CRANFORD, NJ — At the second-ever Taste of Cranford on Tuesday, June 1, residents enjoyed live music at Eastman Plaza, courtesy of Garlic Rose Bistro, and thrilled to the “pay as you go, with sample-sized pricing” event, as 24 restaurants delighted the palates of many, thanks to the efforts of Downtown Cranford and Cranford Community Connection.
“Downtown Cranford … is a township department whose objective is to promote, brand, beautify, maintain, attract and grow business in the ultimate objective of creating a thriving downtown community,” Downtown Cranford Director Caren Demyen said on Friday, June 4. “The Cranford Community Connection … is a collaborative group of Cranford residents working together to create townwide events and initiatives that foster a thriving Cranford community. Some of our marquee events are Pooch Plunge, Tuff Paddle and Porchfest.”
Demyen said that residents taking part in the Taste of Cranford sampled small portions of food offered by participating restaurants. This let them try new foods and learn about Cranford’s small food businesses, in the hopes that those businesses would draw repeat customers, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic draws to a close.
“To help our restaurants prepare, we had participants purchase a bracelet for $5, which was donated to Project Home of Cranford,” Demyen said. “Project Home is a nonprofit organization whose fundraising dollars go solely to Cranford Family Care. Since 1988, volunteers have fundraised to assist Cranford families who are in danger of losing their Cranford residences due to crisis situations.
“There were two times to sign up: 5 to 7 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m.,” she continued. “This was to help make sure restaurants did not get too crowded. And we had live music from the Michael Craig Band at Eastman Plaza, courtesy of Garlic Rose Bistro.”
Though the number of attendees wasn’t recorded at the first Taste of Cranford, which took place Sept. 16 of last year and featured 15 restaurants, Demyen said she’s sure it brought extra business for local restaurants. This time around, 400 participant bracelets were sold to residents and other guests.
“Seventy-five percent was Cranford residents,” Demyen said. “I think the event brought a lot of foot traffic on a Tuesday evening to the downtown. I feel that it was a success. It’s always great when different organizations can work together to support our business community, as well as help a local charity.
“It was a beautiful day, and it was great to see so many people enjoying the downtown. I’m grateful to all of the businesses which participated and everyone who came out to support,” she added.
Bill Zavolas, who owns Cranford’s Ambeli Greek Taverna along with his brother, Christos, said every time they participate in an event such as the Taste of Cranford, they see a significant increase in foot traffic.
“For this event, we had an increase of 10 percent to 15 percent, but we feel what’s even more important is getting a chance to connect with the people walking around and being noticed by many that did not know about us,” said Zavolas on Sunday, June 6. “We served our traditional ‘keftedakia.’ These are bite-sized meatballs seasoned with Greek aromatic herbs, served over tzatziki and drizzled with EVOO (extra virgin olive oil) and lemon.”
Zavolas said that, as a restaurant, they had been very fortunate throughout this difficult time. He said they had received tremendous support from their customers. Events such as the Taste of Cranford definitely help by bringing new faces into town to discover their restaurant.
“We enjoy participating in all the events that the (Downtown Management Corp.) put together,” Zavolas said. “The Taste of Cranford allows guests to try a sample size of our food, and many of them return to experience more flavors from our menu. The success of these events is not only seen on the day of the event, but it has a ripple effect for future visits.”
Ricot Jean Baptiste, the owner of Urban Burger, said there was about a 10 percent increase in sales at his restaurant on the day of the event.
“But most importantly, the foot traffic and buzz of the area was great to see,” said Jean Baptiste on Sunday, June 6. “We served pork sliders and fries for this particular event. We love to expand our menu to introduce different flavors to our customers.”
“We have been very fortunate to sustain the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic,” he continued. “It’s because of the support of our customers, guests and community. The overall support and effort from the DMC to bring foot traffic through our town has been a tremendous advantage versus other surrounding towns. The event was a huge success, as it gives our downtown area the opportunity to gain new customers, while displaying the great variety of restaurants and businesses that we have in our community.”
Cranford resident Marc Corello, the founder and owner of Garlic Bistro, said that his restaurant had a great flow of customers during the four-hour event.
“We served a 4-ounce sliced filet mignon with a garlic sour cream horseradish sauce over arugula,” said Corello on Monday, June 7. “I feel, coming off the heels of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Taste of Cranford event was a tremendous positive for this community. Just to see so many people out and about, trying different foods, listening to music and just laughing, it was a good time.
“The Taste of Cranford is just one of many events that Cranford does,” he continued. “It shows how this small town embraces businesses and the community, and, in return, how this community embraces the great town of Cranford.”
Photos Courtesy of Michelle Stavrou