On Saturday, June 30th, chef-owners Nongkran Daks (Thai Basil) and Jeff Tunks (TenPenh) will explore the food traditions of Southeast Asia's Mekong River region at a luncheon held at TenPenh; dishes from Yunnan China, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam will illustrate the different flavor nuances of each cuisine (noon–3 PM; $133 per person, includes wine; $98 for Smithsonian Associates members; 202-357-3030).
The luncheon is part of the Smithsonian Folklife Festival, which focuses on Indochina this year and features hundreds of free events on the Mall from June 27th–July 1st and July 4th–8th; Northern Ireland and Virginia cultures will be celebrated this year too (for details, go to www.folklife.si.edu).