Taste of the Grove winners will surprise you

As usual, awards were given out during last weekend's Great Taste of the Grove. In between the torrential rains, a new set of judges made the rounds and here are the results:

Awards for Best Presentation and Best Taste were given on both days.

On Saturday, April 16, the winners were:
Best Presentation – Bizcaya at The Ritz-Carlton Coconut Grove
Best Taste – Panorama at the Sonesta Bayfront Hotel

On Sunday, April 17, the winners were:
Best Presentation – Atchana’s East/West Kitchen
Best Taste – AlphaBites (food truck from Miami-Dade College’s Miami Culinary Institute)

We are totally shocked on a few counts here. Number one -- there were new judges! Each year it was the same batch who chose the same winners. We are shocked that Monty's did not win this year, but after year after year of winning for the same thing, it was a pleasure to see a change and we are totally floored that a food truck won for Best Taste.

I'll say that again: AlphaBites Food Truck won for Best Taste on Sunday at the Great Taste if the Grove Food and Wine Food Festival!