By Angelina Carini
The vaired tastes of Provo and Orem can be sampled to their fullest for $3 on Tuesday Oct. 9 at the Provo Marriott from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
The tenth annual Taste of Provo and Orem food fair will feature over 15 of the valley?s restaurants, including Rodizio Grill, Cold Stone, Carver?s, Tucanos, Wingers, La Dolce Vita and more.
Organizers are expecting 1,700 people, said Lauren Glisson, the events director at the Provo-Orem Chamber of Commerce.
The restaurants will hand out not just free samples, but also menus and dining coupons, she said.
Blaine Jex, owner of The Pizza Factory and a third-year participant in the event, said the music and free food make it a big party.
It is hard work to feed 15,000 people in just a couple hours, but it pays off to let the public meet his restaurant?s cuisine, Jex said.
The Pizza Factory will be handing out samples of fettuccine alfredo with chicken and their dessert “Never on Sundae,” he said.
“You get to let the public sample menu items that they normally wouldn”t try,” he said. “And get them hooked on something new.”
Jex said the menu item featured at his booth in past years has dramatically increased in popularity at his restaurant afterwards.
The food fair is a good way to try the best of what several res-taurants have to offer.
“By the time they go though all those booths, they have tried a lot of different stuff,” he said.
Everyone who attends has the opportunity to vote for the best drink, entr?e, dessert and overall best restaurant, Glisson said.
The winners will receive a certificate to hang in their window, she said.
The Pizza Factory, which greets every annual food fair with enthusiasm, won for best drink and overall restaurant last year, Glisson said.
Outback Steakhouse has taken first, second and third places in years past for their feature steak, salmon and chicken, said Noel Bowman, owner of Outback Steakhouse.
Last year they took first place for their homemade “chocolate thunder from down under,” he said.
New to the Taste of Provo and Orem this year is Rodizio Grill.
Silbie Valdez, general manager of Rodizio Grill, said his restaurant has been preparing for a busy day today.
They will be handing out beef and chicken dishes and their traditional Brazilian black beans and pork as well as juice drinks, he said.
