February 19 marks the start of the new lunar year – symbolized by a goat, sheep or ram, depending on who you ask – and some of Vancouver’s best restaurants want to help you kick it off right (you know, in a food coma).
From February 18 to 22, Gastown eatery Bambudda, which specializes in contemporary Hong Kong and southern Chinese cuisine, will offer five kinds of dumplings daily, served steamed, fried, boiled, seared and, for dessert’s sake, sweet. According to owner Ray Loy, the various dumplings represent “happiness, prosperity, longevity, peace and love” – in other words, everything you need to start the year off right. 99 Powell St., Vancouver, 604-428-0301, http://bambudda.ca/
(Image: From February 18 to 22, Bambudda in Gastown will offer five kinds of dumplings daily)
On February 19, Café Pacifica at the Pan Pacific Vancouver Hotel will be serve a Chinese New Year brunch to honour the Year of the Goat. Among the highly symbolic buffet items: fried rice (for fertility) with shitake mushrooms (longevity) and bean sprouts (a positive start); kung-pao salad with cashews (wealth); and pad thai noodles (for a long life). 999 Canada Pl., Vancouver, 604-895-2480, http://www.panpacificvancouver.com/the-hotel/dining/cafe-pacifica/
The chefs at Kirin, with locations in Vancouver, Richmond and New West, have created six traditional Chinese puddings – the kind that are often presented to family, friends and business colleagues as gifts this time of year. There’s water chestnut, red bean or black sesame on the sweet side and, for those with a savoury tooth, Chinese radish or taro root pudding. http://www.kirinrestaurants.com/index.php5?
The Urban Tea Merchant’s Chinese New Year tea service starts on February 3, boasting an elegant, Asian-inspired three-tiered platter of tea-infused treats (we’re talking tea-crusted Ahi tuna, tea-stained quail’s egg and a black tea cake). The shop, which is Canada’s exclusive distributor of TWG Tea, is also selling specialty brews to honour the new year, including TWG’s Pu-Erh Tea Brick, created in collaboration with the celebrated Meng Hai tea garden in China’s Yunnan province, and a limited-edition Longevity Tea, made of a mix of rare white teas from Fujian. 1070 West Georgia St., 604-692-0071, http://www.urbantea.com/
(Image: Yunnan Pu-Erh Tea Brick from Urban Tea Merchant)
If you’re willing to cross water, Victoria’s Hotel Grand Pacific is offering a special edition of its afternoon tea series to mark the new year. From February 18 to 28 the inn’s regular tea service will include auspicious, Asian-influenced items like Osmanthus scones and kumquat cakes alongside an acclaimed tea list curated by Silk Road tea master Daniela Cubelic. 463 Belleville St., Victoria, 250-386-0450, http://www.hotelgrandpacific.com/
Don’t feel like going out? Real Canadian Superstore and T&T have teamed up to offer a range of products that allow you to create a restaurant-worthy Chinese New Year feast at home. Just think, dishes like Lions Head Meatballs, Braised E-Fu Noodles, Wok-fried Four Fortune New Year Rice Cake Pasta and Lettuce Wraps of Prosperity could turn up on your table – no food-primary licence required. http://www.realcanadiansuperstore.ca/en_CA.html
