Friday 12 February started 16 days of festivities marking Chinese New Year. Here are three approved menus we’ll be sampling to celebrate the Year of the Ox. Due to the current entertainment restrictions in Dubai, there’s no dragon or lion dances this year, but to observe Chinese traditions in your own way, you can wear a new item of clothing on New Year’s Day, clean your house the day before but never on the day, and – gulp – no new haircuts for the month ahead!
Shanghai Me
Celebrate Chinese New Year’s Eve on Thursday 11 February with Shanghai Me’s curated menu featuring seafood for prosperity, dim sum for wealth, and noodles for happiness and longevity. Appetizers on the à la carte menu start from AED 25, and main courses from AED 40. We already have our eyes on the Crispy Duck Salad and the Prawn and Truffle Dim Sum.
Shanghai Me, Podium Level, Gate Village 11, DIFC. Call +971 4 564 0505 to book
Hakkasan
Meanwhile, 16 days of Chinese New Year festivities at Hakkasan stretch from 10 to 26 February 2021. Stars of the set menu – priced at AED 498 per person – include a Yu Sheng Salad with house-cured salmon and a Double Treasure Fortune Quail Blossom Puff, Crispy Kumquat Chicken, Roasted Duck Fried Rice with dried scallops and shitake mushrooms, and an orange cocoa-butter infused Mandarin dessert. In place of a wishing tree, diners are encouraged to share their wish on social media and Hakkasan will be making one come true.
Hakkasan at Atlantis The Palm. Visit hakkasan.com/dubai/reservations/ to book
Hutong
From 11 to 14 February, Hutong will offering a selection of limited-edition dishes for Lunar New Year. Look out for Sichuan Razor Clams, Lobster with Pickled Chilli and sumptuous Chinese New Year Platter. The moment of the meal is Lobster Lo Hei, where ingredients are tossed in one-by-one at the table with the belief that the higher they are thrown, the greater our fortunes will be. Never have we needed this more.
Hutong at Gate Building 6, DIFC. Visit hutong-dubai.com or call +971 04 220 0868 to book
