Beer gets a lot of the editorial spotlight -- hell, it even gets to be included in the name -- leading up to the New Times' Beerfest, but believe it or not, the shindig this Saturday isn't only about brews. Yeah, it's the marquee draw for many, but there also is food to be had, and it's nothing to shake a stick at.
Mike Saperstein, owner of El Jefe Luchador, said the Beerfest is the kind of event his restaurant likes to participate in because the attendees tend to crave the kind of goods his business is offering.
"[There are] more of our kind of customers at this type of event," he said, explaining that people who tend to frequent culinary and food gatherings like Beerfest are the typical El Jefe Luchador customer: Someone inclined to like "solid food and drink craft beer."
El Jefe, which will serve a take on its popular Barbacoa with a Florida corn salsa fresca, is just one of the vendors that will be serving small bites in the VIP area at Beerfest in downtown Fort Lauderdale.
While traditional festival fare and other treats are available for purchase in the general admission area, attendees who spring for the VIP admittance will get samples from El Jefe and other local vendors, including:
Bravo Ristorante
Brick House Tavern and Tap
Briny Riverfront Bar and Restaurant
El Tamarindo Cafe
Flip-Flop's Dockside Eatery
Jerk Machine
Mugs Bar & Grill
New River Grill
Rok:Brgr Burger Bar and Gastropub
Smokey Bones Bar and Fire Grill
Tongue 'N Cheek - An American Gastropub
VIP admission to Beerfest -- which also includes tastes of premium craft beers not available to general admission ticket holders, plus liquor samples and the best stage views of live musical acts like the Dirty Dozen Brass Band -- is $65 if you purchase by noon Saturday or $75 at the door.
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