Best Taste, Booth, Dessert Awarded at Brandon Chamber Expo

More than 1,000 people had their taste buds tickled May 16 at the Brandon Business Expo and Taste of Brandon, presented by the Greater Brandon Chambr of Commerce at the Florida State Fairgrounds in Tampa.

The event, in its 25 year, featured local restaurants vying for the Best Taste award, an expo tradition. Cheddar’s Casual Café took home the award with the Tampa Bay Times winning for Best Booth and Bahama Breeze Island Grille winning Best Dessert.

“It is a great event,” said Brandon’s Gerard Abbett, about the expo and taste that drew about 1500 people and more than 150 exhibitors. “I got about one-third of the way around and had to take a break for an hour because I was full.”

Adam Hunt of Hunt Family Dental Care brought his entire staff to the fairgrounds.

“It’s the first year for me here but we have had a really good response,” said Hunt, who recently re-branded his dental office, a fixture on Bloomingdale Avenue for more than six years. “It’s a great way to interact with the community outside the office."

Kelly Valyko of Mid-America Apartments received plenty of leads at her expo booth.

“I’ve talked to more than 40 people in the last two hours,” said Valyko, who handed out free soda at her booth. “It’s a great opportunity to get our marketing material out.”

The always smiling and industrious Sasha Huneke, of the newly opened Wok Chi restaurant the Regency Square shopping plaza, handled one of the largest crowds at the expo.

Huneke and her co-workers served more than 300 free samples, she said. Like many restaurants, Wok Chi, which specializes in fresh, casual Chinese cuisine, also gave out coupons for free food.