The event

Long ago, the waters rose and covered the world. A brother and a sister climbed inside a great wooden drum and rode out the flood. When the heavens heard the drum knock, they pierced the earth and the waters drained away. The mountains rose. The clans came down. Taste of the Mountain begins where the waters recede.

This night is also a celebration of the Hmong New Year, the season when families gather after the harvest and begin again. And it is Sen Kava's first ritual in this house. Our shop opens November 11, and eight days later, we gather around one table to set the tone for everything Sen Kava will be.

A six-course Hmong tasting

Small plates, served for the table to share, at shared tables of two and three. Come with a friend, or attend to make some. You are welcomed in with noble kava by Sen Kava. Then six courses follow the arc of the story: bright and fresh to open, something hand-rolled, a warm nourishing broth, noodles, a slow braised main with rice, and something sweet to land on. Southeast Asian elixirs, non-alcoholic and crafted by Sen Kava, flow through the night.

The dishes stay unannounced until you are seated. Let the mountain surprise you.

The night, in short

La Fonda house, 8016 Kercheval Ave, Detroit, in West Village
28 guests per seating  ·  Tickets $60  ·  Use code EARLY for $5 off  ·  Fees may apply

Seats are limited. Once they're gone, the experience is gone.

Get tickets on Eventbrite

Meet the chef

Mai Mai Me is a Hmong chef, and Taste of the Mountain is her table. Her cooking carries the food she grew up with, the recipes passed down through family, and the story of a people who survived the flood and made a home in the mountains. For one night, she cooks the story her way, and Sen Kava hosts the room around it.

[Kim: send me two lines about Mai, where she learned to cook and what her food means to her, and I will finish this bio.]

The collaboration

From the table

Food photos arrive next week. This gallery is ready for them.

Good to know

Tickets are refundable up to 7 days before the event, and non-refundable after. No substitutions. Nut allergies can be accommodated with advance notice. Gluten and seafood allergies cannot be accommodated, as it would change the dishes. Ticket sales close the day of the event so we can cook for an exact headcount.