NYC: The Best Of Taste Of The Nation

There's nothing like eating a perfect bite by the chefs at Red Rooster while listening to an auctioneer cleverly disguised as a bespectacled hipster bring on the bids for lunch with FR co-founder Marcus Samuelsson. Such was the scene at last night's Taste of the Nation event, held at Soho event hall 82 Mercer.

50 of New York's most beloved eateries plied well-dressed, highly charitable food enthusiasts with small plates and chit-chat for an excellent cause: ending childhood hunger across the country. I snapped a few shots of the evening's spectacular offerings for your viewing pleasure below.

Share Our Strength, which organizes Taste of the Nation events in cities across America, has set a goal of eliminating the widespread problem of undernourished kids by 2015. We recommend you take the No Kid Hungry pledge (it only takes a second) and help out with this very worthy cause. You do love food, don't you?

Meatball Shop's chicken meatball with carrot, zucchini and ricotta salad and parsley pesto

Ai Fiori's razor clams with chorizo and fennel

Stracchiatella with toasted farrow and fresh spring peas at il Buco Alimentari & Vineria

Blue Hill's country ham and hen egg with asparagus and potatoes