Chinese New Year

[amccomb]

So, the Year of the Dog is approaching and my husband and I thought we would either go out to eat or make some traditional Chinese New Year's food at home. What would be some traditional dishes? If we go out to eat, can we expect to see some different menu items? If so, what sorts of things should we look for?

Thanks!

[Jason Perlow]

Braised whole stuffed chicken with sticky rice is a classic Chinese New Year dish.

[rjwong]

amccomb, if you haven't already, check out the Chinese New Year 2006 discussion thread in the China forum for more ideas.

Is it going to be just the two of you? Any family members and/or friends? It's usually more fun to have a table or two with about six to eight people per table. That way, you can order several dishes, served banquet style.

You can also click on to the MOE in LA: Chinese dinner thread for some ideas, as well.

Soup: Shark's fin soup, Bird's nest soup, Whole winter melon soup

Duck: Roast duck, Peking duck, Braised boneless duck

Chicken: Whole crispy chicken. That braised whole stuffed chicken with sticky rice looks pretty good, Jason!

Vegetables: Buddha's feast (Loo Han Jai or Lohan Tsai)

Seafood: Abalone with braised black mushrooms, Cooked live shrimps (with the heads on), Live lobster

Fish: Whole steamed fish

Those are just a few of suggestions. There are definitely other dishes to choose from.

Happy Chinese New Year!! Gung Hay Fat Choy!!

[suzilightning]

at work Danquing Liu and I are making the following:

Hot and Sour soup

Tea smoked chicken

Buddah's feast

Ribs with some sort of a hoisin glaze

Homemade almond cookies

[Nathan P.]

The only thing I ate to celebrate Chinese New Year was a tasty green waffle. Anyone do any special banquets or?

[rjwong]

I was going to post this in the China forum, but I decided to post here. I'll explain.

On Sunday night, I decided to celebrate Chinese New Year by having dinner over at a restaurant in Santa Monica called Chinois on Main. Yes, that's Wolfgang Puck's Asian fusion restaurant that's been around for over twenty years. Why there? I've always wanted to try that place and what fully convinced me was that my friend & fellow eGer just got hired as a line cook recently. So off I go all the way across town to celebrate CNY ...

Why am I posting this report here? Because, as you'll find out, this is not my father's Chinese restaurant.

Instead of the regular menu, Chinois on Main was having a special five-course meal for $85. The place is small: 60-100 people with tables & chairs packed inside, complete with Chinese-type decorations. The mostly non-Asian servers were wearing “Oriental” shirts. You get the idea, I hope. Mind you, back to the menu ...

Thai lobster soup with coconut and spicy lobster dumplings: The soup was served in a coconut shell. The coconut broth was warm instead of hot and the one lobster dumpling was at the end of a lobster leg (tentacle). Off to a slow start ...

Salad of Maine scallops, shitake mushrooms and wasabi vinaigrette: The salad was served with one scallop. It was fine with a wasabi vinaigrette that was kicking in. Getting a little bit better, I suppose ...

I was waiting a long time for the third course, and then from the back of the room, the entertainment portion of the meal, part one ... Three lovely ladies enter towards the middle of the room, in front of the bar area, dressed up as dogs. They proceeded to do a little dance number, while a medley of “dog” songs was being played, since CNY this year is the Year of the Dog. Imagine these ladies going from “How much is that doggie in the window” to “Who let the dogs out.” Let me repeat myself: This is not my father's Chinese restaurant. Now, back to the menu ...

Seared foie gras with Fuji apples and ginger glaze: The third course finally came out. This was my first time eating foie gras. I really wanted to give it an honest attempt. I did eat all of my foie gras with the Fuji apple slice underneath. I tried to eat the foie gras slowly, trying to savor it. It was difficult. Even though I know it's foie gras, it is still LIVER to me! Yes, I know foie gras IS liver from a duck. Mind you, it will always be an acquired taste to me.

Part two of the entertainment was the more traditional dragon dance, this time with a two-man dragon and a group of servers banging away.

Steamed black bass with hot ponzu, green onions and jasmine rice: I really enjoyed the bass filet on top of the jasmine rice. The fish was moist, not dry. The ponzu gave the fish a nice flavor. Really good ...

Slow braised short ribs and charcoal grilled New York steak with long life noodles: Chinois on Main didn't go wrong with serving beef, Asianized a bit for the occasion.

Desserts to bark for: I was served a chocolate-peanut butter crunch dessert. Nice basic combination of chocolate & peanut butterwith a contrasting crunchy texture.

The diners were not your typical Chinese customers, obviously. The meal wasn't bad. It did get better as the evening progressed. I felt rather cramped inside. The tables & chairs were very close together. The place was packed with people. I might go back on a quieter night, at least to see my friend. Well, that was my first dinner of Chinese New Year, Year of the Dog. Gung Hay Fat Choy!!

[suzilightning]

russell-

so sorry you didn't have a good new year celebration. next year maybe you should come to new jersey - we can provide a pull out and a jacuzzi : http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?showtopic=80522

our lunch at work was really good. i decided to make two kinds of hot and sour soup - one traditionally with tofu, pork and a beef stock then another with a shrimp stock and shrimp - both with egg, bean sprouts, bamboo shoots, water chestnuts and plenty of rice wine vinegar and hot oil.

the almond cookies were good and danquing made a fried roll of black bean paste - interesting but ....

[Hector]

Anyone who has a recipe for "Jasons Braised whole stuffed chicken with sticky rice" which he shows in his pic or something simmillar?

Looks like a real treat!

Edited February 27, 2006 by Hector (log)