LuckyRice held their festival last week.  Star chefs lit up Mandarin Oriental's 36th-floor ballroom for the Grand Feast of Asian Flavors, the biggest part of the weeklong Lucky Rice Asian Food Festival hosted by Lisa Ling on Saturday evening. Among the many experts dishing Asian delicacies to several hundred guests were chefs from Daniel, Le Bernardin, Morimoto and Jean Georges.  Delicacies that stood out included Jean-Georges’ buttery sea urchin with jalapeno and yuzu and plump and crispy fried oysters with wasabi-yuzu sauce by Chef Brad Farmerie at Public.  The torchon of Hudson Valley foie gras and duck prosciutto kabayaki glaze, pickled jicama, with yuzu marmalade by Chef Michael Ginor from Lola was also delicious and amazing.  Most guests also enjoyed Chef Jonathan Wright's Singaporean laksa lemak from The Restaurant at The Setai, South Beach, Miami.  Chef Brandon Kida's decadent smoked tofu, miso glazed butterfish, with umeboshi fondue from Asiate at Mandarin Oriental was also yummy. The spice crusted steak, South Indian rice salad with horseradish and yogurt by Chef Floyd Cardoz from Tabla was also good.  Pastry Chef Michael Laiskonis' black sesame panna cotta with shiso, cherry, mandarin and soy from Le Bernardin was also impressive.  Outstanding cocktails such as "The Merloin" by Mixologist Chris Johnson for Signapore Tourism and the "Charmane's Star" by Mixologist Greg Seider for The Summit Bar were popular.  There was also tea, coffee, sake, beer, wine, shochu and whisky cocktails.

LuckyRice is a proud supporter of their outstanding non-profit partners by donating proceeds from all LuckyRice Festival events to City Harvest and the Asian American Federation.  City Harvest is the world's first food rescue organization, dedicated to feeding the city's hungry men, women and children.  The Asian American Federation is a nonprofit organization that works to advance the civic voice and quality of all Asian Americans.

LuckyRice Restaurant Week is from Monday, May 3rd to Sunday, May 9th, 2010.  During LuckyRice Restaurant and Bar Week, enjoy specially-created (and priced) tasting menus at participating restaurants selected by the LuckyRice Culinary Council.  Both Asian (and not-so-Asian) restaurants and bars across town will be showing their love for Asian-inspired dishes, ingredients and techniques as they create tasting menus inspired by the flavors of Asia.  It is a great way to try new things at reasonable prices.  For example at Buddakan, chefs will be dishing out a four-course pre-fixe menu for $45 with plates that incorporate tastes from all over Asia.  To see a listing of participating restaurants and to make reservations on Open Table, click here.