This past Saturday night I attended the 5th Annual Taste of Culture event (presented by the Multicultural Center of the South) at the Skybox at Independence Stadium and I had an incredible time!
There was entertainment, food, drink, music and more from cultures and countries around the world including Korea, Japan, China, Philippines, Mexico, Iran and Greece as well as Black American, Cajun, Creole, Scottish and many others!
Featured Chef Michael Brady (the Executive Chef at Wine Country Bistro) was there with his famous Shrimp and Grits (of which I had two helpings). Indigo Indian restaurant was also there serving Curried Chicken and Rice, one of my favorite dishes! Other dishes I tried included Native American tacos, enchiladas, Scottish eggs, Turkish meatballs, Cous Cous, African Peg salad, peach cobbler, dirty rice, red beans and rice, and Kalampdo. I was absolutely stuffed by the time I finished (and I didn’t even eat everything I wanted to) and a little more enlightened on the food of other cultures. I would have to say that the Cous Cous was my favorite new food. It had a light, refreshing, and somewhat clean taste. I will definitely have to have that again!
For entertainment, there were Scottish Bag Pipers, Japanese dancers, the Zoobie Doobie dance group, the Port Belly belly-dancers, a Karate demonstration, the Pamoga African Drum Circle and the Tinkling Bamboo Dance, just to name a few. My favorite performers were the belly-dancers and the people who performed the Tinkling Bamboo Dance. If you have never seen the Tinkling Bamboo Dance, you must! It’s absolutely amazing! I couldn’t take my eyes off of them and was impressed with how they didn’t fall as they danced through two bamboo poles that were being slapped on the ground around their feet.
Tom Pace of “Talk of the Town” was the MC and host and kept everyone entertained in between performances with his witty comments and funny stories.
I will most definitely go back next year! In the meantime, whenever I need a shot of culture I will head down to the Multicultural Center of the South in downtown Shreveport to view their exhibits representing over 26 cultures from around the world.
For more information on the Multicultural Center of the South, visit them online at http://www.mccsouth.org.