Cafe Dulce

Project x Project’s Asian Exquisite PbP-LA  Benefit

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(Gerry Furth-Sides) When people used to ask me for restaurant recommendations, I would always suggest attending a charity food event to sample a variety of places. and a chance to meet the chefs or owners, plus benefit a worthy charity were reasons enough.

Project x Project’s PbP-LA was always one of my top three. It proved better than ever this year. Why? This annual PbP-LA tasting benefit is Asian, exquisitely presented, welcoming, leisurely and all proceeds go to a different charity each year.

Vendors at Project x Project’s PbP-LA 2023

My connection with PbP-LA came about when I met a founding board member, Mila Chan, at a dinner hosted by Andrea Rademan, a much missed self-styled culinary PR force. I recently found emails of mine over decades to Korean, Thai and Indian restaurant owners urging them to join up.

Project by Project’s Annual Plate by Plate PbP-LA, TenTen Rooftop, 2023. Photography by Steven Lam. Instagram @stevenlamphoto

Experienced catering company owner friend, Roberta Deen views PbP as “the best organized event” she had ever seen. In her words: “The event volunteers are more professional than paid professionals!”

Board Member Kevin Wang helps Chef Sagar Ghosh, Delhi Belly, set up at Project x Project’s PbP-LA 2023

The formal PbP-LA fundraiser evening is designed to raise awareness of Project x Project. Guests enjoy sampling signature dishes, participate in a silent auction, and attend the highly celebrated after-party.

Project x Project’smission: to develop leaders through innovative philanthropy. The idea is to invite nonprofit organizations, elected officials, community influencers, and professionals from various industries to learn more about our 2023 campaign theme of Education Access and current beneficiary partner. For more information, please see  Project by Project (PbP) 

The two-tiered, spacious venue at TenTen, Project x Project’s PbP-LA 2023
Project x Project members at PbP-LA 2023

Founded in 1995, Hope Community Services, located in Orange County, has been instrumental in supporting the Vietnamese community by delivering educational programs, including youth summer camps, after-school tutoring, and senior English Second Language classes. Details are below.

The evening also introduces guests to authentic traditional and cutting-edge eateries. Right on trend: artisans who excel at savory or sweet and started their story during and after COVID with online pick up and delivery only sites. Food, not the dish, stars here.

626 Hospitality’s Foie Gras Tartlets with Pomegranate Gelée at Project x Project’s PbP-LA

626 Hospitality‘s Foie Gras Tartlets with Pomegranate Gelée was a favorite bite (we had three). It not only made you want another one, but to know the story of the high energy chef-owners, just now moving into a brick and mortar store. We will be telling it here soon.

626 Hospitality’s Sake Kasu (ice cream) at Project x Project’s PbP-LA

Learning what the buzz is about: Portuguese Egg Tarts have been the darling dessert for the last few years. Paderia (@ paderiabakehouse)’s generous offering did not disappoint. The congenial hosts insisted on sending us off with a plate of cookies that turned out to be the best cookies of the year.

Portuguese Egg Tarts at Paderia (@ paderiabakehouse) at Project x Project’s PbP-LA 2023
Portuguese Egg Tarts + the BEST cookies at Paderia (@ paderiabakehouse) at Project x Project’s PbP-LA 2023

More on the first level: DK’s Donuts (@dksdonuts); Dr. Hops ( @drhops); East Side Cheesecake (@eastsidecheesecake). This level also showed the international nature of LA food and drink from New York cheesecake to Louisiana fried chicken.

East Side Cheesecake at PbP-LA 2023

(@eastsidecheesecakes); Emporium Thai ( @emporiumthai); Flurr Ice (@fluffice); Gogo’s Tacos (@gogostacosla); Hummy Soju Seltzer (@drinkhummy); Intercrew (@intercrewla); Jack Daniel’s (@jackdaniels_us); Kazunori (@ kazunori); Kirin Ichiban (@kirinichibanusa); Le Coupe Fried chicken (@lecoupe_friedchicken); Loose Leaf Boba (@looseleafboba); Maison Matho ( @maisonmatho)

Le Coupe @lecoupe_friedchicken) at Project x Project’s PbP-LA 2023
Le Coupe @lecoupe_friedchicken) at Project x Project’s PbP-LA 2023

Other vendors includes Maker’s Mark (@makersmaek); Make & Soli (Adrinkmakku); Nep Cafe + Gem Dining (@nep.cafe, @gemding); Paderia (@ paderiabakehouse); Papille Gustative (@papillegustativela); Salt & Straw (@saltandstraw); Santuari (@santuarila); Sanzo (@drinksanzo).

