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A big treat for those of us who live here year-round, Craving Fashion has quickly become one of the top culinary events in Naples.
If you haven’t been yet because the name belies its aim, plan to check out the party starting 6 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 23, where more than 40 restaurants will converge on the breezy passageways lining the Waterside Shops. From Truluck’s and M Waterfront Grille to Sushi Thai and Flaco’s, a breadth of eateries will be dishing out unlimited small plates, sometimes making three or four nibbles each—and caterers are in on the action, too, including Artichoke and Company, Fresh Fit Foods and Sage Events.
The $50 tickets (with proceeds supporting Make-A-Wish Southern Florida) can be supplemented by a $20 unlimited drink ticket (yes, that includes martinis and margaritas!) or a $10 nonalcoholic one. Otherwise, drinks are $7 a pop the night of, and because Shula’s has underwritten all beverage costs, any funds raised will be donated to United Way of Collier County.
Models strut around while the rest of us stuff our faces; a DJ spins tunes; women get dressed up; men cut loose. It’s pretty much a spot-on recipe for a good time in shoulder season.
Craving Fashion
Friday, Sept. 23, 2016
6-8:30 p.m.
Waterside Shops, 5415 Tamiami Trail N., Naples
To purchase tickets, click here. (For optional drink packages, click here.)
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One of Crave Culinaire’s many bites: a teriyaki smoked shrimp and roasted shiitake terrine with kimchee, a crisp lotus root, shoyu-bacon vinaigrette and togarashi aioli.
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Possibly the biggest paella pans ever? There were tastes aplenty, courtesy of chef Paul Schmidgall’s Fire & Rice.
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Lurcat’s booth channeled the spirit of the event with a whimsical display of lush botanicals, candles and hanging take-out containers (the latter were stuffed with a chicken-sesame rice noodle salad and disposable bamboo tongs).
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