Bruno Mars fans who couldn’t score tickets: Shokudo Japanese Restaurant is giving away a pair for the Nov. 11 performance.
Earn one raffle ticket for every $50 spent at Shokudo, up to four tickets. You don’t have to make a purchase, however: You can also enter online at 808ne.ws/shokudo-mars. The winner will be announced Aug. 31.
Shokudo is in the Ala Moana Pacific Center, 1585 Kapiolani Blvd. Call 941-3701.
TOUR NATION VIA FLAVORS
What do fried green tomatoes, peach cobbler and kalua pig have in common? They’ve been deemed iconic dishes of their states of origin — Alabama, Georgia and Hawaii, respectively, in case you didn’t know — at Flavored Nation, an event in Columbus, Ohio, this weekend that presents a culinary landscape of our country.
That kalua pig will be cooked and served by Kai Cowell of Ka‘iulani Spices, who said she’s flavoring a 150-pound pig with her spice mix — which includes alaea and Chinese five-spice — then wrapping it in ti leaves before slow-cooking it.
Cowell will join 49 other food producers presenting dishes representative of their states, at the Columbus Convention Center on Saturday and Sunday. The event is intended to introduce people to foods from different regions of the country.
The selected dishes were chosen by a team led by David Rosengarten, a two-time James Beard Award-winning food writer.
Other dishes include reindeer sausage (from Alaska); sour cream and raisin pie (Kentucky); chislic, chopped red meat that originated in Russia and the Caucasus (South Dakota); Nashville hot chicken (Tennessee); and bison meatballs (Wyoming).
Visit flavorednation.com.
FINDING A MAI TAI CHAMP
A $10,000 grand prize awaits the winner of the 10th annual Don the Beachcomber Mai Tai Festival Aug. 18 at the Royal Kona Resort.
Free events run all day (scrip will be sold for food and drink): “Battle of the BBQ,” 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.; a pool party featuring Henry Kapono, 2:30 to 4 p.m.; and a marketplace of crafts and food items, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The competition begins at 4:30 p.m., judged by Aaron Sanchez, a judge on the Fox cooking competition “MasterChef.”
For information and tickets: donsmaitaifest.com.
DINNER FUNDS DONATION
Chefs on Maui raised more than $38,000 last month to support victims of the natural disasters on Kauai and the Big Island.
The source of the funds was a sold-out dinner held July 8 at Maui Tropical Plantation.
The benefit was spearheaded by Lyndon Honda, executive chef at Sheraton Maui Resort & Spa; Lisa Villiarimo, owner of Aloha Lifestyle; and entertainer Halemanu Villiarimo. Honda said the group put together the event in just 30 days.
All of the proceeds will go to Project Kokua for Kaua‘i & Hawai‘i Island, administered by local Rotary clubs.
Donations are still being accepted. Email cheflyndonhonda@gmail.com.
TOPPING IT OFF
A white chocolate matcha mousse cake caps a Japanese-themed dinner, available this month and next at Top of Waikiki.
The three-course menu — soba salad, pan-roasted chicken over Japanese-style risotto and the cake — is $55.
Reservations: topofwaikiki.com or call 923-3877. The restaurant is in the Waikiki Business Plaza.
Quickbites is a weekly listing of dining events. Email items to crave@staradvertiser.com.
