Details Announced for 4th Annual Delicious Little Tokyo

Little Tokyo, Los Angeles, CA

There are a few things that we absolutely love at Westcoaster. Among them: Japan and anything about it, and good eats. As timing would have it, there’s an event going on in Little Tokyo a couple of weekends from now that combines both into one foodie celebration! Delicious Little Tokyo will be holding its fourth edition, celebrating a culinary weekend full of Japanese eats and drinks and culture. The event has a plethora of events and activities, all with varying admission prices. If this floats your sushi boat, then head on over to Downtown L.A. next weekend, July 19 and 20, and check it out!

From the press release:

Go Little Tokyo for Los Angeles’ Largest Annual Japanese Culinary Weekend at the 4th Annual Delicious Little Tokyo

Discover all NEW culinary experiences, live cooking and mixology demonstrations, craft beer and chicken wing pairings, traditional miso ball making and MORE!

Friday, July 19 and Saturday, July 20

LOS ANGELES - Go Little Tokyo’s 4th Annual Delicious Little Tokyo returns to the heart of Downtown Los Angeles for two days on Friday, July 19th and Saturday, July 20th and features over 20 exclusive events including all-new interactive workshops, tastings, and demonstrations curated for first-time foodies and culinary enthusiasts alike.

DETAILS:
Taste, experience, and indulge during Delicious Little Tokyo, Los Angeles’ largest annual Japanese culinary weekend. The foodie festival features two days of delicious food harvested from the streets of Little Tokyo, celebrating the diversity, cultural traditions, and of course, food of the historic neighborhood! Sample, explore, and discover, with friends and family, all Little Tokyo has to offer including tastings by participating Little Tokyo restaurants, hands-on culinary workshops, live cooking demonstrations, sake and beer food pairing classes, and more, exclusively available during Delicious Little Tokyo weekend.

Photo courtesy of Delicious Little Tokyo.

Friday, July 19

• 13th Annual Sake on the Rocks with the Little Tokyo Service Center (LTSC), 7:00 - 10:00 PM - Taste & savor bites from over 15 top Los Angeles restaurants, paired with a sampling of over 50 sake from different regions in Japan provided by Mutual Trading Co., Inc. $150 admission, must be 21 years or older to attend.

Saturday, July 20

• A Delectable Doughnut Tasting with Donatsu, 9:00 - 10:00 AM — From Ube to Matcha Pistachio, to Churro and Creme Brulee, it's hard to choose just one. Lucky you–you can sample them all in Donatsu’s Doughnut Tasting! Did we mention that all their doughnuts are vegan? $5 admission.

• Summer Floral Centerpiece Workshop with Kuragami Little Tokyo Florist, 10:00 - 11:00 AM — From date night to birthdays, these beautiful, effortless floral centerpieces will add bright life to any home. Learn from second generation florist veteran and owner of Kuragami Little Tokyo Florist the art of floral design. $12 admission, fresh flowers, vases and materials will be provided.

• Coffee Appreciation: A Fruit & Chocolate Tasting with Cafe Demitasse, 10:30 - 11:30 AM — The coffee connoisseurs at Cafe Demitasse invite you to try a curated selection of fruits and cacao chocolates for a lesson on quality coffee tasting. Smell, sip and savor notes of acidity and sweetness from Demitasse’s locally roasted coffee selection and learn how their sustainably harvested coffee beans from around the world get from the farm to your taste buds. $10 admission.

• Create Your Own Mini "Buzzfeed Tasty-Style” Video with BAE Little Tokyo, 10:30 - 11:30 AM — Ever wonder how to create those drool-worthy overhead cooking videos? International food blogger and Instagrammer, @LaPetiteBelle_Eats, will guide you through the process of making your own 10-second video, using BAE's insta-worthy swirled soft-serve as your subject. Sponsored by BAE. $5 admission, soft-serve and toppings included.

• Miso Ball Making 101 with Yoko Maeda Lamn, 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM — Join Japanese food preservation specialist, Yoko Maeda Lamn, in a hands-on miso ball making workshop. Miso is a popular condiment in Japanese cuisine, produced through the fermentation of soybeans and rice. Learn about the historic tradition of fermentation while creating your own customized miso balls to take home. Additional ingredients will be available for sale. $10 admission.

