'Something for Everyone' at Taste of Madison

Dishes and wines from about 30 Madison restaurants and stores will be savored by approximately 400 people at Taste of Madison on Monday, organizers said.

The 11th annual event, which serves as a fundraiser for the , and , addresses one of the challenges of dining out in Madison: deciding which great restaurant to patronize, Mayor Robert Conley said at a recent Borough Council meeting.

"Here, in one night, we can try them all," Conley said.

There are 24 restaurants attending the event, including first-time participants On a Roll and Romanelli's.

Chairing this year's event are David Morozoff of the Madison Rotary, Maureen Byrne of the Downtown Development Commission and Danielle Torrani Dixon of the Chamber of Commerce.

Byrne said about 350 tickets have already sold, and additional tickets are expected to be purchased over the weekend and through the day of the event. The number of attendees is expected to be comparable to previous years, she said. Tickets are available through the event page on the Gary's Wine & Marketplace website.

Taste of Madison is scheduled for 7 to 9:30 p.m. Monday at Park Avenue Club, 184 Park Ave., Florham Park. A special VIP hour with a champagne tasting starts at 6 p.m. Tickets are $65, while a VIP ticket is $100. For more information about the event visit www.garyswine.com/taste_of_madison/ or call 973-377-7830.

"There's really something for everyone," Byrne said, running through some of the items on the menu, from chicken, shrimp and mozzarella, to desserts, including rice pudding from Nautilus Diner, cupcakes from Crowley's and tiramisu from Il Mondo Vecchio.

"It showcases what's really wonderful about Madison," Byrne said. "We have such a plethora of dining establishments."

To hear from some of the chefs and restaurant owners what they plan to bring to the event, visit our Taste of Madison 2012 page. The list of participants is below:

• Champagne Services
• Chocolat Esprit
• Park Avenue Club

Madison Patch is the official online media sponsor of Taste of Madison 2012.