FLAVOR: A night of ethnic dining to benefit Tacoma Community House

By Volcano Staff on October 5, 2013

Some days we want to eat chicken feet. we want tripe and trotters, crispy fried intestine and all the assorted culinary weirdness that allows Anthony Bourdain to laugh all the way to the bank. We would be just as bored with cheeseburgers every day as someone living in, say, Mauritania would be with nothing but Thieboudiene and Mahfe.

As the South Sound has grown from a culinary backwater to a more cosmopolitan culinary forward region (Charlie McManus to the Mark to Marrow and the few in between) with a supporting cast of international cuisine refugees from all corners of the globe, we have noticed a slow but steady growth in ethnic fare since 1999.

The good folks at Tacoma Community House are well aware of the South Sound's melting pot. TCH provides programs and services to immigrants, refugees and others to help strengthen their lives and help them become a part of the community.

Of course, TCH's efforts take money.

No doubt it was a joyous moment when the idea to host a night of regional ethnic dining as a fundraiser hit the brainstorming chalkboard. It's brilliant.

FLAVOR, a night of dining at immigrant-owned and immigrant-supporting restaurants will be held Thursday, Oct. 24 with participating restaurants kicking back 25 percent of food sales to TCH. Participating restaurants include El Toro downtown, Indochine, Lele, Gateway to India, El Guadalajara, Adriatic Grill, Il Lucano, La Crème Brulee, La Fondita and others. See the full list of participating restaurants here. The list could go deeper, especially in the local Asian culinary field, but it's a worthy start.

To add excitement to the night, TCH will offer several prize packages, including a seven-day Mexico trip, Keurig B70 Platinum Brewing System, restaurant gift cards and cookbooks.

Mark Oct. 24 on your calendar as the night you stand up for immigrants while sitting down for a meal.