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A new street food festival with music, art, booze and more is heading to Santa Monica next week. The team behind the popular 626 Night Market festivals is launching Taste of Night Market, a new food and cultural event at the Barker Hanger on February 5th and 6th. The event will feature tastings from dozens of local chefs, including tasty bites like ramen burgers and pho tacos, plus Mediterranean eats as well as Brazilian and Asian-inspired street food. The festival will also feature local art and handmade crafts for purchase, live music and dragon dancers as part of the Lunar New Year celebration to usher in the Year of the Monkey.
Some of the food highlights include traditional Brazilian dishes from Chef Marina Chung, a contestant on ABC's The Taste, Asian fusion dishes from Komodo Kitchen's Chef Erwin Tjahyadi, modern American dishes from Chef Nick Shipp of Upper West, and Middle Eastern eats from Downtown's 10e. Unlike pervious 626 Night Market events, tickets to this event will include access to all of the food, alcohol and all of the Lunar New Year-themed activities and performances.
"We are drawing on the spirit of our popular summer 626 Night Market events in the San Gabriel Valley to share some dishes and cultural activities that are difficult to find on the Westside," Jonny Hwang, founder of 626 Night Market and organizer of Taste of Night Market, tells LAist. "We will have hand-pulled noodles to pho tacos to dragon dancers. You won't have to trek all the way to the San Gabriel Valley to get a taste of the Lunar New Year."
Some of the featured artists include 626 Night Market favorites Kris Kehasukjaren of Minion Me, Eddy Lee, Geoff Pascual of Pascual Productions, as well as newcomer Kim Jung G.
You'll also have the chance to meet the adorable kid chefs from Man vs. Child: Chef Showdown on February 5th at 5 p.m., and get inspired by their skills and jealous of their youthful charms.
Tickets, including early bird VIP access, and more information can be found here. Tickets will be available online only until they're sold out, and are limited to keep the size of the event comfortable.
