Flavors of Honolulu, opening today at the Frank F. Fasi Civic Center grounds, is not just a tasting tour of the Honolulu restaurant scene.

It is emerging as a branding opportunity for a community agency eager to carry on the foodie tradition while giving its disabled clients a chance to take ownership by volunteering during the three-day run.

"After last year, when we took over the event, we found that it was hard work," said Karen Mukai, president of Abilities Unlimited, the nonprofit organization that strives to help people with disabilities become equals in the community. "You have to be very organized — and have a good support system."

So for the second year, Abilities Unlimited will continue the legacy of the former Taste of Honolulu, previously under the Easter Seals of Hawai'i's banner, by cooking up an attraction that spotlights food, provides musical appetizers, serves desserts and snacks — with a side order of community nonprofit support.

"Easter Seals did a fabulous job, and we knew it (the tastings event) was something the community loved," Mukai said. "We couldn't let it disappear."

Rather than go big and over the top for the second serving, Flavors decided to scale down a skosh and tap fellow community nonprofits to kokua.

There will be fewer food stations than last year — 14, compared with 20 — but the mix of "known" and "new" gives hungry patrons a chance to flock to the familiar and explore the newbies. And the celebrity chef element is gone, but tasters will still vote for the Most Flavorful Award, the best of the fare.

"The enthusiasm still is there," she said. "But our event will be more manageable. We didn't want to overburden our staff, which has to concentrate on providing service for our clients."

"We had some difficulty securing participants," she said. "This was a rough year for restaurants. When we were soliciting, the common answer was 'the economy.' "

"But we have returnees (Hilton Hawaiian Village's Bali by the Sea and Village Steak & Seafood, Da Spot and Ichiriki) and many new ones that will introduce people to their food. Also, we have a Hawaiian food vendor (Laverne's Catering & Restaurant) this year."

There will be a service-for-service element this year, too. "Our nonprofit will help another nonprofit with fundraising," Mukai said. "For instance, we'll have Boy Scout troops — a green team — keeping our grounds clean. We've arranged with the city's recycling program to use their containers, and the scouts can take home the recycled stuff for redeeming. There's more quality control with organized groups like this.

"For some areas, we have a group volunteer as a lead person with some training, working with our volunteers, and we do offer pay," she said.

Mukai said her nonprofit organization decided to give Flavors a go "because it's not just for a select group, it appeals to everyone, all ages."

Then there was visibility factor.

"We're fairly unknown, Hawaiian-born and Hawaiian-lived and with no national chapter to support us, so we thought that Flavors of Honolulu might be a marketing tool and a name-recognition project for us as an agency to undertake," Mukai said. "It was a good opportunity to brand the name and the service we provide."

More importantly, she said, her agency clients — individuals with disabilities that may be developmental, mental or physical — would be able to participate in some facets of the event to give them a sense of pride and ownership. And simultaneously, Mukai said, the public would gain some awareness about how Abilities Unlimited is working to fulfill its mission of "assisting individuals with disabilities to reach their full potential."

Further, Mukai said, Abilities Unlimited's Community Awareness Program will be able to get its message out, that "we can't solve problems ourselves. We can't help everyone ourselves. It takes multiple agencies, not just one."

"What's really great about Flavors (and, in the past, Taste) is that it's a destination event," she said. "People look forward to it every year." Planning for the next one starts as soon as the current one is over, she said. But with that comes the excitement.

"We can't do everything, so we always think of things we can do next year," Mukai said. "It's great for bonding us."

FLAVORS OF HONOLULU

A benefit for Abilities Unlimited, celebrating its 25th year

5-10 p.m. today, noon-10 p.m. Saturday, noon-6 p.m. Sunday

Frank F. Fasi Civic Center grounds

$5 general; $2.50 military, those 65 and older; free for kids 12 and younger, 25 years old (born in 1983; proof required), married for 25 years (in 1983; proof required); also, free for military on Sunday only

532-2100, www.FlavorsOfHonolulu.org

Note: A sheet of nine scrip is $5, of which 50 cents will go to Abilities Unlimited