Turns Out Carlsbad Is Pretty Tasty Afterall

[Click HERE for all the photos] This year the Carlsbad Education Foundation’s 11th Annual Taste of Carlsbad joined up with Art Splash for a combined event that made us think was a perfect Saturday afternoon excursion in Carlsbadistan. And from the packed isles and lines at the booths (especially Darios) we don’t think we were alone.

Taste of Carlsbad features exemplary cuisine from twenty Carlsbad restaurants. One $20 donation to the CEF buys visitors a card good for samples at 15 of the restaurants. Before you jump into the photos here were our favorites: El Puerto Mexican Food (next to the Golden Tee in the Albertson’s parking lot), The El Camino Real Grille (by the people who created Savory), Knock Out Pizza (in the Village), Lola’s, and the Tri-City Medical Center’s Cafeteria.

Follow the link for all the photos. (Click the images to see them full size.)

From the stage to the North it was the Karl Strauss Beer Gardens and then some of the best food in Carlsbad.

Diane Hendricks, CEF President Julie Baker, and Debbie Peacock checking people in and taking money: because Kids Are Worth A Million.

Volunteer Sarah Floyd and El Puerto’s Jessica and Catalina. Amazing green salsa. Seriously.

Brittani, Michelle, and Chef Pascal Vignau. The next time we want a burger we’re going to the El Camino Real Grille. (Thanks for opening a place in Carlsbad. . . that drive to Savory in Encinitas is just too much for us.)

Knock Out Pizza has a posse: Tyler Healey and David Hart, thanks for the hook up. Appreciated it.

We didn’t quite make it in under this gate, however, the people behind the wall seemed to be enjoying themselves immensely.

Carlsbad High School TV was getting it all down on tape: Ryan Haarer, Lauren Titus, and Gia Sachs.

People are always surprised to hear it, but the food at Tri-City Medical Center is really good. Cafeteria Manager Jeff Pigza serving it up with Ana and Cathy.