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Taste of Chicago Preview Serves Up Old Favorites, New Additions

By Kelly Bauer | June 25, 2014 4:18pm | Updated on July 6, 2014 5:39pm
 Daley Plaza served up a small slice of Taste of Chicago at a Wednesday preview that featured some of the fest's restaurants and celebrity chefs.
Taste of Chicago Preview
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THE LOOP — This year's Taste of Chicago will offer more food trucks, more than 20 new restaurants and a higher price tag — but fans of the annual fest are expecting it to be a success.

Sheila McGowan, 32, was one of hundreds who stopped by Daley Plaza recently to preview the Taste. The Oak Lawn resident grabbed a rib sandwich from Robinson's Ribs and rigatoni alla vodka from Mamma Mia, among other eateries that will be at the Taste.

"This one's better — definitely better," McGowan said, comparing her preview experience to previous Tastes.

Besides eight restaurants, the festival preview also featured a Taste of Chicago red carpet and cooking demonstration from chef Ying Stoller. Attendees could take photos of themselves on the red carpet and tweet them to try to win concert tickets to a Taste show.

When the Taste itself rolls around from Wednesday through July 13, Mary Slowik, Taste of Chicago manager, said she'll be excited about the musical lineup — which feautes Janelle Monae and Jeff Tweedy — and the fest's 21 new restaurants.

"I think that's the most we've had in a huge number of years," Slowik said.

Jay Sebastian, who co-owns food truck Bridgeport Pasty with wife Carrie Clark, said he was happy to be at the preview because he could represent food trucks. There will be 16 food trucks at Taste this year, up from 14 last year, and the food trucks will be located in the Made in Chicago Market at Jackson Boulevard and Columbus Drive as well as the Budweiser Stage. Last year, the trucks were just located near the Budweiser Stage.

This year's Taste of Chicago will feature 64 restaurants, with food and beverage tickets at 12 for $8.50, which is 50 cents more than it was last year. Admission is free. Early bird discounted tickets from Dominick's will not be available this year.

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