A concerned customer of the Hong Kong Tea House & Restaurant sent me a plea to help get the word out this week, concerned that he may lose his favorite Utah Chinese restaurant. According to a reader named Dave, the light-rail construction project on 200 South has so drastically affected business at Hong Kong Tea House that the owners are concerned they might not survive it. The main problem is that the temporary parking is inadequate for the regular patrons of the restaurant, since most of the parking was originally on 200 South. So, if you’re also a fan of the Tea House'and want to save it'run, walk, jog, drive, bike, take a bus or taxi. But the word is that, unless business picks up immediately, the restaurant might not make it. Hong Kong Tea House is located at 565 W. 200 South and its phone is 531-7010.

Lugano Restaurant celebrates its seventh anniversary this month and would like you to help celebrate. In honor of seven years in East Millcreek, owner/chef Greg Neville is offering a seven-course tasting menu paired with Calera wines, with Calera’s Josh Jensen on hand to discuss the vino. The dinner is on Wednesday, June 20, at 6:30 p.m.; the cost is $55 per person with $35 for the optional wine pairing. For reservations, phone 412-9994.

I don’t usually use the term “soul food” and Metropolitan Restaurant in the same sentence. But come to think of it, the food at Metro does have a lot of soul. Thus, the Metropolitan’s culinary team chef Justin Shifflet will host a soul food cooking class on Saturday, June 16, 1-4 p.m. Along with a discussion of soul food and Southern cooking, the proposed menu includes greens, black-eyed peas, cracklin’ corn bread, marinated beef ribs, sweet-potato pie and Kentucky black-bottom cake. A family-style lunch follows the cooking demo/class. The cost is $50 per person, which includes a recipe book, tax and tip. For optional beer pairings add $15. Phone 364-3472 for reservations.

Quote of the week: When you are dining with a demon, you got to have a long spoon.
'Navjot Singh Sidhu

Send Food Matters information to teds@xmission.com. Hear Ted over the airwaves on Sound Bites, Thursdays on KSL NewsRadio 1160 AM and 102.7 FM.