AFRICAN RESTAURANT WEEK OCT. 18-28 CELEBRATES CUISINE, MUSIC AND CULTURE

October 15, 2012 (San Diego)--African Restaurant Week, which starts on Friday, October 19th and ends on Sunday, October 28th is an event being hosted by a variety of African restaurants to showcase and promote African businesses and culture in San Diego.  Just like San Diego Restaurant Week, participating businesses from throughout the City of San Diego will create a special prix fixe menu featuring special appetizers, main courses and desserts.

In an effort to promote the El Cajon Boulevard’s ethnic business clusters, the El Cajon Boulevard BIA partnered with the Horn of Africa, International Rescue Committee in San Diego, City Heights CDC and the WorldBeat Center to shed a positive light on San Diego’s newly settled African community.  There are scattering of Ethiopian, Kenyan, Eritrean and Somali restaurants in San Diego, particularly in City Heights where refugees from other countries first move to when they arrive here.  A business district is a reflection of the local community, and African Restaurant Week is a great opportunity to celebrate the food, music and culture from this region of the world, that now has a growing presence in the San Diego’s diverse neighborhoods.

To kick-off African Restaurant Week, the WorldBeat Center is hosting an extraordinary event on Friday evening.  Starting at 6:30 p.m., the event will begin with a traditional Ethiopian coffee ceremony and drum call, followed by an Ethiopian beer and wine tasting, and a ‘Taste of African Cuisine’ from each participating restaurant.  The chef at the World Beat Center will host a free African vegetarian food cooking class and the night will culminate with a fantastic array of African music.   This is a party that you don’t want to miss!

Throughout the week, the fun will continue.  Aside from the opportunity to experience a great selection of African cuisine, various restaurants will host free cooking classes on week nights, as well as African dance and music on the weekends.  The seven participating restaurants are Awash, Asmara, Fatuma, Red Sea, Flavors of East Africa, Laylah’s Patties & Jerk, and Island Spice.  Please check out our website www.africanfoodsd.com  for more information.