Food Tasting Event to Benefit Historic Park

More than two dozen Valley restaurants will be offering samples of their specialties at the Taste of Encino on Sept. 12 and 13.

This year’s event, held at the Navy and Marine Corps Reserve Center in Encino, boasts a lineup of eateries that include Buca di Beppo, Chin Chin, Eagle restaurant, Gypsy Grill, Taj Mahal Cuisine of India, Baskin-Robbins, the Tea Leaf and Topz.

Restaurant samples will be priced from $1 to $4, said Judy Kessler Block, director of operations for the Encino Chamber of Commerce, one of the sponsors of the 11th annual event.

“It’s the perfect way of trying restaurants that you’ve never been to,” Block said. “For example, if you’ve never had Indian food, for a couple of bucks you can try Indian food.”

Guests will receive brochures listing each restaurant and the dishes they will be serving at the event, she said.

All proceeds will be donated to the Los Encinos State Historic Park, which is in need of repairs from the 1994 Northridge earthquake, local schools and local community programs, said David Lynn, chief executive officer of the chamber.

The event will include carnival rides and games, arts and crafts booths and live jazz, blues and rock music, Block said.

The Naval & Marine Corps Reserve Center is at 6337 Balboa Blvd., south of Victory Boulevard. The festival is from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday.

Daily admission is $3 for the general public, $2 for seniors 55 and older and free to children under 12.

For more information, call the Encino chamber at (818) 789-2636.