• LIVE Bento Box Demo with Table for Two, 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM — Learn how to pack a lunch that is both delicious and adorable with TABLE FOR TWO USA, a non-profit organization that promotes healthy eating and helps hungry children around the world. Watch this LIVE cooking demonstration taught by former “Mrs. Japan” and now the cooking instructor of Wa-Shokuiku “Learn. Cook. Eat Japanese!” and learn how to create kawaii (cute) characters to liven up your bento box! Free, RSVP encouraged.

• Historical Food Walking Tour with the Little Tokyo Historical Society, 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM and 1:00 - 2:00PM — Join the Little Tokyo Historical Society (LTHS) on a journey through Little Tokyo’s culinary past with a guided walking tour of historical food landmarks found in the neighborhood as well as cultural highlights along the way. From the first fortune cookie to the first ramen noodle restaurant in the United States, these sites were integral in the making of the Little Tokyo community we know today. $15 admission.

• Meet Hello Kitty in her Café Chef Coat, with Sanrio, 11:00 AM - 3:00 PM — Come say ‘Hello!’ at the Sanrio Store, Japanese Village Plaza for a special appearance by Hello Kitty. She will be donning her Café Chef coat exclusively for Delicious Little Tokyo. Make a purchase of $20 or more to receive a FREE Hello Kitty Café large cookie while supplies last. Hello Kitty Café items will be available for sale just for Delicious Little Tokyo. Meet Hello Kitty FREE, no RSVP required–first come, first served.

• Indonesian Cuisine Demo & Tasting with Kasih, 11:30 AM - 1:00 PM — Chef de Cuisine, Zachary Hamel, welcomes you into his kitchen with a demonstration of how to make some home-style favorites at one of Little Tokyo’s newest restaurants–Kasih. This restaurant is putting Indonesian food on the map in Los Angeles. Discover herbs and spices used in traditional Indonesian cuisine with a sampling of their dishes, like their sambals, spicy dipping sauces, and satay ayam, sweet soy glazed grilled chicken skewers doused with a signature peanut sauce that will leave you wanting more. $20 admission.

• Sake & Food Pairing with Sake Dojo, 12:00 - 1:00 PM — Learn the history, cultural significance and brewing process of various types of sake offered at Little Tokyo’s newest Japanese-style restaurant with a modern culinary twist, Sake Dojo! Join Sake Dojo Co-Owner, Don Tahara, for a lesson on pairing sake with cheese and desserts. $20 admission, must be 21 years or older to attend.

• LIVE Handmade Tortilla Demo with Bad Son Tacos, 12:30 - 1:30 PM — Angelenos know that handmade tortillas make the taco, but do they know what makes the tortilla? Bad Son Tacos, a newcomer tucked inside the Little Tokyo Marketplace serving serious taco eats, will show you how to make the perfect tortilla and filling, live at the Delicious Little Tokyo Food Stage. Bags of masa and tortilla presses will be available for purchase so that you can recreate the smell and taste of fresh tortillas, right at home. Bring cash. Free, RSVP encouraged.

• Hiro's Bokashi Club Workshop, 1:00 - 3:00 PM — Sustainable Little Tokyo and JACCC present a special Hiro's Bokashi Club workshop! Learn how to compost using the Okinawan tradition of Bokashi, an anaerobic process that uses a special additive to ferment kitchen waste—including meat and dairy—into healthy soil and nutrient-rich fertilizer for your plants. Free, RSVP required, walk up registration available, space permitting.

• Mixology Demo with Wolf & Crane, 1:00 - 2:00 PM — Join Little Tokyo’s neighborhood watering hole, Wolf & Crane, for a lesson on how to make some of their unique craft drinks. Step into a relaxed environment and learn a few tips and tricks from the friendly faces behind the bar on the history of Japanese whiskey and what makes every sip special. $5 admission, must be 21 years or older to attend.

• Kawaii Onigiri Workshop with Table for Two, 1:30 - 2:30 PM — Learn to make Rice Ball Characters, a fun and creative take on onigiri — the most popular Japanese snack! Onigiri is a healthy staple in Japanese cuisine and an important part of the culture. This hands-on, family-friendly food education class is organized by the Wa-Shokuiku “Learn. Cook. Eat Japanese!” team of TABLE FOR TWO USA, a non-profit organization that promotes healthy eating and helps hungry children around the world. $15 admission.

• LIVE Takoyaki Demo with Takoyaki Tanota, 2:00 - 3:00 PM — Takoyaki, a popular Japanese street food from Osaka, is a crispy battered ball with a soft and creamy center. Chef Takeo of Takoyaki Tanota fills the yummy bites with the traditional octopus but gets creative with toppings that range from jalapeños to truffle oil. Check out his live demo at the Delicious Little Tokyo Food Stage, and see how this beloved Japanese snack is made. FREE, RSVP encouraged.

