Cincinnati Wing Week Returns August 19-25

Cincinnati's Asian Food Week Returns This May

Fifty eateries from across Greater Cincinnati are participating and offering either a special $20-$30 prix fixe, three-course meal or a secret menu item.

Apr 22, 2021 at 1:46 pm

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Photo: Francisco Huerta

Elaine Townsend (right) and Erik Bentz at their new brick-and-mortar Mochiko

Last year, after COVID canceled the super popular Asian Food Fest, the Asian American Cultural Association of Cincinnati (AACAC) — the group that produces both the Asian Food Fest and the Daspo Lunar New Year party — decided to launch the inaugural Asian Food Week.

And people loved it.

Well, Asian Food Week is back this May as part of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month (APAHM). While APAHM celebrations take place May 1-31, Asian Food Week runs May 3-9.

Fifty eateries from across Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky are participating and offering either a special $20-$30 prix fixe, three-course meal or a secret menu item (and sometimes both). As Asia encompasses an extensive collection of cuisines, so too will Asian Food Week with offerings from Vietnamese, Hawaiian, Indian, Chinese restaurants and more.

Of Asian Food Week and all of the APAHM celebrations, Caitlin Behle, AACAC board member and APAHM committee chair, said in a release, "In the face of an unfathomable rise in violence and discrimination against Asians, we need to shine a greater light on Asian voices, Asian history and Asian joy.”

For example, the new Mochiko in East Walnut Hills is offering Cincinnati-style mazemen as its secret menu items, while Lalo downtown is offering Mexican bao buns as theirs.

Tea 'n' Bowl in Clifton is offering a $25 three-course meal with your choice of steam dumpling, takoyaki or lucky bao as the first course; Japanese curry with chicken katsu, Korean spicy tofu or Thai pineapple fried rice as the second course; and crispy sesame balls, crispy sweet potato balls or a slice of cassava cake for the third course.

Participating eateries include: