Tampa Bay WUSF Public Media’s

The Longest Table Dining Event

Last year we were walking around the park in downtown St. Petersburg and saw this long, long line of tables set up right across from the waterfront. Wow! Was it a really big wedding reception?? No, it was The Longest Table dining event – and this year we were able to reserve a seat for dinner!

WUSF, the flagship National Public Radio member station in the Tampa Bay area, hosted its 5th annual The Longest Table event in April. This was a major 2018 fundraiser for Tampa Bay’s public media station and showcased “prix fixe menus paired with custom adult beverages from the area’s finest restaurants. Diners enjoy an epicurean experience at beautifully set tables right down the middle of Bayshore Drive in St. Petersburg.”  – WUSF

This year’s event was sold out, with over 1200 people coming to dinner on the waterfront.

Fifteen restaurants participated in this year’s Longest Table event. Even though the tables were placed end to end in one long line that extended for many blocks, each restaurant designed its own table decor. Individual tablescapes ranged from simple to over-the-top elaborate and elegant.

 

Each restaurant’s table decor was unique. And each one was beautiful!

The Seafood Shack, our restaurant for the evening’s events, designed a lovely seafood themed tablescape and menu.

First Course 

Global Seafood Sampler with Six Seas Ceviche and Poached Periwinkle Sea Snails

The poached Periwinkle Sea Snails were new to me. We were each given pins with which to pull out the meat, then dip the little tidbit in the garlic butter. The pieces were really tiny and you would have had to work pretty hard to get dinner from these tasty little guys!

Second Course

Mixed Ocean Salad with Lobster and Abalone

This was served sitting on a bed of coarse salt. The little berries were red currants.

Third Course

Bringing-It-Home Bayou Boil

So much food in one huge pot! And you can’t see the sausage or the corn!

This was a truly special evening spent with lots of friendly fellow diners. The wine flowed and locally owned Motorworks Brewing Company supplied diners at our tables with a different beer for each course, selected to pair with the menu. And as much as you wanted, too! I can’t wait to do this again next year – and I hope WUSF raised enough money for their broadcasting needs in 2018!