Delicious Little Tokyo is about strolls, samples
Walking tours offer taste of local history and culture as well as food
Downtown Los Angeles' Little Tokyo is offering a taste of the neighborhood's food, culture and history on June 25-26.
Now in its seventh year, the annual Delicious Little Tokyo weekend event is made up of self-guided, ticketed walking tours that will lead visitors to some of the neighborhood's most notable food spots.
“We want to get new and repeat people to come out to the community to explore different businesses and try different foods,” said Kisa Ito, the project director for the Little Tokyo Community Council, organizer of the event.
As part of the tour, people will get a map and an itinerary that will lead them to food tastings and areas with
When: Where: historical significance.
“They'll check in with us and they'll get all they need to go on their tour and try different foods in the neighborhood,” Ito said.
Some of the highlights among the handful of tours offered throughout the weekend include the $36-perperson History of Little Tokyo Food Tour, which takes place at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. June 25 and 2 p.m. June 26.
It'll be led by Little Tokyo Historical Society members, who will take participants to some of the longeststanding small businesses and food spots in the neighborhood, including a decades-old ramen noodle shop.
And yes, expect to sample some of the deliciousness on display.
Other hot tickets will include the self-guided, $65 J-Town Treats & Eats tour, happening from 1-3 p.m. June 25. This tour will include a stop at food spots that serve pastries, miso and rice bowls — and a couple of retail spots, too, where people can pick up souvenirs to take home.
And for those wanting libations, there's the Little Tipsy Tokyo tour, set for noon-2 p.m June 26. For $85, participants get food and drink pairings at three spots in the neighborhood.
“It's essentially a barhopping Sunday brunch,” Ito said.
The weekend also includes familyoriented cultural workshops at several businesses in the area.
INGREDIENTS
Nonstick vegetable oil spray
Streusel topping:
1/2 cup toasted walnuts; see cook's notes 3tablespoons all-purpose flour 2tablespoons packed light brown sugar
Pinch of table salt
2tablespoons chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
Muffins
13/4 cups (83/4 ounces) all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon table salt
3/4 cup boiling water, see cook's notes
3/4 cup (2 1/4 ounces) unsweetened cocoa powder 5ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped, divided use 1teaspoon instant espresso powder
1 1/4 cups packed (8 3/4 ounces) light brown sugar 3/4 cup sour cream
3/4 cup vegetable oil
3 large eggs, room temperature preferred
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup walnuts, toasted and chopped, see cook's notes Cook's notes: To toast walnuts, place single layer on rimmed baking sheet. For this recipe you will need a total of 1 1/4 cups. Place in middle of 350-degree oven until lightly browned, about 5-7minutes. Watch carefully because nuts burn easily. Cool before using. For boiling water, cautiously measure 3/4 cup after bringing about 2 cups to a full boil; the measurement will be more accurate that way.
June 25-26 Locations throughout Little Tokyo Tickets: Available at littletokyola.org
Yield: 12 muffins
PROCEDURE
1. Adjust oven rack to upper middle position and heat oven to 375degrees. Spray a 12-cup muffin pan with vegetable oil spray.
2. Streusel: Pulse walnuts, flour, light brown sugar and salt in food processor until walnuts are coarsely chopped, about 4pulses. Add butter and pulse until mixture resembles coarse sand, 4-5pulses. Place in bowl and set aside.
3. Muffins: Whisk flour, baking soda and salt together in large bowl. Whisk boiling water, cocoa, 2ounces chocolate and espresso powder in second bowl until smooth. Whisk in light brown sugar, sour cream, oil, eggs and vanilla until thoroughly combined. Gently fold chocolate mixture into flour mixture until just combined (do not overmix). Fold in remaining chocolate and walnuts.
4. Divide batter evenly among prepared muffin cups and sprinkle with streusel. Bake until toothpick inserted in center comes out with few moist crumbs attached, 25-27minutes, rotating muffin tin halfway through baking. Let muffins cool in muffin tin on wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove muffins from tin and let cool completely, about 1 hour.
Source: “Everything Chocolate,” from America's Test Kitchen (America's Test Kitchen, $35)