Taylors Gourmet Redux

Went to a Johnnie Walker tasting last night with some friends.  To prepare myself, I planned to have a substantial snack beforehand.  Since the tasting was held at Atlantic Video in Chinatown, I headed over to the City Vista Taylors Gourmet.  This location is only open until 10 pm, and they seemed to have a steady stream of customers placing mostly takeout orders.



Rocky's Risotto Balls aka Arancini served with spicy marinara sauce $4.50. 

These are much nicer than the mozzarella sticks. 

Inside the fried risotto ball is a nice bit of gooey cheese.

Wharton Street 6 inch hoagie with mozzarella, pesto, roasted red peppers, lettuce and tomato $6.50

While it was filling, the flavor combinations are a bit lacking for vegetarians.  I'd love to see an eggplant parmesan hoagie added to their menu with their spicy marinara and cheese.  The bread seems better suited for hot sandwiches too, like the Pattison or any of the grilled or fried chicken cutlet options.

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The free Johhnie Walker tasting felt a bit like a rock show with the thumping music and lighting effects.  Compared to the Macallan tasting, the pours were much more conservative.  They served the Gold Label chilled and the Blue Label in a small snifter, which accentuated the bouquet.  The Red Label had a hint of chili peppers.  The Black Label was much more smokey, and the Green Label had an earthy flavor.  Definitely informative, and it's hard to beat the price.