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world a fair

Around the World in 30 Bites!

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Petit Fours

The “Petit Fours” at the France booth are delicate bites of heaven

Dayton’s 42 year old, A World A’ Fair, International Festival is set for this upcoming weekend.

Yes, from Friday until Sunday, Daytonians will be showing their heritage spirit through arts, crafts, clothing, dancing and our favorite part… FOOD !

Thirty booths will be set up, each for a different part of the world.  The purpose is to educate and to wow the crowds with their individual uniqueness.  But we buy tickets for one reason… the chance for a  great Food Adventure, where we can eat ourselves around the world in 3o bites.  Did we mention there is wine and beer???

Where else can you grab sushi, Puerto Rican rice and beans, haggis, a gyro, french pastries and a cannoli while watching African dancers?

 

HERE’S THE SKINNY:

— The event takes place at the Dayton Convention Center

   Festival Hours:
   Friday, May 15,  5:00pm – 11:00pm
   Saturday, May 16,  11:00am – 11:00pm
   Sunday, May 17,  11:00am – 6:00pm

— Tickets are $8 for adults, $4 for children at the door

— Full schedule of dancers and booths can be found at http://www.aworldafair.org/  

 

Travel the world with your tastebuds, without leaving Dayton.  Here are some of our favorites..

THE MUST EATS at the World A’Fair festival !!

 

MUST EATS:

Gyro

Dollar for Dollar – the best deal, for the flavor is the Greek Gyro

— GYROS at THE GREECE BOOTH:  These are the same ones they serve at Greek fest.  They also come in chicken gyro and vegetarian, but we prefer the traditional Gyros.  Pound for pound, probably the best deal at the festival.

 

— APPEL FLAPPEN at the NETHERLANDS BOOTH: People wait in lines that wrap around the arena for these powdered, deep fried apple rings.  One bite and you will see what all the excitement is about, and you will wish you would have ordered a few more.

 

— TIRAMISU at the ITALY BOOTH: Coffee like, creamy and dashes of chocolate.  This is dessert done right.  Try one of these cubes of perfection.  So good, it puts you in a trance.

 

— SAAG PANEER at the INDIA BOOTH: Make sure you get some of this Indian spinach dish and get a piece of Naan Bread too for dipping.  A great dish that is satisfying and vegetarian as well.

 

— PETIT FOURS at the FRANCE BOOTH:  Tiny bits of heaven  Choose from a nice selection and go to town.  Treat yourself, you deserve it after traveling the world.

 

Brews

Grab a cold Heiney at World A’Fair

— THE CREAM PUFFS at the SLOVIC BOOTH: Probably the best single item at the festival.  It is delicious and rich like it should be.   A generous helping of cream, on a huge crescent puff, this is grand finale to any visit to the World A’ Fair.  

 

— BEERS at the GERMAN, SCOTLAND and IRELAND BOOTHS:  Ireland and Germany typically have a couple of authentic beers on draft.   These are must drinks.  Nothing says World A’fair like a guy in a kilt pouring you a cold one with no underwear,

 

Here is a start, now you have a road map for the best food in the World.  Every year new food items are introduced, so keep your eyes peeled.  There will be so much delicious, international food, that you simply wont have the time or the hunger pains to try them all.  No worries, the fest is 3 days long !

Want more scoop and great photos of local food events and restaurants?  Follow Hungry Jax, Chef House and The Big Ragu on Facebook by clicking HERE.

Like to tweet? So do we.. check out our Twitter  @food_adv

Please browse the gallery below from some of our delicious Food Adventures where we traveled around the world in 30 bites !

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Food Adventures with Dayton Mayor Gary Leitzell

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Dayton Mayor Gary Leitzell Enjoying a Brew at Tank’s Bar & Grill

Everyone knows that Gary Leitzell is the mayor of Dayton, but did you know that he is a foodie ??   You may find him at Tank’s on Wayne Avenue with a mini pitcher of beer discussing the history of Dayton.   You may see him munching on pizza at the South Park Tavern, talking about some of the old homes in the neighborhood & who built them.   You may catch the mayor cutting a sandwich at the Top of the Market & Deli at Webster Street.

The Big Ragu often runs into Gary Leitzell at various community events.  We have had Food Adventures with the mayor at Ghostlight Coffee and even visited with his legislative aide “Gladgirl Shelly.‘  The mayor has spent time with us at the 2nd Street Market.    We have been with him at charity events like the AMBUCS Chili Cookoff.  And, who could forget our ‘must eats’ like Oktoberfest at the Dayton Art Institute or the World A’Fair at the Convention Center.

When we see Mayor Leitzell, he always takes a moment to talk with us about Dayton and the local government’s exciting plans for the city.  Practically everything about Gary is unique.  Most of his childhood was spent in England, he has no political affiliation and fancies himself an independent.

 

But this is not an article on politics.   It is an article on fun and food in the Dayton area, which is what Food Adventures are all about.

Speaking of fun, here are some things you ‘gotta know’ about Dayton Mayor Gary Leitzell:

— He eats every sandwich with a fork and knife.  – Yes, hot dogs and burgers too.  Call it a good manners habit from his days in merry olde England.

—He has a blog called ‘This Old Crack House’  – Mayor Leitzell is a cool character with a great personality.  His blog documents the refurbishing of his historic home, which went from a log house to a townhouse, to a crack house and now, his house.  You gotta love a guy that has a blog called “This Old Crack House.”  Check it out HERE.

— Mayor Leitzell has a scooter.  – What better way to get to  a Food Adventure?

—  He doesn’t own a cell phone. – Gary is a person who prefers to communicate face to face or by email.  Wait a minute, how does he order carryout food?  For a guy always on the move, we find it astonishing that he doesn’t own a mobile phone.  Maybe it is a lesson to us as well.

— His favorite rock band is ‘The Who.’  – Will they play a farewell show at Courthouse Square when his term as mayor ends?  We will have our people get with your people to coordinate that one.

If there is a lesson to be learned from Mayor Leitzell it is “Be yourself.”   The mayor has a positive passion for the Dayton area and the future of the city.  He is involved with many activities, from West Side Dayton volunteer projects to creative marketing for the city.  But, you won’t see that trumpeted in a paper or in a story online.  As his term expires in January, look for him to run for a Montgomery County Commissioner seat.

So be on the lookout next time you are eating out and around Dayton.  You just may be sitting next to the mayor !

What are your top 5 Dayton area restaurants?  Comment below so we can see how you stack up with the mayor !

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Leitzell may be the bossman, but Food Adventures are the Dukes of Facebook .   Like these “Dayton Foodies” on FACEBOOK by clicking  —–>HERE!

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