Southsea Food Festival 2010

It is a good idea to showcase the best of what our local area has, but sadly I feel this event does not live up to it's potential.  I popped down on Sunday to have a look at this years Southsea food festival, and thought it was pretty much the same as last years, in terms of size and content, which in my view was very average then too.

I can't say I spent too much time here this year as on Saturday I went up to London to visit a Taste of London food festival in Regents Park, so was a little tired, but boy we could really learn a thing or two from that event.

What would be really nice to see is more local restaurants getting involved, showcasing the best they have, because really Portsmouth has some good restaurants from all corners of the earth.

Having chatted to a couple of local restaurant owners, they feel the event is somewhat tacky, and lacking in substance, so perhaps this is how many of them feel, and hence don't support it?

I think a fresh new look at  this is event would help. 

A taste of London is a perfect example of how local restaurants can make this work.  Each of the restaurants had a stand with 3 to 4 dishes listed on a menu, which you go up to and choose what you like and pay with a currency of paper crowns.  Something like this on a smaller scale would be perfect. 

There was last year a Thai food event on Castle Fields which was brilliant in comparison to the Southsea food festival, with lots and lots of food stalls, cooking all yummy Thai cuisine, thus proving that it can be done! 

With the closure of Love Albert Road Day, there is all the more reason to put more energy into the Southsea Food Festival in years to come.

What did anyone else think of this years event?

Don't forget to check out at Gunwharf Quays the Food, Family Fun & Real Ale Festival July 2nd - July 4th 2010