I grew up in New Bedford, MA, a fishing port with a large Portuguese population. In school, many of my classmates had last names like Gomes, Souza, Viveiros, Perry, and Silva. Their great-grandparents, or grandparents, or sometimes their parents, were immigrants from Portugal, or the Portuguese outposts of the Azores or Cape Verde Islands, who came to New Bedford to work on the whaling ships of the 1800s or the fishing fleet that has continued to motor out of the docks of New Bedford and the surrounding communities to this day. So, I was quite surprised when I moved to San Diego in 2004 to find a large community of Portuguese heritage, which grew in the early 1900s around the tuna industry, centered around Point Loma. Once again, my neighbors had last names similar to those of my childhood neighbors, 3000 miles away!
A celebration of this community will be included in this evening’s annual Taste of Point Loma, taking place 5:30-9 PM, hosted by the Point Loma Chamber of Commerce. Participating will be the United Portuguese S.E.S. Inc. (U.P.S.E.S. Inc.), who will be providing samples of traditional Portuguese dishes and entertainment.
“We are excited to celebrate and bring awareness to the rich Portuguese cultural heritage in Point Loma,” said Matt Kalla, president of the Peninsula Chamber of Commerce. “United Portuguese S.E.S. Inc. does a great job at giving the community a glimpse into their traditional cuisine, customs and activities.”
Other participating restaurants in this evening’s event will include Blue Wave Bar & Grill, Brigantine Seafood & Oyster Bar, Charles & Dinorah at The Pearl, Jimmy’s Famous American Tavern, Miguel’s Cocina, Mitch’s Seafood, Old Venice Restaurant, Point Break Café, Point Loma Fish Shop, Pomodoro Ristorante Italiano, Pummaro, Shanghai Bun Restaurant, Sushi Lounge, The Elegant Truffle and The Wine Pub.
Attendees have the option of strolling between restaurants, or enjoying free shuttle service, available throughout the evening. All food samples are included in the ticket price, and drinks are available for purchase. Even Rover is invited! Dog-friendly patios will be identified with a paw print next to a restaurant’s logo on the ticket.
Ticket prices are $25 ($20 for students, military and cyclists) and can be purchased online at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/2018-taste-of-point-loma-tickets-43132987928?aff=erelexpmlt, at The Wine Pub, or Matt Kalla’s State Farm office located at 4148 Voltaire Street. Event check in for online ticket purchasers will be at United Portuguese S.E.S. Inc., located at 2818 Avenida de Portugal. Attendees who purchase tickets at The Wine Pub or Matt Kalla’s office can start at any of the participating restaurants identified on the ticket.