• Donut Decorating Workshop with Cafe Dulce, 2:00 - 4:00 PM Get ready to get creative and get your hands dirty with sweet and savory goodness at one of Los Angeles’ most delectable donut shops, Cafe Dulce! Decorate your very own custom Dulce Donut to perfection with a variety of some of their favorite toppings. All proceeds will be donated to the Little Tokyo Community Council. $5 admission, CASH ONLY. No RSVP required–first come, first served while supplies last.

• Craft Beer & Chicken Wing Pairing with Far Bar, 2:00 - 3:00 PM — Far Bar Little Tokyo continues to host some of the world’s newest and best craft beers, introducing Los Angeles to brewers like Mumford Brewing, El Segundo Brewing, and Bottle Logic Brewing that regularly rotate on their taps. Curated by co-owner, Don Tahara, pair some of their unique selection of brews with different chicken wings including their famous Ming's Wings. $20 admission, must be 21 years or older to attend.

• The Art of Furoshiki Wrapping Workshop with the Little Tokyo Service Center and Bunkado, 2:00 - 3:00 PM — Learn the art of “furoshiki” cloth wrapping from master furoshiki wrapper, and Director of Service Programs at the Little Tokyo Service Center (LTSC), Mike Murase, who can wrap just about anything! Hear about the history of these traditional Japanese wrapping cloths, and try your hand at this eco-friendly, fashionable option to package your lunch boxes, bottles and other gifts. Furoshiki will be provided by local Japanese goods store, Bunkado. $5 admission.

• The Way of Tea: A Traditional Japanese Tea Ceremony with Tea Master of Little Tokyo, 3:00 - 4:00 PM — Experience the beautiful, choreographic ritual of preparing and serving Japanese green tea, called Matcha, in a traditional Japanese tea ceremony led by renowned Tea Master Nishimura of the Edo Senke LA Fuhaku-kai School. Learn the art of making matcha provided by local green tea store, Tea Master of Little Tokyo and enjoy Japanese treats provided by Fugetsu-Do to the sounds of a Tsugaru-shamisen (traditional Japanese stringed musical instrument). $5 admission.

• Spam Musubi Demo with Aloha Cafe, 3:45 - 4:45 PM — Join Aloha Cafe for a step-by-step tutorial on how to make a classic Spam musubi, composed of a slice of grilled Spam on top of a block of rice, wrapped together with nori in the tradition of Japanese omusubi. Experience a taste of Hawaii right in our own backyard with one of the best Hawaiian restaurants in Los Angeles! $5 admission.

• The History of the Old Fashioned with Baldoria, 5:00 - 6:00 PM — The Old Fashioned–an American classic that continues to be a fan favorite. Owner of Baldoria, David King, will share the history of this traditional cocktail and lead a hands-on workshop on how to concoct a perfect, short-rimmed glass. Sip on your creation (or two), and take home one of their new, B&K ready-to-drink Old Fashioned bottles home with you for later. $20 admission, must be 21 years or older to attend.

• Meet Little Tokyo Pizza Party with Prime Pizza, 6:00 - 8:00 PM — Wind down your Saturday with a neighborhood pizza party hosted by Prime Pizza! Grab a perfect slice of delicious pizza and a cold beverage, complimentary of the host, while meeting the faces behind some of Little Tokyo's beloved businesses and organizations. Meet Little Tokyo, an interview series created by Go Little Tokyo, profiles a new business owner each month. A photo installation of the Meet Little Tokyo profiles will be displayed inside Prime Pizza. Free, RSVP encouraged.

Photo courtesy of Delicious Little Tokyo.

Additional cooking demos, tastings, food workshops and tours still to be announced from participating Little Tokyo restaurants including Azay. To stay up to date on the latest Delicious Little Tokyo announcements visit golittletokyo.com/delicious.

WHEN:
Friday, July 19, 7 – 10 PM
Saturday, July 20, 9 AM – 8 PM

WHERE:
Little Tokyo - Downtown Los Angeles

TICKETS AND REGISTRATION:

• Friday, July 19: Sake on the Rocks with the Little Tokyo Service Center (LTSC) admission is $150. Must be 21 years or older to attend.

• Saturday, July 20: Free - $20, depending on the activity.

To register for demos and workshops please visit golittletokyo.com/delicious/.