African Restaurant Week

San Diego has a growing community of Ethiopian, Kenyan, Eritrean, and Somali immigrants. And where there are expats, there is of course, their food. Beginning Oct. 19 and going on through Oct. 28, the El Cajon Boulevard Business Improvement Association is holding African Restaurant Week to showcase African restaurants along El Cajon Blvd.-- mostly in City Heights.

Seven restaurants will be participating: Awash, Asmara, Fatuma, Red Sea, Flavors of East Africa, Laylah's Patties & Jerk, and Island Spice. And meals are a huge deal at $15 for a prixe fixe meal of appetizer, main course, and dessert.

The kick-off to the celebration begins on Oct. 19 at the WorldBeat Center in Balboa Park at 2100 Park Blvd. Beginning at 6:30, there will be a traditional Ethiopian coffee ceremony and drum call, followed by an Ethiopian beer and wine tasting, and "Taste of African Cuisine" from each of the seven participating restaurants. At 8 p.m. the World Beat Center's chef will host a free African vegetarian cooking class. The evening ends with a performance of African music. Admission is $10. Call 619-283-3608 to register for the cooking class.

Finally, various restaurants will host free cooking classes on week nights, as well as African dance and music on the weekends. Check www.africanfoodsd.com for more information.


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