Chinese New Year is the festival that celebrates the beginning of a new year on the traditional lunisolar Chinese calendar. This year falls on January 22 and is the Year of the Rabbit. If you are looking for places to celebrate it with your family and loved ones, here are our suggestions.
Zheng He’s
The beautiful waterside restaurant honours the Year of the Rabbit with an exclusive limited edition set menu. Expect sumptuous dishes such as scallop Dumpling, stir-fried pork belly, clay-pot seabass fillet, stir-fried chicken fillet, or wok-fried beef.
The decked-out venue will also be handing out Chinese red envelopes, with surprises for each table, on January 22 for just one night and to follow the tradition. Additionally, an actual lion dance performance will take place across Madinat Jumeirah.
Jumeirah Mina A’Salam. Until February 13 from 12:30-10:30pm. AED288 per person. Call 800 323 232 and visit the website or Instagram
Margaux
For the sweetest Chinese New Year, visit the Parisian pastry shop in Jumeirah Mina A’Salam, Margaux, where they will be serving a skilfully constructed themed almond-vanilla cake with a delectable blend of an exotic marmalade and coconut mousse.
Jumeirah Mina A’Salam. Until February 5. AED190 per person. Call and visit the website or Instagram
The Noodle House
The authentic flavours and customs associated with the celebration can be found on the exceptional limited-edition menu served by Dubai’s native Asian soul cuisine concept. Vegetable spring rolls, grilled shrimp skewer with XO sauce, orange and tangerine beef noodles, Hainese chicken, and snow moon cakes are among the specialties offered.
Madinat Jumeirah, Nakheel Mall, JBR, City Walk. Until February 13. AED149 per person. Call 800 323 232 and visit the website
Address Beach Resort
Enjoy the Chinese New Year Afternoon Tea in the luxurious setting of The Lounge at Address Beach Resort and celebrate the Lunar New Year in style. Feast on zingy lime shrimp cocktails, sweet chili crab tartlets, smoked paprika shredded Hoisin duck, and a wide variety of desserts, such as pistachio lychee financier, chocolate kumquat mandarin tart and sesame scones served with jam and clotted cream.
AED288 per person. Call +9714 879 8866 and visit the website or Instagram
Armani/Mediterraneo
This is your chance to travel to the Orient and experience the fascinating and unusual flavours of the Far East. This unique buffet-style feast, which will be held on January 21 and 22, is the ideal way to ring in the Chinese New Year in the tastiest way. A variety of the best treats are served up from live cooking stations, including seafood on ice, fresh oysters, dim sum, noodle soup, sauteed veggies, hot main dishes, and much more.
January 21 & 22. AED349 per person, food only. Call +9714 888 3666 and visit the website or Instagram
Ladurée
In honour of the Chinese New Year, the renowned French luxury bakery and pastry brand Ladurée has launched an 8-piece limited edition macaron box adorned in beautiful shades of red and golden which are viewed as a symbol of fortune and blessings.
The box contains 8 of Ladurée’s crowd-favourite macarons with a Rabbit logo printed on the macaron (upon request), where you can choose your pick from the brand’s classic and specialty flavours. In addition, indulge in Ladurée’s special coffee that has a rabbit logo printed on it.
AED 145 per box and it can be purchased at any of the outlets in Dubai including Dubai Mall restaurant, Dubai Mall’s Tea Room, Mall of the Emirates’ Tea Room, Dubai Festival City Mall, Nakheel Mall and Dubai Hills restaurant. Visit the website or Instagram
Mogao
Celebrate this Lunar New Year with a specially curated Year of the Rabbit Brunch at this the modern Pan-Asian Restaurant on January 22. The main highlights include pepper Squid, stir-fried beef with Kai Lan, Tang Yuan soup, dim sums, Hainanese chicken & rice, steamed Fish, traditional sesame balls and homemade fortune cookies.
January 22 from 11am-3pm. From AED185 per person. Kids below 6 eat for free. Call +9714 554 8220 and visit Instagram
Shang Palace
Celebrate The Year of the Rabbit with a lavish course set menu the features Yusheng, mixed seafood soup with lily root, Wok-fried lobster in XO sauce, steamed fish roll with egg yolk, Pan-fried lamb chop and more.
Shangri-La Dubai. January 18-20 & 22-27 for AED 388 per person. January 21 for AED 588 per person (Reunion Feast). Call +9714 405 2760 and visit the website or Instagram
Hakkasan
From January 21 to February 5, the award-winning Cantonese restaurant Hakkasan Dubai invites you to ring in the Year of the Rabbit with a special edition set menu of eight dishes prepared exclusively for the occasion. Expect sumptuous dishes such as Lo Hei ‘Prosperity Toss’ octopus salad with yuzu plum sauce and a chilli garlic vinegar, happiness dim sum trio, boasting a glorious seafood dumpling, a XO scallop and prawn shui mai XO, and a rabbit carrot puff.
Main dishes include cherrywood smoked roasted duck with a carrot and kumquat chutney, steamed John Dory in a brown butter black bean sauce, and stir-fried Wagyu beef with nian gao, shimeji mushroom and golden squash.
Atlantis the Palm. AED598 per person.Call +9714 426 0752 and visit the website or Instagram