This is “Small Bites,” a South Florida Sun Sentinel feature with tiny tidbits on the food and beverage scene — because we know that sometimes you just don’t have room for a long article. You want a little news brief instead, an amuse bouche of information, if you will. Enjoy!
WHAT:
Yes, there are lots of puns and punchlines we could do about Lei Day, but aside from a trip to human resources … again … we would be doing a disservice to the event being thrown by Sweet Aloha Ice Cream to give some love to Hawaiian culture and kick off Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month in May.
The Second Annual Lei Day Celebration on Wednesday, May 1, will include live Hawaiian music by Braddah Derek Suzuki, a performance by Polynesian dancer Hokulani Martinez, and a lei-making demonstration by Braddah Russell (as well as a lei-making contest with three categories).
WHEN:
Hours are 6 to 9 p.m. Wednesday, May 1.
WHERE:
Sweet Aloha Ice Cream, 8600 W. State Road 84, Suite A, Davie.
THE FOOD:
In addition to sweet treats from Sweet Aloha and Hawaiian food, there will be a new savory addition to the cuisine scene: Family Packs for $49.99 that feed four people. The meal options will be Teriyaki Chicken, Teriyaki Beef and Kalua Pork, each served with two scoops of steamed rice, mac salad and mixed greens with house-made ginger dressing. Individual Plate Lunches are $17 and $18 (depending on protein choice).
“For this event … we have partnered up with Two Happy Buddhas — Alex Kuk and Diego Ng — to curate and their restaurant team to utilize their commercial kitchen space and prepare our signature savory food offerings,” said Jimmy Anderson, who cofounded Sweet Aloha with wife Lynne. “We prepare a certain portion of the sauces to maintain our proprietary recipe. We’re incredibly happy with their attention to detail and desire to represent the authenticity and essence of the Hawaiian food and culture.”
He adds that the savory dishes “…are catered using our family recipes passed down, which we have personalized even further. So they are proprietary and trade secrets at this time, some of which I still haven’t shared with our caterer.”
There will also be:
Sweet Aloha Ice Cream
Teriyaki Beef Plate Lunch served with two scoops of steamed white rice, macaroni salad and mixed greens. Sweet Aloha’s Jimmy – who produces Lei Day Celebration with wife/business partner – says all of the savory dishes “…are catered using our family recipes passed down, which we have personalized even further.” (Sweet Aloha Ice Cream/Courtesy)
Sweet Aloha Ice Cream
Having authentic Hawaiian shave ice at the inaugural Lei Day Celebration in 2023: Martin Dias de Castillo, Derek Suzuki, Melissa-Raquel Dias de Castillo and Hokulani Martinez. (Sweet Aloha Ice Cream/Courtesy)
Sweet Aloha Ice Cream
Derek Suzuki and Hokulani Martinez at the first Lei Day Celebration in 2023. (Sweet Aloha Ice Cream/Courtesy)
John McCall/South Florida Sun Sentinel
Polynesian Proud Productions member Russell Gagliano, left, makes leis as Derek Suzuki, right, performs during Sweet Aloha Ice Cream’s celebration of Lei Day and Asian Pacific American Heritage Month on Monday, May 1, 2023 in Davie. (John McCall/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
ohn McCall/South Florida Sun Sentinel
weet Aloha Ice Cream owner Jimmy Anderson serves ice cream during his celebration of Lei Day and Asian Pacific American Heritage Month on Monday, May 1, 2023 in Davie. (John McCall/South Florida Sun Sentinel)