The coming Chinese New Year 2017 will surely be a big event for the Filipino-Chinese community in Manila, as it is with the rest of Asia. It’s amazing how this holiday will revolve around food, hence the relevance of the phrase Kung Hei FAT Choi, lol.
Our favorite Lung Hin, the Chinese restaurant of Marco Polo Ortigas Manila will surely be crowded on the day as it has a long list of regulars. Executive Chinese Chef Raymond Yeung calls his Lunar New Year line up the Yin and Yang menu because it balances the good and bad, rich and healthy aspects of the food. He’s prepared a couple of set menus to choose from, all aimed at bringing good luck and prosperity to the diners.
Like most high-end restos, Lung Hin’s Chinese New Year menu begins with the Yusheng or yee Sang, the prosperity toss salad featuring slices of raw fish or salmon. Be sure to make a wish before you shout “lo hei!” The phrase means to “rise” which signifies one’s desire to achieve a high position in money or business.
We sampled six other dishes during the media preview of the delectable Yin & Yang menu. I forgot to take a photo of the braised pork tongue soup which was rendered more flavorful by the addition of dried oyster and black moss. But I did take this photo of the Braised Pork Knuckle. It looks like Pata Tim to me, but this one is made more special because it is topped with black moss and those healthy vegetables….
The Stir-Fried Prawn with Asparagus and Red Wine Pear came next. I love the seafood at Lung Hin. They’re always fresh, plump and succulent. These shelled prawns are no exception.
The deep-fried Hong Kong pigeon was a treat, in all its brown glory…
And to complement all the food, a hefty platter of Fried Rice with Taro and Chinese Sausage was served. I love fried rice and will not really be able to refuse it, even if the world ended today. Those sausage bits made it tastier 🙂
For dessert, the menu listed Pan-Fried Coconut and Brown Sugar plus Sticky Rice Cake Combination. But my seatmate JM instead ordered Avocado Sago off the menu and here it was. Quite divine!
Was nice to share the lunch table with these friendly, beautiful people who I met for the first time that day: to my left, the brilliant young photographer Nico Belasco and his mom (to my right) Bb Pilipinas World 2003, Mafae Yunon-Belasco. In the middle is JM of msjmdelarama.com.
Of course, we also couldn’t pass up the chance to have a photo op with chef Raymond who made sure we were well-fed and had a calorific time. Look at that hip haircut and the arm tattoo partially hidden by the chef’s uniform, hehe 🙂
On Chinese New Year itself, January 28, Marco Polo Manila comes alive with dragon dance performances and the presence of international feng shui expert Maritess Allen.
On New Year’s Eve, January 27,there will be a New Year’s Eve celebration at the Grand Ballroom, featuring live entertainment, calligraphy making, and selling and display of Feng Shui cures and enhancers.
Also on sale at Lung Hin are glutinous rice cakes or tikoy, presented in elegant round containers, with yam and and brown sugar flavors for Php 988, and special Koi-shaped coconut flavor for Php 1,188. There’s also Golden Pineapple Pastry which comes in a box of 8 for only Php 888.Available until January 31 only.
For reservations and inquiries, call Marco Polo Ortigas Manila at (632) 720 7777.
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