On February 12th, we’ll celebrate the second animal in the Chinese zodiac, and (hopefully) usher in a year filled with diligence, kindness, and generosity. Will that actually happen? Big TBD. Regardless, that shouldn’t stop you from ringing in the Year of the Ox with a meal from one of these restaurants.
THE SPOTS
Dumplings' Legend
The Gerrard Street restaurant has a whole recommended celebratory feast. Start with vegetable spring rolls, follow up with jiaozi (it’s said that the more dumplings you eat during Lunar New Year Celebrations, the wealthier you’ll get that year), and then tuck into Chaozhou-style sea bass, and also a portion of big plate chicken.
The Hackney and Clapton favourite has a hefty New Year celebration box for 2-4 people (£88) available online. It features har gau and siu gok dumplings (you’ll need a steamer, FYI), a duck pancake kit, vegan turnip cake, steamed cake with banoffee and hazelnut sauce and coconut custard, and much more.
Plum Valley
There’s a special creamy custard bun made just for the New Year on offer from this Chinatown dim sum specialist. Other specials include coconut glutinous rice cake, turnip cake with Chinese sausage and dry shrimps, and a good fortune sashimi salad. Give them a call on 020 7494 4366 or order via your delivery app of choice.
The Chongqing noodle and Sichuan restaurant in Spitalfields has a few specials on. Handmade multicoloured dumplings, filled with purple kale, pork, or scrambled egg and prawn. There’s also turnip cake with ham, red envelope cake (filled with mango and kiwi mousse) and a pudding box. Order for delivery or collection here.
Signature peking duck, yu sheng, and braised abalone and cornfed chicken in a claypot are just some of the Lunar specials from this fancy St. James’s spot. Order via app or give them a ring on 020 3011 1328 if you want to splurge in a big way to celebrate the New Year.
Rasa Sayang
Yu sheng, or prosperity tossed salad, is a traditional dish to welcome in the New Year and Rasa Sayang are offering delivery and takeaways of theirs until February 28th. The raw fish salad features salmon sashimi, an array of pickled and shredded vegetables, prawn crackers, plus plum and kumquat sauces, and other garnishes.
Sambal Shiok & Rice Guys have collaborated to make a four person prosperity toss salad as well. Choose from smoked salmon or a more luxurious abalone and jellyfish option, and then prepare to mix it all up. Order online.
The Xi’anese spot may not be doing special dishes, but they are doing special deals. There’s an offer on £6 hand pulled noodles every day from 12pm - 6pm for collection or delivery, free lucky gifts like totes and lanterns with every order up to February 21st, and if you spend £30 at their Bank branch, you’ll receive a £20 voucher redeemable when restaurants reopen for dining.
Pineapple pastries are the special from the slick Soho restaurant. [Order boxes] for delivery or collection from their Soho and City locations. The pastries feature caramelised pineapple jam held together by perfect cubes of crumbly pastry.
The Red Lion & Sun
Thanks to a little dumpling help from Royal China, the Highgate pub is offering a banquet to go, featuring dumplings from the London institution, plus duck pancakes, char siu pork, pan fried sea bass, Singapore noodle, and more made by their own chefs. Give them a ring on 020 8340 1780, or check out their Instagram for more details.