Maybe you always celebrate Chinese New Year. Maybe you don’t.
But you should. Because Chinese New year involves — in no particular order — fireworks, dumplings, liquor, anthropomorphic paper lanterns, friends, prosperity and toasts.
This decadent outing may not have all that. But it more than make up for it with an opulent, all-night-long eight-course feast.
Celebrating the Year of the Rooster, Hakkasan’s limited-edition dinner starts with a Fortune Tale salad and leaves you with good luck for at least one rotation ‘round the blazing sun. Make a reservation now through February 11th for $128 a pop. Because, as the saying goes, “Fortune favors the prepared.”
Here’s what’s in store.
The Opener
You’ll begin with a Waltzing Collins cocktail featuring Asian spirits such as baijiu and sake, as well as Chinese New Year fruits like mandarin (which symbolizes luck for the new year). Atop your table you’ll find a striking golden rooster in honor of the Chinese zodiac. It’ll get blurrier throughout the night.
The First Act
You’re starting with the Fortune Tale salad, which includes roasted chicken, jellyfish, cucumber, ginger, green apple, mango and mooli. The salad is presented and tossed tableside; the higher it’s tossed, the more fortune you’ll have in the New Year. Then it’s on to the Hakka-steamed dim sum platter. This particular edition includes har gau, scallop shumai, Chinese chive dumplings and black pepper duck dumplings.
The Main Stage
Steamed dover sole. Wok-fried tiger prawns. Braised abalone with fat choy and dried oyster. Braised veggies. Salted egg fried rich. The plates will come out thick and fast, and moderation is heavily frowned upon. So it’s probably high time for a Smoked negroni as well.
The Finale
The presentation makes the final course almost too pretty to eat. Almost. The Golden Feather is a gorgeous chocolate “egg” that when cracked exposes ginger panna cotta with mandarin orange jam. It is presented in a “nest” of phyllo dough. To hail in the Year of the Rooster. Get it?
As you leave, you’ll be welcome to write your well wishes on red and gold ribbons designed by London illustrator Kam Tang and hang them on the Wishing Tree.
Because even if you make your own luck, but a little insurance — especially in the form of a feast — never hurt.
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