Using Delicious Food, to Squash Coronavirus Xenophobia
As coronavirus continues to spread, there’s a food centric tour company providing a self-guided San Francisco Chinatown food tour to highlight Chinese cuisine and culture.
Misinformation and ignorance is leading to xenophobic acts and heavy drops in Asian restaurant attendance. Avital Tours, a culinary experience company in San Francisco, Los Angeles, and New York is fighting back the best way they know how: with food. They have developed a robust, self-guided walking tour highlighting the best of San Francisco Chinatown.
Avital Ungar, Founder and Owner of Avital Tours, feels it’s crucial to support the community in which they operate. “Many Chinese restaurants are getting hit hard: new restaurants and long established institutions that have been around for generations. We can’t save the world, but what we can do is help by highlighting their amazing food.”
The 3-hour self-guided walking tour takes guests to nine stops, with recommended dishes at each restaurant. The tour starts at China Live for a cup of hot, herby Oolong tea, before heading to Good Mong Kok for the first course of steamy, tender Fung Gow and Har Gow dumplings. This continues for three more courses, a dessert, and surprise stops along the way. The guide also includes a history of the neighborhood, tour tips, and great stories of each restaurant.
The tour is a great option for those stuck at home due to canceled flights. Ungar says, “The coronavirus has caused many people to cancel their travel plans. Our tours are a great way to experience a new culture at home while simultaneously supporting those most affected by coronavirus backlash.”
The Self-Guided Chinatown Food Tour in San Francisco can be downloaded here. Avital Tours also offers a Flushing Dumpling Self-Guided Tour in New York City.