Kampai (Cheers) to “Delicious Little Tokyo!”
Delicious Little Tokyo was a weekend of scrumptious food and drinks harvested from the restaurants of Little Tokyo. Delicious Little Tokyo invited foodies everywhere to experience the vast variety of cuisines that Little Tokyo had to offer. After attending food events like Night Market and Artopia for several years, Delicious Little Tokyo is easily one of my favorite food events. The event was well-organized, promoted local businesses, and dished out some amazing food and drinks.
Organization
The best part of the event was the organization. Instead of being cramped in one area like the OC Night Market, Delicious Little Tokyo was spread throughout all four acres of Little Tokyo. I did not have to deal with one insanely long line for one booth and best of all, I can enjoy the air conditioning. Each restaurant that participated in the event offered special menu items, discounts, giveaways, and workshops. For example, Fu-ga Izakaya & Bar hosted Shochu Night in Little Tokyo. The event consisted of appetizers and tastings of shochu (a Japanese distilled beverage) with the guidance of a knowledgeable sommelier. They also offered shochu flights, craft cocktails, and limited edition shochu bottles at special prices. To make it even better, entry to this event was only a five dollar donation and all the proceeds went towards the Kumamoto Japan Earthquake Relief Fund.
Food
Ever since I read my first manga, I wanted to learn more about Japanese culture and most importantly, eat Japanese food. Little Tokyo is pretty much down the street from me. However, I had no idea where to start because Little Tokyo since has so many restaurants and I wanted to eat everything. Delicious Little Tokyo was the answer to my problem and at a reasonable price. For instance, the Japanese American National Museum (JANM) hosted a culinary and cultural walking tour for only $28. Restaurants like Suehiro Cafe and Mr. Ramen offered discounts and special menus. My personal favorite was Shochu Night in Little Tokyo. The event offered several delicious Japanese appetizers and alcoholic beverages I never heard of. After trying all the samples, it’s safe to say I got my money’s worth.
The Attendees
The people attending is one of the issues I always worry about for a big event, especially a food event. Some people are not pleasant when they are hungry. If you’ve been to big events, you know how rude people can be. Surprisingly, Delicious Little Tokyo had some of the nicest people I have ever run into at an event. Several people complimented Kevin’s Dragonball Z/Powerpuff Girl tank from Flex Comics, everyone was polite and well-mannered. This is one of the few times I could not complain about the crowd, even if 90% of them was walking around playing Pokemon Go.
Conclusion
Delicious Little Tokyo is a must for every foodie out there. Amazing organization, great food, good vibes, and all for great prices. There’s something for everyone and it was a great way to promote the local businesses. I will definitely return next year.
If you want to find out more check out their website: http://www.golittletokyo.com/delicious/ and watch our Inside Look at Shochu Night Video
Kampai!
Delicious Little Tokyo Review
The Verdict
Delicious Little Tokyo was a great way to expose people to Japanese culture, promote the local businesses, and enjoy amazing food and drinks.