SOUPer Bowl Returns to Port Washington

SOUPer Bowl VIII is set for Saturday, 12- 3 p.m. at Fellowship Hall in the United Methodist Church, 35 Middle Neck Road in Port Washington. It’s a tasty way to enjoy a variety of soups, meet up with friends, and support a worthy cause – the Twin Pines Food Pantry.

Sponsored by the Port Washington Chamber of Commerce, this year’s event boasts a record number of Port’s local eateries that are donating their best soups for the contest and hope to be voted Port Washington’s 2015 SOUPer Bowl Champ.

The community is invited to “Buy a Spoon” and become a “taster,” by visiting the soup stations and receiving samples of each of the soups donated by the restaurants.

The soups range from such standards as hearty beef barley and clam chowder to more exotic selections such as coconut milk soup and Mexicali tortilla soup. The restaurants also provide bread and crackers free to complete your lunch. Then vote for your favorites, and when all the ballots are tallied, the 2015 SOUPer Bowl Champ is determined. The winner will receive the “People’s Choice Award.”

There is also a tasting by a select judges’ panel, including four community-minded celebrities, including Emmy-winning sports anchor Len Berman, Emmy-winning news anchor and celebrity chef Julian Phillips, Iron Chef Alex Lee and Bobby Flay’s sous chef Christina Sanchez. Rounding out the judges’ panel are Michele Cunkleman, a client from the Helen Keller National Center; Anne Arter of Daniel Gale Sotheby’s International Realty (Commissioner Sponsor) and Joe Canigiani of Joseph N. Canigiani, Inc. (Commissioner Sponsor) The winner, as determined by a vote of the Panel, is given the prestigious “Judges’ Choice Award.”

Be sure to check out the raffle, whose grand prize is a $100 gift certificate to a SOUPer participating restaurant of the winner’s choice. Second place is a $75 gift certificate, and third prize is a $50 gift certificate. The balloon football centerpieces, created by S.F. Falconer Florist, will also be raffled off.

As in the past, the event will include a food drive. Visitors may bring non-perishable food itemsm which will be donated to the Twin Pines Consumers Food Pantry. The local food pantry has seen an increase in the number of people requesting food but donations have been down. The chamber will donate a portion of the net proceeds from the SOUPer Bowl to Twin Pines.

SOUPer Bowl will also welcome representatives from Plant A Row For The Hungry who will have information about how you can help feed people in need in our community.

So far, 19 local eateries have said they will participate, including many newcomers:

• Amsterdam at Harborside
• Ayhan’s Fish Kebab
• Ayhan’s Mediterranean Marketplace
• Ayhan’s Shish Kebab
• Bosphorus Café Grill
• Finn MacCool’s
• Frank’s Pizza
• Gino’s Pizzeria & Restaurant
• Harbor Q
• O’Hara’s Ale House & Grill
• Port Thai Place
• Port Washington Diner
• Port Washington Yacht Club
• Rosso Uptown
• Sullivan’s Quay
• Toscanini
• Uncle Giuseppe’s Market
• Wild Honey on Main
• Yummy Gyro

The Chamber of Commerce is grateful to the sponsors who make this event possible. The Commissioner Sponsors of SOUPer Bowl 2015 are Joseph N. Canigiani, Inc. and Daniel Gale Sotheby’s International Realty. Head Coach Sponsors are Laffey Fine Homes, Roslyn Savings Bank – a Division of New York Community Bank, R Best Produce and Uncle Giuseppe’s Market. The Assistant Coach sponsors are Chief Signs and the Kiwanis Club of Manhasset-Port Washington. FANS are the Dime Savings Bank, My Little World Daycare, Port Washington Calendar and Bruce A. Sims, DMD, PC.

If you go: You will enjoy a delicious and filling lunch courtesy of the participating eateries, cast your vote for the 2015 SOUPer Bowl Champ, and spend some time with your friends and neighbors on a cold winter’s afternoon. Pay at the door – a $7 “touchdown” fee for adults and a $3 “field goal” fee for children under 12. There is plenty of free parking. For more information, call the Chamber of Commerce at 883-6566 or email office@pwcoc.org.