2nd Annual Delicious Little Tokyo

Go Little Tokyo invites expert foodies and first time explorers alike to the heart of Downtown LA to experience diverse cuisines from the restaurants of Little Tokyo for a scrumptious weekend of authentic food, drinks, and fun at the 2nd Annual Delicious Little Tokyo.

DETAILS: 

From Friday, July 21 to Sunday, July 23, explore the culinary gems of Little Tokyo and all the neighborhood has to offer with friends and family at the 2nd Annual Delicious Little Tokyo. Experience culinary demos, food tours, workshops, tastings, and one-of-kind activities at various Little Tokyo shops and restaurants exclusively available during Delicious Little Tokyo weekend.

Friday, July 21

• Sake at First Street North with the Little Tokyo Service Center (LTSC), 7:00 – 10:00 PM — Enjoy sake provided by Mutual Trading Co., Inc. and delicious small plates at First Street North, a block that is critical to the past, present, and future of Little Tokyo. The event will also feature a multimedia installation to inspire guests to re-imagine First Street North. The installation is part of +LAB, LTSC’s creative community development project. $100 General Admission. Must be 21 years or older to attend.

Saturday, July 22

• Floral Centerpiece Workshop, 10:00 – 11:00 AM — Learn from second-generation florist veteran and owner of Kuragami Little Tokyo Florist how to make a beautiful, effortless floral centerpiece for any special occasion. $10 cash materials fee paid upon entry, pre-registration required. Limited to 15 participants.
• Poke & Tea Tasting, 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM — Join Snociety for a special offering of the freshest proteins seasoned with your choice of six homemade sauces and refreshing iced teas, milk teas and infused lemonades. $10 cash admission due upon entry, pre-registration required. Limited to 15 participants.
• Kyaraben (Character Bento) Demo, 12:00 – 1:00 PM – Join non-profit organization Anime for Humanity, for a fun, unique food demonstration on creating a beautiful bento box with food designs inspired by your favorite animations! FREE admission, pre-registration required. Limited to 20 participants.
• Bento Box Demo, 1:00 – 2:00 PM — Join former Mrs. Japan and TABLE FOR TWO, a non-profit organization that promotes healthy eating and helps hungry children around the world, to learn how to pack a lunch that is both delicious and adorable with kawaii (cute) characters to liven up your bento box! FREE admission. No registration required.
• Sushi-Making Workshop, 2:00 – 3:00 PM — Learn the history and art, proper form and technique of hand-rolling the perfect sushi from Little Tokyo legacy business owner of Mitsuru Grill and Master Sushi Chef, Mamoru Hanamura. Learn how to make four (4) different, classic rolls. $15 cash materials fee due upon entry, pre-registration required. Limited to 15 participants.
• Delicious Little Latte Art Workshop, 3:00 PM & 4:00 PM — Learn from award-winning latte artist and local Cafe Dulce barista, Eugene Lee, in a hands-on lesson on creating the perfect free pour design to top off your latte. All proceeds from this workshop benefit the Little Tokyo Community Council (LTCC). $10 donation per person paid upon entry, pre-registration required. Cash only. Limited to 6 participants
• Spam Musubi Demo, 3:30 – 4:30 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 (edible seaweed) in the tradition of Japanese omusubi. $5 cash materials fee due upon entry, pre-registration required. Limited to 15 participants.
• Historical Food Walking Tour, 5:00 – 6:00 PM — 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. $15 cash donation per person paid upon entry, pre-registration required. Limited to 20 participants.
• Delicious Little Tokyo Latte Art Throwdown, 5:00 – 7:00 PM – Go Little Tokyo and Cafe Dulce presents the inaugural Delicious Little Tokyo Latte Art Throwdown! Professional baristas from all over Los Angeles will go head to head to compete for the crown in a winner takes all, best freestyle latte art battle. $10 cash registration per participant. Walk up registration only. Limited to 32 participants.

Sunday, July 23

• Kawaii Sushi Felting Workshop, 10:30 – 11:30 AM — Join local DTLA collaborative co-working space, Opodz, for a beginner’s needle felting workshop! Students will learn the basics of crochet and create adorable, stuffed sushi figures. Ages 10 years and older. $5 cash materials fee due upon entry, pre-registration required. Limited to 30 participants
• Onigiri Workshop, 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM — Join TABLE FOR TWO and Wa-Shokuiku “Learn. Cook. Eat Japanese!” to learn to make Rice Ball Characters, a fun and creative take on onigiri — the most popular Japanese snack! $15 cash materials fee due upon entry, pre-registration required. Limited to 30 participants.
• Beginner’s ‘Ukulele Class, 1:00 PM, 2:15 PM, and 3:30 PM — `UKE On with U-Space’s easy, familiar tunes and songs led by `ukulele artist and educator, Jason Arimoto. FREE admission. Loaner instruments available on-site. Pre-registration required. Limited to 10 participants per time slot.
•  “Furoshiki” Japanese Cloth Wrapping Workshop, 1:00 – 2:00 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. 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. Sponsored by Bunkado. FREE admission, pre-registration required. Limited to 20 participants.
• Cocktail Demo, 2:30 – 3:30 PM — Join Little Tokyo’s neighborhood highball bar, Wolf & Crane, for a lesson in mixology. Learn a few tips and tricks from these Japanese whisky experts on how to concoct a perfect cocktail and have a sip (or two) of their favorites: Grandma Sue’s Gin and Tonic, Tokyo to Manhattan and Yoshi’s Island. FREE admission. Limited to 20 participants. Must be 21 years or older to attend.
• Japanese Tea Ceremony, 3:30 – 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. Sponsored by Tea Master Little Tokyo. $5 cash materials fee due upon entry, pre-registration required. Limited to 30 participants.
• Pizza-Making Workshop, 4:00 – 5:00 PM — Get with the laissez faire lifestyle with a pizza lesson from the pros at Baldoria! From strawberries to octopus, get inspired by their menu selection and grab a friend to share bites of custom-made pizza creations. $20 cash materials fee due upon entry, pre-registration is required. Limited to 10 participants.

SPECIALS:

Sip and sample special libations and treats only available during the Delicious Little Tokyo weekend. NEW this year is the coffee cocktail collaborations available Saturday and Sunday from Cafe Dulce + Wolf & Crane and Cafe Dulce + Baldoria. Attendees can keep cool and caffeinated with drinks like “Kyoto in Summer”, a Kyoto Cold Brew inspired cocktail with Kenya Kieni coffee created by Café Dulce and Baldoria. For a list of all special drinks, treats and collaborations offered visit golittletokyo.com/delicious .

WHEN:
Friday, July 21, 7:00 – 10:00 PM

Saturday, July 22, 10:00 AM – 7:00 PM

Sunday, July 23, 10:30 AM – 5:00 PM

WHERE:
Little Tokyo - Downtown Los Angeles

TICKETS AND REGISTRATION:

Free - $100, depending on the activity. For more information and to register for demos and workshops please visit http://www.golittletokyo.com/d elicious/.