Serving Stuffed Homo Sapiens

EL TORO — Dancing in circles to a funky gospel beat, 1-year-old Rachyl Thomsen couldn’t be bothered with the big wad of chewing gum stuck under her white sandal, wrapping sticky strands around her leg and ankle and making a mess of her shoe.

You see, Saturday was the first time Rachyl had visited the Taste of Orange County festival, and though she could not really sample the spicy exotic food like the Louisiana jambalaya or the fish tacos, her enthusiasm was uncontrollable.

She was joined by thousands at the seventh annual Taste of Orange County, held at the El Toro Marine Corps Air Station, where at least 30 different restaurants showed off their cuisine and dozens of bands strutted their stuff.

But the focus for nearly every visitor was, of course, the food.

And the selection this year turned out to be one of the most diverse, with food ranging from American classics such as East Coast clam chowder to Cuban conch fritters in a spicy tartar sauce, to Lebanese kebabs.

Though the event could get expensive, with an $8 adult admission, $3 for kids, as well as individual food tickets that ranged from $1 to $5 for each dish, the cost didn’t seem to faze most visitors, eager to sample the various dishes.

Rachyl’s grandparents, Judy and Ernie Thomsen, found they could taste exotic food fearlessly.

“Now we can try the food of restaurants we were too scared to go into,” said Judy Thomsen, who lives in Huntington Beach. “This is a way we can try things comfortably.”

The couple said they now had half a dozen restaurants on their list to visit.

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For the restaurateurs, the day offered an opportunity to lure customers.

It was especially good for new business owner Jim Ulcikas of the Blue Water Grill in Newport Beach. Though his booth only offered clam chowder and shrimp cocktail, Ulcikas made sure to tell folks his restaurant had such classic East Coast dishes as fried clams, Maine lobster, Maryland soft-shell crabs and even walleye fish--a native of the Great Lakes region.

“We have dishes people normally can’t get” anywhere else in Orange County, boasted Ulcikas.

Complementing some of the spicy food were the people handing out antacid tablets, readily preparing folks to fend off raging heartburn. They strategically placed themselves after the Stagg chili booth. Distributor John Sanders estimated he handed out at least 20,000 tablets Friday and Saturday.

“This is about getting it into the hands of people before it’s too late,” Sanders said gravely.

For others, the event offered an eclectic brew of romance, garnished with exotic food and funky music.

Take Janelle Hamabata, 22, and Darron Tanioka, 24, who cuddled on a bench as she spoon-fed mango sorbet into his mouth.

For others, this year’s event was a fond remembrance of festivals gone by.

Kimlyn Hammond, who visited the event with her daughter CanDase Johnson and niece Precious Johnson, both 7, met her fiance here one year ago as she sampled food across the aisle from him.

He wandered over to her, a plate full of food in his hand, and the rest is history.

Hammond said they plan to marry next year.

Singing along with the Starlight Gospel Singers, she said she planned to stay until late in the evening, eating, dancing and enjoying her time off.

“I come here for the food, the music, the music and the music,” said Hammond, who lives in Long Beach. “I love it!”

The festival, which is sponsored by The Times and other businesses, continues at noon today.