Feb 19th is Chinese New Year, and we adore seeing the city engulfed with a tide of red. CNY brings with it edible entities varying in everything from turnip cake, poon choi to cake pops. Yes, even CNY has not escaped being made into balls of cake…
Here are 10 of our editor’s picks to experience a little authentic and/or modern celebration of the Year of the Ram.
1) CNY Puddings at the Kowloon Shangri-La
Executive Chinese Chef Mok Kit Keung fromthe Michelin two-starred Shang Palace adds two creations – Bird’s Nest and KayaPudding and Ginseng Chinese New Year Pudding – to his list of traditionalChinese New Year puddings. Classic Cantonese treats (Crispy Taro Balls withSesame) and festive specialties (Five Treasure Tray, and Premium Dried Seafoodand Bird’s Nest Tray) are also available to celebrate this Spring Festival.
2) Experience Chinese New Year Through Fifteen Packs of Tea at Tea Almanac
Chinese New Year is a tradition brimmingwith symbolism and significance, yet often in busy Hong Kong it is easy toforget the beautiful stories that make up this two-week long celebration. Thebeautifully crafted Tea Almanac box set celebrates thisthousand-year-old tradition by taking you on a gustatory journey through thestories of the fifteen days that follow the New Year with cupsof tea inspired by the traditions of each day.
3) Lo Hei special for Chinese New Year at HainanShaoye
More well known in the region of Singapore than Hong Kong, Lo Hei, a multi-dishdinner used as the appetiser, symbolises “good luck” inanticipation of the forthcoming year.
A foundation of ingredients such as vegetables are used first, and then an appointed leader or restaurant waiter adds ingredients like fish, sauces and crackers whilst proclaiming auspicious wishes (known as 吉祥话 or Jíxiáng Huà). Each ingredient has an added layer of symbolism, a fish representing surplus (and thus comes with accompanying word Yu).
By the end, all present at the table stand up and when prompted, toss the shredded ingredients in the air with their chopsticks. This is while auspicious wishes are said aloud. The higher the toss, the higher the diner’s fortune, and therefore earnest tossing is expected.
4) For Those Who Will Be Travelling –Festive Set Menu At Regal Airport Hotel
Just because you are in transit doesn’tmean you will be missing all the festivities. Regal Airport Hotel is the onlyhotel connected directly to the passenger terminal of Hong Kong InternationalAirport by an enclosed link bridge. Rouge and Dragon Inn inside the hotel have an auspicious set menufor lunch or dinner running through until March 15. Featuring the sumptuousingredients like bird’s nest, fish maw and Matsutake mushrooms, the Festive setmenu starts from HK$4,288 for a table of 12.
5) Nespresso collaborates with the”Demon Chef” Alvin Leung
Famous for his delicious and experimentalcuisine, Alvin Leung – aka the ‘Demon Chef’ – is the chef at the helm of three Michelin-starredrestaurant Bo Innovation. His ‘extreme Chinese Cuisine’ has stuck a chord withgastronomes across Asia. Chef Leung has partnered with Nespresso to create asweet and savoury menu inspired by the taste profiles of Nespresso’stwenty-three Grands Crus. Imagine the likes of CNY Candy Box affogato withcoconut ice cream, raspberry puree, whipped cream and pumpkin seeds, or the saltypeanut caramel with taro, and coffee milkshake.
6) Fireworks Menu at Namo
Namo, Mayfare Group, will be launchingfireworks menu on 20 Feb 2015, to complement the pyrotechnics display andthe sweeping views the restaurant holds of Victoria Harbour. NAMO is a culinarydestination of its own with a stunning view of Victoria Harbour located inEmpire Centre, Tsim Sha Tsui East, launched by renowned Thai chef KhunWijannarongk Kunchit. Here, the kitchen takes Thai cuisine to the next level bycombining traditional flavours of Thai cooking with contemporary recipes.
7) Chinese New Year with Sift Desserts
For the sweet toothes, Sift is amodern patisserie driven by an exclusive passion to bring refined, gourmetcupcakes, French pastries, macarons and cookies to Hong Kong. Sourced from theworld, high quality ingredients like Madagascar bourbon vanilla, Valrhona andCallebaut chocolate products or dairy imported from France, mean Sift truly arecaptains of their category.
This year they have some ethereal editions, like thetrademark mandarin flavoured Varlhona dark chocolate & mandarin moussefilled with a tender heart mandarin confit & resting on a Valrhonadark chocolate sponge cake & pâte sucrée, or refreshing Kung Hei Fat Choichocolate-blackcurrant tart, with chocolate pâte sucréebase, chocolate biscuit sponge cake, fluffy fresh blackcurrant confit and chestnutmousse.
8) Special Edition Gift Box at Laudrée
Ladurée have a Chinese New Year gift boxunder the sign of the sheep. This box, filled with 8 assorted macarons, isdecorated with an elegant shepherdess and on her side, an adorable littlesheep. For $288, it contains 8 pieces of macarons, and the buyer is welcomed toany flavour they desire. They can be picked up from TST, Central or CWB.
9) G.O.D.’s Douglas Young CNY Cakes from Duddell’s
Duddell’s have their amazing cake boxesdesigned by G.O.D’s Douglas Young as an ideal gift. Some may even tout these arethe best in town, given the two Michelin star rating of the restaurant. Weshall leave that to you to decide…
10) Sheep Cake Pops at Piece of Cake
Look at them! They’re adorable. And they’re very munch-worthy, these little sheepies. Limited edition and only available by pre-order, they can only be as delicious as the other sumptuous treats (like their Salted Caramel Valrhona Chocolate Brownies or their RIDICULOUS Banoffee Pie) at Piece of Cake we are far too fond of.
Drop an email to order@pieceofcakehk.com to make sure you won’t miss out on these cakey baaaahlls.
