Chow Time

It's time again for Newport's annual Taste of Newport event—which prompts the question, what exactly does Newport taste like? Chanel No. 5 and salt water, probably. Just as it does for the Fourth of July, Newport closes off some of its streets for the event, but Taste of Newport does the Fourth one better: It supplies gourmet cuisine, delicious wine, cold beer and fancy cocktails. No need to smuggle beer in on this day. So, if you have always wanted to show a date the best of what Newport has to offer, but you aren't willing to sell off your kidneys to cover the bill, this is your golden opportunity. A Taste of Newport allows you to sample dishes from multiple fine eateries for a fraction of the cost (and a fraction of the serving size) all in one night. Restaurants such as Ten Asian Bistro, Chakra Indian Cuisine, Maggiano's Little Italy and Soprano's will serve up the food, while 15 wineries, plus Kirin Ichiban, Red Hook, Michelob, Grey Goose and Bacardi serve up refreshments. For entertainment this year, you'll find Huey Lewis and the News, Devo, Kevin Costner and Modern West, Al McKay All Stars, LA All Stars, Derek Bordeaux, and more. Chowing down on Newport cuisine while rocking out to "Hip to Be Square"? Count me in.

The Taste of Newport at Fashion Island, 600 Newport Center Dr., Newport Beach, (949) 729-4400; www.tasteofnewport.com. Fri., 6-11 p.m.; Sat., 4-11 p.m.; Sun., noon-8 p.m. $18-25. All ages.