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Amanda Smith offers guests samples of sake sangria. Photo by Betty Alvarez

Greg Santos. Photo by Betty Alvarez

Diners enjoy sidewalk seating outside Pao Town. Photo by Betty Alvarez

Jenny Larson, Jessica Cortes and Patricia Maldonado. Photo by Betty Alvarez

Jessica Cortes and Reggie Dumas-Pierre. Photo by Betty Alvarez

Jessica Cortes and Teri Weinstein. Photo by Betty Alvarez

Martin Fernandez and Jessica Lorenzo. Photo by Betty Alvarez

Meg Garza and Lorna Valle from The Education Fund. Photo by Betty Alvarez

Gables High culinary arts teachers Mercy Vera and Angel Vazquez. Photo by Betty Alvarez

Morgan Ennis, Michael Loeb, Carlos Larcada and Abe Ng. Photo by Betty Alvarez

Sake sangria made by Tyku. Photo by Betty Alvarez

Guests at Pao Town, the new fast-casual Asian restaurant at 2624 Ponce de Leon Blvd., “dined for dollars” on Wednesday night, Nov. 28, at a fundraiser supporting the 2012 Teach-A-Thon program.

Teach-A-Thon brings business professionals into classrooms to teach for a day. It’s a program of The Education Fund, a nonprofit that provides private-sector leadership for Miami-Dade County Public Schools and has raised more than $38 million for Miami-Dade schools in the last 25 years.

Abe Ng, owner of Sushi Maki and Pao Town restaurants in Coral Gables, will be taking his culinary skills to Coral Gables Senior High School in January to teach students in the school’s award-winning Culinary Arts Academy.

Teacher / chefs Mery Vera and Angel Vazquez from the Gables High culinary program were among special guests at the fundraiser. Pao Town donated 15% of its sales from 6-9 p.m. to the Teach-A-Thon.

Photos by Betty Alvarez / Events Photographer