TASTE OF THE EAST: A Culinary Passport to Asia May 6, 2009

On Wednesday, May 6, Taishi - the young professionals group from The Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens, will host the fourth annual Taste of the East: A Culinary Passport to Asia at The Morikami.This wildly popular event, taking place from 6 - 9 p.m., will feature Asian and Asian-inspired food, sake, wine and cocktails as well as a raffle, entertainment and an opportunity to network with young professionals from Palm Beach and Broward Counties.

Guests will be provided with a passport at the door giving them access to the various food stations where they can sample a dish or an Asian inspired cocktail.

Restaurants and caterers from Palm Beach County that will be sharing their culinary delights include:

* Blue Martini - Boca Raton, www.bluemartinilounge.com
* Chez Gourmet Catering, Boynton Beach - www.chezgourmet.com - serving sweet shots and savory bites with Asian flare
* Cornell Café at The Morikami, Delray Beach - www.morikami.org - samplings from their menu of Pan-Asian cuisine
* Soba Sushi Lounge, Boca Raton - www.sobalounge.com - a variety of sushi
* GOL! The Taste of Brazil, Delray Beach - www.golthetasteofbrazil.com - Caipirinha, the national drink of Brazil (home to the largest Japanese population outside of Japan)
* Saito's Japanese Steakhouse, West Palm Beach - www.saitossteakhouse.com - sushi boat with a variety of sushi, rolls, ginger and wasabi
* Westchester Country Club, Boynton Beach - www.westchestercc.com - Oriental cole slaw and mango chutney
* Yum's The Word Gourmet Catering, Lake Worth - www.yumistheword.com

As an added bonus, this year's Taste of The East will feature a Tricky Tray Raffle where guests will have the opportunity to buy numbered tickets and then place them in a container next to the item they desire. Once everyone has had the chance to place their tickets, the drawing for the prizes will begin. If the number on the ticket matches the one drawn, that guest will be the winner of the item.

Raffle items will include a $50 Gift Certificate from Saito's Japanese Steakhouse, a bottle of fine sake, a Mother's Day brunch complete with a bottle of wine from the Westchester Country Club (Boynton Beach), and more!

The event will also feature hip spins by DJ Sean Paul.

Taste of The East is open to all young professionals in their 20s - 40s. Advance tickets are $20 for Taishi Members and $30 for Non-Members. Tickets purchased at the door will be $35 for Taishi Members and $45 for Non-Members. Tickets may be purchased online at www.morikami.org/taste . For questions regarding the event please contact afox@pbcgov.com or call 561.495.0233 ext. 214. Suntory USA, Inc. is the event's exclusive beverage sponsor. The event is also sponsored in part by South Florida Dines and LivingFLA.com.

Taishi iscomposed of young professionals, age 20s to 40s, who are committed to the mission of The Morikami and expanding awareness of the museum. Members have the opportunity to chair or join a committee, become involved with Taishi events, as well as network among other members and the community. For more information, contact tmcdonnell@pbcgov.org or call 561.495.0233 ext. 208.

The Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens, open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday, is owned and operated by the Palm Beach County Parks & Recreation Department, in public-private partnership with The Morikami, Inc. The Morikami is located at 4000 Morikami Park Road in Delray Beach off Jog Road between Linton Boulevard and Clint Moore Road. Admission is $10 for adults, $9 for seniors, $6 for children and students ages 7 to 17 and free for members and kids 6 and under. For more information about The Morikami, its exhibitions and programs, call 561-495-0233 or visit www.morikami.org.

Official Website: http://www.morikami.org