"We were talking about the MS (Multiple Sclerosis) dinner fund-raiser and we thought how perfect it would be to do something like Yo-Yo Ma's Silk Road Project," explains Sandhoff, an MS committee member. "But instead of tracing the history of music along the route, we would trace the history of food."

Unfortunately, Island residents may not necessarily like the "exotic" type of food that Sammy Li said he discovered while researching the origins of certain dishes found along the Silk Road in China last month.

"I don't think locals would want to eat camel and donkey meat," quipped Li, general manager at Lau Yee Chai, where the Silk Road-themed benefit dinner for MS will take place this Wednesday evening. "So we've had to adapt certain dishes to appeal more to the local palate. So instead of donkey or camel, we'll use lamb. "

From 6 to 9 p.m., "The Silk Road: Our Journey Begins" is expected to draw 300 to 400 people, who will graze at 10 different action stations.

"We've tasted the food and it's great," said Chun, another MS committee member. "I haven't gone to a nine-course dinner in a long time, so this will be exciting and a lot of grazing."

In addition to the Peking duck, attendees will be able to savor such dishes as pot stickers, curry-dusted lamb, Szechuan eggplant, salt-and-pepper shrimp, Shanghai thick noodles, Fukkien fried rice, chrysanthemum-smoked chicken and spicy wontons.

"Each of these dishes has a symbolic meaning," Li said. "For example, wonton — yun tun in Chinese — means 'swallowing clouds.' It makes you feel comfortable and like you're floating in the air when you take a bite."

Proceeds from this event will benefit the Hawaii Division of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.

"We already have the MS Walk and MS Readathon," said Lisa Barnett, MS fund-raising coordinator. "But we needed a different type of event that would target another audience."

During the evening, guests will be able to bid on goods at the silent auction that will be set up as if it was the Great Wall of China. Featured items will include a four-night hotel stay in Shanghai, China; Neighbor Island packages to the Hilton Waikoloa and Westin Maui Resort; and gift certificates to the Kahala Mandarin Oriental, Hawaii and John Dominis.