Foodievents

Po’Boy Tango Brings Smell-O-Vision and Free Food Into the Theater

Scene from Po' Boy Tango
Scene from Po’ Boy Tango Photo: Michael Lamont

Po’Boy Tango is not a new dish by Debbie Lee, but a play by Kenneth Lin that had its West Coast debut last night from Asian American Theater Group East West Players. The production explores food’s relationship to culture and life issues in the story of an heir to a family Chinese restaurant and a soul food purveyor. This staging of the play truly goes the extra mile in celebrating food by providing its own form of smell-o-vision. For each performance, an actual live chef stagehand will be backstage heating up dishes that are referenced in the play, letting the scents waft into the house. If that sounds like torture to smell but not eat the food, go on Friday nights when East West Players chase each performance with Wine Down Fridays through its December 6th run. Here you’ll find restaurants providing food samples along with free vino. Nightly performances are every Wednesday through Sunday and reservations can be made here. A list of participating restaurants for Wine Down Fridays is below.

Wine Down Fridays’ Participating Restaurants

Friday, November 13 - Chop Suey Cafe/FAR BAR
Chop Suey Cafe is committed to providing a venue with outstanding service and creative Asian fusion dishes in a historic setting. Enjoy a great meal or drinks in their relaxing lounge or scenic outdoor patio.

Friday, November 20 - Yumplings
Yumplings is the creation of Nancy Chi, whose culinary stylings perfectly capture the fresh and tasty delights of traditional Chinese fare. The dishes come from recipes that originated hundreds of years ago in the sea-side villages of Northern China. They have been passed down through the generations and are painstakingly prepared for your enjoyment. More than just dumplings…they’re Yumplings.

Friday, November 27 - Fugetsu-Do Confectionary
A family owned and operated confectionary store in Little Tokyo since 1903. All mochi and manju are hand made in their store. They specialize in seasonal mochi which includes New Year’s mochi.

Friday, December 4 - Taipan Restaurant
Taipan offers modern Mandarin-Chinese cuisine in an elegant setting in the Well’s Fargo Center in Downtown Los Angeles. The kitchen offers over 150 items daily, including many creative specialties normally unavailable in the West.

Po’Boy Tango Brings Smell-O-Vision and Free Food Into the Theater