Top 5 Chinese New Year Venues

From buffets and fireworks dinner, enter the Year of the Dragon with our picks of the best Chinese New Year venues in town.

Bad news for those detoxing and trying to slim from their Christmas and New Year celebrations, as this year's Chinese New Year holiday is fast approaching. The most celebrated festival among the Chinese, it is also a perfect opportunity to exchange blessings and gather together to look forward to the wonderful new year ahead with the ones you care about.

From regional Chinese cuisine to scrumptious buffets and the best hotspots for viewing the fireworks, Asia Tatler Dining brings you the Top 5 Chinese New Year venues to welcome the Year of the Dragon.

For those who are looking for a traditional Chinese meal, but not their usual Cantonese menu, can visit Dong Lai Shun, the Beijing and Huaiyang restaurant at the Royal Garden Hotel in Tsim Sha Tsui East. Head chef Kenny Chan has created a tempting selection of dishes to let local diners enjoy their Chinese New Year with a northern touch. Delicacies on the menu include Tianjin cabbage soup with fish maw and sliced abalone; and stir-fried fillet of river lobster with black truffle sauce.

Dong Lai Shun also offers a lavish 12-course spring dinner menu for a table of 12. Priced at HK $9,288  (roughly USD $1,200) per table, it is a wonderful choice for both family get-togethers as well as company dinners.

Basement 2 The Royal Garden, 69 Mody Road, Tsim Sha Tsui East. Tel: +852 2733-2020.

From now until January 31, Caf? at the Hyatt Regency Hong Kong in Tsim Sha Tsui is presenting a special buffet with abalone, perfect for those who plan to have a big family gathering during this special occasion and find themselves bickering with family members over where to go. Abalone, one of the four most precious ingredients in Chinese culinary culture, is given a Japanese twist and presented two ways: abalone Skamushi-style (a sake braise) and abalone Awabi Isoni-style (a sweet soy sauce braise), both of which will be served to guests at their table.

Additionally, the buffet table will offer an extensive range of freshly prepared delicacies from live cooking stations, ranging from sushi, sashimi, teppanyaki, tempura, wok-fried dishes, double-boiled soups to authentic curries, roasted and grilled meats and a variety of homemade desserts ? perfect for the whole family.

Lobby Level, Hyatt Regency Hong Kong, Tsim Sha Tsui, 18 Hanoi Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon, Hong Kong. Tel: +852 3721-7700.

Those who would like to go on a short Chinese New Year getaway might consider going to Macau for the holidays. The renowned Golden Flower at Wynn Macau, which specialises in Tan, Lu and Sichuan cuisine, has created a special Chinese New Year menu for families and friends to get together during this traditional occasion. Available from January 23-29, the menu offers both northern and southern Chinese delicacies, including:

- a selection of traditional dumplings
- slices of abalone with sea cucumber
- braised pork shank
- poached sliced lamb with pickled cabbage
- Beijing-style glutinous rice cakes

Wynn Macau, Rua Cidade de Sintra, Nape, Macau. Tel: +853 8986-3663.

To escape from the crowds, head to one of the more hidden spots in town, The Executive Lounge located on the 59th Executive Floor at the Conrad, which will be opened to let guests have the best seats in town to view the Lunar New Year fireworks. With live music entertainment, the hotel will also present a scrumptious dinner buffet with all your international favourites. Priced at HK $888 (roughly USD $115) for adults, the dinner buffet includes:

- seafood, sashimi and sushi selection
- lobster bisque with cassis
- baked Boston lobster thermidor
- homemade squid ink tagliolini
- homemade foie gras terrine with port wine aspic and brioche toast
- roasted Australian wagyu beef prime rib
- roasted lamb rack with herbs crust and rosemary jus 

59/F Conrad Hong Kong, Pacific Place, 88 Queensway, Admiralty. Tel: +852 2521-3838.

On January 24, the second day of the Chinese New Year, Al Molo, the chic Italian restaurant at Harbour City, will be serving an al fresco semi-buffet meal to let you take a break from all the Chinese dishes. With a sensational harbour view, diners can enjoy the amazing fireworks from the outdoor terrace as they indulge in its antipasti, breads and dessert buffet and choose a main course out of six different choices. The choice of mains includes:

- acquarello risotto, wild mushrooms and parmigiano
- squid ink angel hair, sepia ragu and leeks
- rigatoni with Italian sausage, tomato, mascarpone and pecorino
- grilled king prawns with mustard greens, kabocha squash, polenta cream and preserved lemon
- roasted hen with savoy cabbage, porcini mushrooms, pancetta and rosemary
- suckling pig, apple salsify puree, Grifola frondosa mushrooms

For those who have dinner plans but want to take advantage of the amazing terrace and view, the entry fee is HK $250 (roughly USD $30) per person, including two standard drinks.

Shop G63, Ocean Terminal, Harbour City, Tsim Sha Tsui. Tel: +852 2730-7900.

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