Published: June 30, 2009 12:44 pm      

Taste of Hendricks County adds to its culinary palate

PLAINFIELD — Bill Jarchow calls the annual “Taste of Hendricks County” the state’s ultimate all-you-can-eat buffet. And with 24 restaurants participating this year, it’s bigger than ever.

The sixth annual event, scheduled for 5-8 p.m. July 9 at Primo Banquet & Conference Center, features county restaurants catering to a variety of tastes. Frank and Mary’s will be there with their famous catfish. Attendees can sample The Coachman’s prime rib. The Bread Basket Cafe & Bakery’s desserts are always a popular item.

“It’s definitely a wide range of food,” said Jarchow, regional advertising director for the Hendricks County Flyer, which sponsors Taste of Hendricks County with Hendricks Power and the Hendricks County Convention and Visitors Bureau. “It’s everything under the sun, pretty much.”

Several new restaurants have joined the event, which benefits the Hendricks County Community Foundation and Leadership Hendricks County. They include Cajuns Cafe & Catering, Claddagh Irish Pub, and Beasley’s Orchard.

Saturn of Indianapolis is sponsoring soft drinks for the evening and will also have cars on display.

“There’s a core of 16 restaurants that have done it ever since we started,” Jarchow said. With establishments from Brownsburg, Avon, Plainfield, Clayton, and Coatesville, he also noted “the county is very well represented, as far as where all the restaurants come from.”

Tickets for Taste of Hendricks County are $20 in advance or $25 the day of the event. They’re on sale now at Charbonos, Frank and Mary’s Catfish House, Hendricks County Bank & Trust, the HCCVB office in Danville, the Bread Basket Cafe & Bakery, the Hendricks County Flyer, Plainfield Elks, State Bank of Lizton, and Qdoba restaurants in Avon and Plainfield.

Beer and wine samples will also be available from Zink Distributing and Chateau Thomas, respectively.

Jarchow says the program has maintained its popularity since starting in 2004.

“We sell anywhere from 700 to 800 tickets each year,” he said. “We definitely get a good crowd. We’re looking for a few more people this year with the growth of restaurants and choices.”

Those who attend not only tend to return, they bring others with them.

“Once you’ve gone, you keep going,” Jarchow said.



Participating restaurants in the 2009 Taste of Hendricks County include:

A Little Bite of Heaven

Applebee’s

Beasley’s Orchard

Big Apple Bagels

Boulder Creek Dining Company

Bread Basket Cafe & Bakery

Cajuns Cafe & Catering

Cambria Suites

Charbonos

Chateau Thomas Winery

Chick-fil-A

Claddagh Irish Pub

The Coachman

Frank and Mary’s Catfish House

The Honeybaked Ham Company

Jugheads Backyard BBQ

McAlister’s Deli

Plainfield Elks

Primo

Qdoba Mexican Grill

Stone Creek Dining Company

Texas Roadhouse

Tripp’s Bar & Grill

Zink Distributing