Edmonton’s 8th annual Chinatown Dining Week returns with more support from restaurants and from the city.
The 11-day event is showcasing various restaurants associated with Chinatown, both in the north side and south side of Edmonton, offering discounted meals to attract business from outside of the community.
Co-founder and organizer Freya Fu said Chinatown Dining Week started in 2018 after leading walking tours for years to encourage tourism and business growth in the neighbourhood. Back then, only five restaurants were taking part in the event.
This year it grew to 27 restaurants with five new participants, making it the largest Chinatown Dining Week to date.
“I think this is really a great way for spreading the word and trying to feature some of the amazing dishes in Chinatown,” Fu told CTV News Edmonton on Tuesday. “A lot of (the) time, people may not be familiar with different cuisines and this is a good way to get them started and trying new things.”
Participating restaurants are offering $10 and $20 plates of side dishes, entrees, desserts and baked goods from all parts of the world including Thailand, Vietnam, Philippines, Africa, and, of course, China.
Annie Bui, owner of the Boualouang restaurant in Chinatown, said the event is helping the post-Christmas slump in business, even for first time participants.
“(We were) a little slow (last) month but after the new year when we started Dining Week, there’s been a big number of people coming (to) try the restaurant,” she said. “We’re getting a lot of customers (in) just a few days.”
The event is among several projects funded by the City of Edmonton’s Chinatown Vibrancy Fund, a near half-million dollar injection to support community projects in Chinatown.
“I hope that more people will keep coming back to the community and visit us throughout the year,” said Fu.
Chinatown Dining Week began Jan. 16 and runs until Sunday. More information is posted on their website.