Looseleaf boba Company at Project x Project’s PbP-LA 2023

Other vendors included: Sunright Tea Studio (@sunrightteastudio.socal); Tasty Food 626; Teremana Tequila (@teremana); Top Tep (@toptep.popup); Wanderlust (@wanderlustcreamery); Wildwonder (@drinkwildwonder); The X Pot (@chubbycattle); You (@siyoju.

Cafe Dulce’s Fudgy espresso brownies and smiles at Project x Project’s PbP-LA 2023

Hope Community Services has been instrumental in supporting the Vietnamese-American community by delivering educational programs. This includes youth summer camps, after-school tutoring, and senior English Second Language classes. The goal is for the new arrivals to “survive and thrive in America.”

Jack Daniels at Project x Project’s PbP-LA 2023
Asahi Beer (and a non-alcoholic one, too) at Project x Project’s PbP 2023

Support Little Tokyo Business During the Current Crisis – Don’t Repeat History

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(Gerry Furth-Sides, Content from Go Little Tokyo)  What a wonderful opportunity the current crisis is to change social history by supporting Japanese American business in downtown Los Angeles during the pandemic.  The record in World War II for treatment of Asian Americans needs to be changed, and can be now.  The first thing we happened to do just before restaurants closed for in-door dining the last day of February was eat at an Asian restaurant in DTLA, and it turned out to be one of the most hospitable and delicious dining experiences we have ever had.

Historic and family-owned restaurants and businesses in Little Tokyo continue to operate for delivery, takeout, or online shopping to provide for the community while giving back to those in need and frontline workers. At 135-years-old, Little Tokyo is the second oldest neighborhood in Los Angeles and the largest of only three remaining Japantowns in the United States. There are a number of ways to show how you #LoveLT by eating local and supporting Little Tokyo businesses while practicing social distancing and contributing to the giveback programs.

Wake up at home with Cafe Dulce’s most popular drinks now available in half gallons to-go including blueberry matcha lattes, milk teas, and cold brew. Pair the morning drinks with its limited-time crispy, fluffy, sausage donuts or a comfort meal of authentic Japanese cuisine from Suehiro Cafe, a family business in its 48th year. Follow @golittletokyo on Instagram for details on the limited releases of sausage donuts.

Support the community from home by donating to Little Tokyo’s Community Feeding Community program. The program provides meals for hospitality workers whose jobs were impacted by COVID-19 while supporting small businesses in Little Tokyo/Arts District. For those who are not local to Little Tokyo, donating a meal for $15 online at littletokyola.org/loveLT is a great way to show your support. 100 percent of all donations go directly to purchasing meals from small businesses.

Little Tokyo hand-crafted vegan doughnut hotspot Donatsu is offering its uplifting heart-shaped doughnuts in a variety of favorite flavors for weekend curbside pick-up including matcha-pistachio rose, vanilla bean, and creme brulee. Purchases made to Donatsu directly support their efforts to provide fresh coffee and doughnuts to our healthcare heroes working in Los Angeles hospitals every weekend for the full month of April. Additional donations to support Donatsu’s efforts can be made online here.
For a sweet treat pick-me-up, recreate a favorite boba drink at-home with MILK+T DIY boba kits available for delivery while supporting the store’s efforts to provide free lunches to the community and boba donations and deliveries to first responders. For a full list of Little Tokyo restaurants offering online or delivery services, click here.

In addition to delivery and to-go orders, support local favorites by purchasing a gift card to be used at a later date, follow @GoLittleTokyo on Instagram or Facebook to like and share posts on social media, sign up for a business’ newsletter to receive details, updates, and deals, or shop online if the merchant has that option available. Visit littletokyola.org/loveLT for the latest resources and information and how to continue to support Little Tokyo businesses during this time.

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ABOUT GO LITTLE TOKYO
Go Little Tokyo is a community-led effort aimed at highlighting the unique cultural programs, community events, and dining and shopping experiences found in Little Tokyo. As one of Los Angeles’ most vibrant cultural hubs, there is an abundance of destinations and landmarks in and around this historic walkable neighborhood and Go Little Tokyo will help you uncover them. Go Little Tokyo is a Little Tokyo Community Council (LTCC) project developed and produced by Community Arts Resources (CARS) and made possible with support from Metro. For more information, visit golittletokyo.com.

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