always draws a big crowd, came here from Bergenfield and now has a place in Montclair.
“The block party part—it’s great for everybody to see their neighbors, have this great informal setting, the wine, the good food, and taste the restaurants,” Fitzsimmons managed over the groove of the loudspeakers.
Urbiel would later tell the Pascack Press that organizers apologize sincerely to all those they had to turn away.
She also gave a big shout-out to her staff and volunteers—“they’re so talented”—and Fitzsimmons, whom she called “a workhorse” and “a positive connecting person in the community.”
Voices from the Taste
Mayor Birkner, after toasting to Westwood with friends at Defiant’s table, described the Taste as one of the best events in town.
“It’s just a perfect night. It’s a great way to show off everything that’s great about the town. It’s a nice social atmosphere,” he said.
Chris D’Eletto and Risa Kandel of Jack’s Cafe, here every year, were busy serving up Cajun jambalaya, mini chicken cheesesteaks, and chicken Parmesan.
John Vitale of three-star Caffe Anello served sweet and hot sausage bruschetta on ciabatta.
“Another great turnout! It’s all going to the library, so it’s good stuff. It’s nice to see people come out for a good cause,” he said.
Defiant’s Ryan McElligott, Matt Farley, and John Clancey, whose taps commanded the heart of the event’s outdoor space, were making friends left and right.
Dhaba’s Srimi Rao praised Westwood while waiting for platter refills on naan and chicken tikka circulating far and wide.
Patrons Eric and Kristy Dougherty, both of Westwood, were here for their second year, having recently moved in from Philadelphia. He grew up in River Vale.
“I’d like to learn about this Alementary Brewery in Hackensack, which I didn’t know existed. And the cheesesteaks from Jack’s were top notch, but I know that, that was no surprise,” Eric said.
Kristy added that she’s a fan of Hanami and that they look forward to getting to know many more local restaurants.
Sean Tremble, who owns The Iron Horse with his dad, was moving plenty of bratwurst, knockwurst, weisswurst, sauerkraut, red cabbage, coleslaw, and pickles.
He agreed with the popular view that the Iron Horse is an institution, and listed all the ways residents have made it integral in kicking off and celebrating their family milestones over the past 45 years.
Of his fellow restaurateurs, Tremble spoke glowingly.
“[People] all think we’re in direct competition with each other, we hate each other, all that kind of stuff; we actually really like each other. We all go to each others’ places,” he said.
He added: “If you can kind of make it so that the entire town is being successful people will want to go to that town. There’s something to be said for longevity.”
Jamie Hogan, here at her first Taste of Westwood, caught word of the event via a flyer. She and her husband, Shane, moved here from Hoboken about a year ago in search of more space for their family.
Shannon Wingquan, a fitness trainer, and Yana Lantsman, who works at a pharmacy, are another couple here for their first time.
Wingquan’s advice for patrons next year: “Get tickets early, and get here early!”
Mike Pellegrino and Mike Ruane, locals filling in for vendor Cricket Hill, say they’re big fans of the brand and were happy to help out when Cricket Hill found itself shorthanded.
Pellegrino, who served on the Borough Council with Mayor Skip Kelley, said he was honored to support the library.
Miguel Navarro, of New York City, and Corinne Bongiardino, of Westwood, were sampling chocolate-covered strawberries.
Bongiardino, a surgical technician at PVMC, said she won tickets to the Taste in a hospital drawing and was delighted to be there with her sweetie.
At Dave Winton’s ShutterBooth, costumed friends Katie Voellm, Corinne Littleton, and Jen Lenihan were posing for free keepsake photo strips.
They’d come across the event “somewhere online,” they concluded, and vowed they’d be back next year as well.
Julianne Clancy said she and her partner, Sean von Lembke, moved here just the other day, from Queens. She grew up in Paramus.
“We were looking in the county and just found Westwood to be a gorgeous town. Having a main street, having a town were important to us,” she said.
“We can walk around, we can just wander, go to restaurants, and it kind of has that feel of NYC but it’s also a suburb. It is that small town, and we love that,” she said.
Photos by John Snyder