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![\"adamsave\"](\"https:\/\/sduptownnews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/06\/adamsave.jpg\" "\\"adamsave\\"")
A Normal Heights progressive meal tradition, the annual Taste of Adams Avenue, will take place June 28, from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. More than 25 restaurants are participating, including a few new to the neighborhood.\n\u201cThere is something for everyone,\u201d said Jim Schneider, executive director of the Adams Avenue Business Association, the event\u2019s sponsor. \u201cWe have from very upscale to very casual and everything in between.\u201d
\nOne ticket ($25 in advance) allows a taster to visit all participating restaurants, most of which provide several cup-size selections from their menu.
\n\u201cWe\u2019ll have a buffet table set up on our patio,\u201d said George DiMille of DiMille\u2019s Italian Restaurant, 3492 Adams Ave. DiMille\u2019s will be serving baked rigatoni, ziti in tomato cream sauce and pizza squares. \u201cWe do this to hopefully capture new faces moving into the Avenue [area], or those who have been here but haven\u2019t used us and need to find out about our great-tasting food.\u201d
\nAlthough DiMille\u2019s, a 41-year institution on Adams Avenue, has been part of the Taste since it began nine years ago, the new kids on the block are just as eager to take part. \u201cWe want to share our experience about Thai food with the people around here,\u201d said Nam Kobchai, owner of Pinto Thai Cuisine, which opened a few months ago at 3381 Adams Ave. Pinto will offer tasters Thai chicken, fried tofu, samosas and Thai iced tea.
\nOther new participating restaurants include Blind Lady Alehouse (3416 Adams), El Zarape Mexican Restaurant (3201 Adams) and Viva Pops! (3330 Adams).
\n\u201cThis is a promotion for our business district and these restaurants obviously,\u201d said Schneider, \u201cbut it\u2019s also a fundraiser for our other programs.\u201d Proceeds from the event, which is expected to draw 1,200 people, benefit the association\u2019s efforts to improve the district, which in the last year included planting and trimming trees, painting streetlight poles and installing new trash cans and tree grates.
\nAlthough some tasters might prefer to walk off their feast, Schneider said three trolleys will provide transportation to ticket-holders on a hop-on, hop-off basis.
\nAdvance tickets can be purchased at www.adamsavenueonline.com and at many of the participating restaurants (see the Web site for a list). Tickets the day of the event will be $30.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"