Lynn restaurateurs impress diners with good food for good cause

LYNN – Less than an hour had passed by at the Taste of Lynn event at St. Michael’s Hall and The Blue Ox owner, Matt O’Neil, had already run out of plates for his popular lobster BLTA (lobster, bacon, lettuce, tomato and avocado mousse on a fried tortilla chip). Thankfully, Luli’s Cafe came to the rescue with some extra plates from the next table.The lobster BLTA isn’t even currently on the menu at The Blue Ox. “It could go on the menu – we’ll see,” said O’Neil. “I like to mess around at these events so I can see people’s reactions. So far, so good.”O’Neil hit home on one of the many reasons representatives of 12 different Lynn restaurants turned out to showcase their food at the Taste of Lynn, a fundraiser for Family and Children’s Services. Around 150 people bought $25 tickets to sample the foods from each of the restaurants, along with beer and wine from Lynnway Liquor Mart, with all proceeds benefiting the organization.Photos of families that were aided by the organization’s programs along with outlines of its services decorated the back of each menu at the event, reminding diners of the cause they were supporting. Family and Children’s Services works with all ages in family services with parenting classes, guardianship for the elderly, and the Teen Scene counseling and recreation group for neighborhood middle schoolers.”It brings the community together,” said Executive Director Maroli Licadie of the event, now in its fifth year. “There’s a lot of networking going on. The restaurants love it because they get to show off their dishes, and the community loves it because if they try a dish they haven’t had, now there’s a new restaurant they can go to.”Casa Antigua has been in Lynn for two years, but its Guatemalan, Mexican and South American fare was so new to diners at the event, they had people asking “Are you new to Lynn?” The tins of pork rinds, quesadillas and chicken burritos were emptied not long after the event’s 5:30 p.m. start time.The roast beef mini sliders from John’s Roast Beef and Seafood, a restaurant that has participated at all five of the Taste of Lynn events, were gone by 6:05 p.m., allowing employee Kayla Seaman to get a taste of the foods she had her eye on at other tables.Christopher’s Cafe offers full catering, but owner David Shalvoy chose to pack his table with pastries because he said, “I figured nobody can say no to dessert.”Attendee Janice Leighton finds it hard to say no every year, even breaking from her Weight Watchers regime to participate this year. “Every year we come,” she said of her table, “and we are enjoying everything.” Leighton said she especially loved the lobster BLTA, the food from Casa Antigua and the desserts from Mi Guatemala Bakery.Her friend Janet Dow, a former Lynn resident, traveled from Maine just for the evening. “It’s a fun event,” said Dow. “I come to see my friends and because I love the food. It’s great.” said Dow. Added Leighton, “And it’s for a great cause.”Cindy and Jeffrey Blonder were attending the event for the first time and said they would be returning next year. “I liked the clam chowder,” said Cindy Blonder, referring to The Porthole’s contribution.Some of the participating restaurants were representing a cause of their own. Wicked Tasty, dishing out beef stew and oatmeal cookies, is a non-profit catering company that gives jobs to high school students to train them both in the skills of culinary arts and job searching. Chef Steven Lopez from the Tiger’s Den, serving chicken Marsala, repeatedly surprised those who asked, “Where is your restaurant located?” when he answered “Lynn Tech.” Lopez teaches students in the culinary arts program, and the Tiger’s Den sells lunch during the school year. “I think the other chefs are jealous that I only work two hours a day,” joked Lopez.As tables began running out of their dishes and attendees became full, those representing their restaurants began to sample their competitors’ cuisine. “Now it’s my turn to walk around,” s