The 25th annual South Beach Wine and Food Festival kicks off next weekend with diverse culinary experiences, including the Asian Night Market on Thursday, February 19.
Diego Ng, owner of Temple Street Eatery, will participate in the Asian Night Market, which runs from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m. at the Lowe's Hotel. The event showcases Asian culinary traditions and diverse cuisines from across the region.
For the Asian Night Market, Ng will serve a fusion creation called Frita Shu Mai, which combines Cuban and Chinese Latino influences in a traditional dumpling format. The dish contains pork and chorizo, representing the multicultural flavors that define South Florida's food scene.
"We're gonna be doing a frita Shu Mai, which is a Cuban and Chino Latino take on a dumpling," Ng said. "Inside, it has a little bit of pork and chorizos.”
Temple Street Eatery operates as a fast-casual Asian American comfort food restaurant with locations in Fort Lauderdale and Pembroke Pines. The menu features noodle bowls, rice bowls, sandwiches, salads, and homemade dumplings.
Ng's culinary approach reflects his multicultural background as a Chinese Venezuelan chef who grew up in South Florida.
"I'm a byproduct of South Florida, so I'm Chinese Venezuelan," Ng said. "All the food that we make has a little Latin taste, but also a little bit of all the influences that I grew up here in South Florida."
He describes his restaurant's cuisine as representing South Florida's melting pot community, incorporating various cultural influences into Asian American comfort food.
The Asian Night Market is hosted by Jet Tila and Aarti Sequeira and represents one of many events during the South Beach Wine and Food Festival weekend. Tickets and additional festival information are available at sobewff.org.
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