Chinese Chamber kicks off 75th anniversary of Narcissus Festival with Sichuan food, culture
HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - The Chinese Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii is heating things up for the 75th anniversary of its Narcissus Festival, its year-long campaign to share the beauty and diverse culture of China in Hawaii.
The kickoff event takes place on August 29 at Chengdu Taste, a restaurant renowned for its authentic Sichuan cuisine, and will feature signature dishes like mapo tofu and toothpick lamb with cumin, each packed with the bold, numbing spices that Sichuan cuisine is famous for.
The decision to showcase Sichuan cuisine marks a departure from the more traditional Cantonese offerings usually associated with the celebration.
“Because it’s going to be a hot year, we thought we’d spice it up a little bit and do something different by going to Chengdu Taste and having people try a different type of food,” said Michele Choy of the Chinese Chamber of Commerce.
At the restaurant, the use of Sichuan’s signature numbing pepper is an accent to the food. The pepper, known for its unique ability to numb the tongue, adds a distinctive layer of heat to dishes.
For the toothpick lamb dish, the lamb is cubed, skewered and then stir-fried with garlic, chili pepper and cumin.
Chef Jianyong Zhang from Chengdu Taste demonstrated these dishes on HNN’s Sunrise, showing the careful balance of ingredients that make Sichuan cuisine stand out.
In preparing the mapo tofu, Zhang showed how simple ingredients – like fermented bean curd, garlic sprout and the numbing pepper powder – come together to create a dish with deep and complex flavors.
Tickets for the August 29 kickoff at Chengdu Taste are priced at $50, offering an eight-course meal plus dessert.
Diners will also have a chance to win tickets to a special Sichuan performance on September 15, marking the first time in 20 years that the troupe will perform in Hawaii.
Here’s the menu for “The Taste of Sichuan” dinner:
- Mapo tofu
- Special shrimp with fries
- Toothpick lamb with cumin
- Beef with crispy rice crust
- Pork belly with bamboo shoots
- Stewed spareribs with chitlins in casserole
- Kung pao chicken
- Sauteed eggplant & string beans with chili sauce
- Ice jelly dessert
The festival also features a range of activities, including a pickleball tournament, a Chinese-themed family Sunday at the Honolulu Museum of Art and a fashion show featuring top floral designers from San Francisco.
Chengdu Taste is located at 1808 Sheridan St., Ste 209. For more information, visit the Chinese Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii’s website Taste of Sichuan Cuisine or contact (808) 533-3181.
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