With more than 300,000 Chinese expatriates calling the UAE home, it’s little surprise that the country is gearing up to celebrate the Lunar New Year in style.
But while the 2,500 person parade kicking things off at Expo City Dubai promises to be quite the spectacle, it’s the culinary celebrations we’re really interested in.
A host of restaurants across Dubai and Abu Dhabi will be marking the arrival of the Year of the Rabbit, a symbol of strength, courage and kindness, with a selection of time-limited special dishes and set menus.
Here, then, are the spots you need to book now to make the most of the festivities.
Dai Pai Dong
Why host a one-day celebration when you can organise a 16-day festival dedicated to Cantonese culture? From the region’s flavours and colours to its lively music and art traditions, the festival will offer a range of set menus, from the eight-course New Year’s Eve ‘Reunion’ dinner to the three-hour prosperity feast experience, a Lantern Festival brunch and more.
January 21 to February 5. Find out more here
Hakkasan
Hakkasan Abu Dhabi’s eight-course New Year tasting menu will feature a specially created cocktail as well as dishes including dim sum, Cherrywood smoked duck and a ‘Prosperity Toss’ octopus salad drizzled with yuzu plum sauce and chilli garlic vinegar. Be sure to leave room for the aptly-named ‘Lucky Rabbit’ dessert…
January 21 to February 5. Find out more here
Hutong
DIFC favourite Hutong has created a trio of limited-time only dishes for its three-day Lunar New Year celebration which guests can choose to mix-and-match with the eatery’s al la carte offering, from crispy chilli lobster with rice crackers to lobster ‘lo hei’ and a festive dim sum platter. There will also be traditional lion dance and ‘bian lian’ face-changing performances on January 22 itself.
January 20 to 23. Find out more here
LAO
A weekend-long celebration will be held at Waldorf Astoria Palm Jumeirah’s LAO, with a four-course set menu available throughout, featuring dishes including Guay Tiaw Ped noodle soup with duck breast and salmon wrapped in lotus leaf. Diners will also be treated to live lion dance performances on January 21.
January 20 to 23. Find out more here
Shanghai Me
From a specially-created – and very photogenic – cocktail to Chinese dance performances, Shanghai Me will be pulling out all the stops for its 12-day celebration of the Year of the Rabbit. Diners will also have their pick of a specially-curated menu featuring dishes including lobster and enoki soup, believed to bring good fortune, and steamed rabbit prawn dumpling to symbolise reunion.
January 19 to 31. Find out more here
SHI
Bluewaters Island-based SHI is planning seven days of festivities to mark Chinese New Year, with free fortune cookies and complementary food for children under the age of eight throughout. Meanwhile, a special set menu will feature a mix of best-selling and limited-edition dishes, ranging from popular dim sum and sushi options to spicy, crispy Chilean seabass with pecan nuts.
January 20 to 27. Find out more here
Tan Cha
Available for a limited time only, Tan Cha has created six new dishes, each designed to celebrate the spirit of the season – think crispy duck salad, roasted mala chicken, lobster noodles and jasmine tea smoked wagyu beef ribs, among others.
January 21 to 22. Find out more here
Zheng He’s
Jumeirah Mina A’Salam’s picturesque waterside restaurant will be marking the festivities with a limited edition set menu featuring dishes such as scallop dumpling, clay-pot seabass and black truffle fried rice. Visitors on January 22 will also be treated to live performances – and their own special Chinese red envelope…
January 14 to February 13. Find out more here