Welcome the Lunar New Year
Sofitel Philippine Plaza
MANILA, Philippines – Sofitel Philippine Plaza Manila ushers in the Year of the Fire Monkey with a bountiful feast of sumptuous culinary offerings. Featuring Spiral’s Chinese culinary artisan Michael Tai, Sofitel brings the 10 secrets to happiness in a culinary interpretation of prosperity, longevity, friends, faith and fortune. The Lunar New Year culinary offer is available from Feb. 1-10 and features fashion designer Albert Andrada on Feb. 3 showcasing a jewel-toned collection weaving through the Spiral restaurant.
The 10 Secrets to Happiness by chef Michael Tai of Spiral includes slow-cooked abalone served with money bag and supreme sauce; stuffed sea cucumber with minced pork Szechuan style; poached dried scallop coated with winter melon in dried scallop sauce; baked lobster with butter and fried garlic Hong Kong style; deep fried crab claw “Pi Pa” style; wok fried king prawn with golden pumpkin egg yolk paste; steamed whole fish with red date Cantonese style; braised fish maw and broccoli in oyster sauce; stir fried Japanese scallop with sweet walnut in XO chili sauce; dried oyster with black moss.
In addition, Spiral also offers Yusheng or raw fish salad, symbolizing abundance. Usually served on ren ri or the seventh day of the new year, it is a combination of condiments such as plum sauce and sesame oil with shredded fresh vegetables and raw strips of fish or seafood.
Mandarin for “year cake,” nian gao is a glutinous, rice-based cake traditionally served during Chinese New Year for good luck. It is a popular gift during New Year typically presented in the shape of a pair of carps representing surplus or ingots to represent wealth.
Chang shou mian or longevity noodles bring symbolic relevance when served during birthdays and the New Year celebration. Tradition notes that the longer the noodle, the longer the wish for a long and healthy life.
Dumplings traditionally resemble ingots or money. Eating dumplings is believed to usher in wealth. Spring rolls are called as such because they are traditionally served during the Spring Festival and signify prosperity as they are akin to gold bars.
For reservations, call 832-6988 or email H6308-fb12@sofitel.com.
New World Manila Bay Hotel
A prosperous Year of the Monkey is welcomed with jubilant celebration and gastronomic delights artfully crafted with symbolisms of prosperity and happiness at New World Manila Bay Hotel.
Guests are invited to experience the fun, creativity and sparkling energy that only the Year of the Monkey can provide as the Chinese New Year revelries kick off with heart-pounding and colorful ceremonies of the traditional lion and dragon dance, coin tossing and the lighting of firecrackers at the main lobby and M.H. del Pilar entrance on Feb. 8 at 11 a.m.
As a double-happiness treat, guests born in the Year of the Monkey (1932, 1944, 1956, 1968, 1980, 1992 and 2004) can enjoy a complimentary lunch or dinner buffet with a minimum of two paying companions at Market Café on Feb. 8 only.
Chinese New Year diners at Market Café get to try their luck at the spin-a-wheel of fortune and enjoy special fortune cookies courtesy of the God of Fortune who will be roaming around the restaurant.
From Feb. 1 to 11, diners can hold a resplendent reunion dinner or an intimate celebration in one of the private rooms of Li Li Chinese restaurant. Guests can enjoy authentic Cantonese fare and an inviting impression that they are in a penthouse apartment in Paris or Milan with Li Li’s tastefully designed modern interiors blending Chinese and European influences.
Hong Kong chef Andy Chan has created a special Year of the Monkey 10-course prosperity lunch and dinner set menu with a selection of symbolic Lunar New Year dishes for a minimum of 10 guests with your choice of set menu at P23,888 or P36,888 respectively.
Guests can also opt for takeaway treasures in the form of tikoy, a traditional Chinese New Year sweet glutinous rice cake. Tikoy packaged in an exquisite handbag at P888 each is an auspicious gift for family and business partners.
For reservations, call +63 2 252 6888 or e-mail dining.manilabay@newworldhotels.com.
