YUM Event Offers Taste of Immigrant City
The Welcome Project celebrated Somerville's immigrant communities with our first-ever YUM: A Taste of Immigrant CIty event at Center for the Arts at the Armory. Twelve immigrant owned restaurants provided samplings of Somerville's international cuisines from Peru, Haiti, Italy, Mexico, Tibet, the Mediterranean, India, Brazil, Ethiopia, and Portugal.
Entertainment included a performance by Yarina, a Somerville band which hails from Ecuador. Yarina means "remembrance" in the native Kichwa language of the indigenous people of Ecuador. The band blends the ancient rhythms of its culture with original music, incorporating various western musical styles. They earned the title “Best World Music Recording” at the 2005 Native American Music Awards and “Best Folk Music Recording” at the 2005 Indian Summer Music Awards.
Two of the young women who are part of Yarina -- Kathy and Gina Cachimuel -- are graduates of The Welcome Project's LIPS program (which trains bilingual high school students to assist with interpretation at community meetings).
The twelve participating restaurants are also involved in The Welcome Project’s YUM Restaurant Card initiative. Through the end of 2010, each restaurant is offering a 10 percent discount on food orders of $25.00 or more to patrons who show the YUM Card.
Developed in partnership with Tufts University’s Jonathan M. Tisch College of Citizenship and Public Service and the School of Arts and Sciences Anthropology Department, the card aims to support The Welcome Project’s services while also increasing patronage for a group of small Somerville businesses which are particularly vulnerable in this economy.
All revenue generated by the sales of the $10 card ($12 online) go to support The Welcome Project’s programs for Somerville’s immigrant families. Individuals interested in purchasing a card can do so by visiting www.yumsomerville.org.
The 12 restaurants participating in the YUM: A Taste of Immigrant City are:
• Amelia’s Kitchen (Italian) 1137 Broadway (617) 776-2800
• Café Belô (Brazilian) 120 Washington St. (617) 623-3696
• Fasika (Ethiopian) 147 Broadway (617) 628-9300
• Highland Creole Cuisine (Haitian) 2 Highland Ave (617) 625-8333
• House of Tibet Kitchen (Tibetan) 235 Holland St (617) 629-7567
• Machu Picchu Charcoal Chicken & Grill (Peruvian) 25 Union Sq (617) 623-7972
• Maya Sol (Mexican) 179 Broadway (617) 776-9179
• Namaskar (Indian) 234 Elm St (617) 623-9911
• Neighborhood Restaurant & Bakery (Portuguese) 25 Bow St (617) 628-2151
• Restaurante Turístico Machu Picchu (Peruvian) 307 Somerville Ave (617) 628-7070
• Ronnarong Thai Tapas Bar (Thai) 255 Washington St, Union Sq (617) 625-9296
• Sabur (Mediterranean) 212 Holland St (617) 776-7890
