FESTIVAL season is in full swing, and if the Chester County Restaurant Festival is any indicator, it’s off to a rolling start. If one complaint can be made about the event, it could only be that the it was too successful. Even knowing how delicious the chicken was that Chris DiFabio was serving up at the Pistachio’s booth, I simply don’t have the patience to stand in a line 30+ people deep stretching half a block. If the fire department were to set a maximum capacity for downtown West Chester, the restaurant festival would likely have exceeded it.
One line I did wait in was that of Olive Branch, because I was told their cake involved bits of white chocolate-covered Captain Crunch crumbles. Luckily for me, by the time I got to their block, the festival seemed to be clearing out a bit, and I only had to wait a few seconds for a piece of Marie Cantatore’s cake that more than lived up to the hype. It was also great to see owner Roberto Guadagnini manning the panini grill at Teca’s table. Apparently he has some skills on that grill, because the panini my wife ordered – laden with prosciutto, mozzarella and roasted red peppers – was fantastic.
The next festival to congest the town will be the West Chester Chili Cook-Off, scheduled for Sunday, October 9. We’re looking forward to it – it’s tough to beat all-you-can-eat chili for just $10, especially when that $10 goes straight to a worthy cause. Diane Stopyra wrote an excellent preview of the cook-off, which you can find on page 45.
Finally, I want to take a moment to let everyone know that it is now possible to sign up for a free digital subscription to The WC. Simply send an email to subscription@thewcpress.com with the subject line Sign Me Up. Make sure to include your name, and we’ll send you the digital version of each issue, which you can flip through page by page.
Dan Mathers
editor