Diamond Hotel Philippines
Welcome the Year of the Fire Monkey at Diamond Hotel and invite prosperity, luck and power.
The year of the fun-loving monkey calls for a serving of sumptuous feasts and treats. Corniche restaurant will be serving Chinese dishes at the lunch and dinner buffet from Feb. 5 to 9 for P2,150 nett per person. Enjoy traditional Chinese New Year celebratory fares such as Chinese roasted suckling pig, steamed grouper, Peking duck, Chinese prawn salad and assorted dimsum. Leave room for dessert so you can indulge in mango pudding, tikoy (glutinous rice cake) and other sweet treats. Every P5,000 spent at Corniche during this period entitles you to “pick-a-prize” from the Prosperity Tree .
Attract positive vibes and good luck when you watch the Lion and Dragon Dance by the Philippine Ling Nam Athletic Federation on Feb. 8 at 11 a.m. Also on that day, every P5,000 nett spent at the lunch buffet entitles guests to a 10-minute feng shui consultation with Angel Macalino from noon to 3 p.m. at the Upper Lobby.
Feng shui charms, luck enhancers and guide books from FRIGGA Charmed Life by Marites Allen will be on sale at the hotel lobby Feb. 1-9 from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.
For reservations call 528-3000 ext. 1121.
The Manila Hotel
Celebrate the Chinese New Year at the Grand Dame with flair and bring joy, happiness and prosperity.
Book The Manila Hotel’s special Chinese Lunar New Year room package on Feb. 7-8 for P8,888 net per room, with two tickets to the Chinese New Year dinner celebration (includes cocktails, full program and Cantonese dinner lauriat).
On Feb. 7, eve of the New Year, take part in the revelry as the hotel holds a colorful Dragon’s Eye dotting ceremony complete with a special lion and dragon dance while having cocktails at the Grand Lobby. Enjoy an authentic Cantonese dinner lauriat prepared by chef Sun Bing of the Mabuhay Palace.
Feng shui master Joseph Chau Kam Shing together with his son Vittorio will share their fortune predictions for the Year of the Fire Monkey. A special blessing for prosperity and good health will also be given to all guests. Ticket prices are P2,888 for adults and P1,888 for children 5-12 years old.
Each ticket will entitle guests to a copy of Chau’s book, Feng Shui Essentials, a collection of daily advice and predictions for good luck and fortune.
A celebration will not be complete without fireworks. On New Year’s Eve, fireworks will be launched from the hotel grounds to welcome the new year as well as to drive away bad spirits.
For reservations, call 527-0011 loc 1175 to 1179 or visit www.Manila-Hotel.com.ph.
Marriott Hotel Manila
In celebration of the core festival on the Chinese Lunar Calendar, Marriott Hotel Manila ushers in the year of the Red Fire Monkey with an auspicious and distinctive take on tikoy. Impart tranquility and harmony to your loved ones with their double prosperity ti-koi fish at 270 grams each, elegantly enclosed in luxurious red oriental boxes, sealed with a gold stamp symbolizing good fortune. Nian gao, locally called tikoy, is believed to bring good luck to both the receiver and the giver, making it part of the customs during the Chinese New Year. The koi fish is also a symbol of longevity, success and prosperity. Spread good luck tastefully with this gift box at P1,188 available until Feb. 13 at the hotel’s Marriott Café Bakery and Crema.
To add a fashionable twist to the traditions of the Lunar New Year, Marriott Hotel Manila is partnering with the award-winning jewelry artisan Ann Ong to showcase her latest and luckiest designs for this year. Considering the auspicious colors and trends, handcrafted bags and intricate jewelries believed to bring good energy and prosperity to the bearer are on display and sale at the lobby.
As a norm, the ceremonial dragon and lion dance is set to entertain guests and chase away the negative energies on Feb. 9, 5 p.m. at Marriott Hotel Manila and Marriott Grand Ballroom lobbies.
For inquiries, call 988-9999 or visit manilamarriott.com.
