JOIN USThink of new year celebrations and delectable food and delicious desserts pop up in one’s mind.
With the Chinese New Year being celebrated on January 28, Zen of The Leela Palace, Bengaluru, has an elaborate menu to celebrate ‘The Year of the Rooster’ in all its glory.
While the red lanterns and the Oriental decorations are designed to usher in the spirit of the festivities, the food too adds to the zest.
The complimentary prawn crackers and crispy wonton in honey chilli are the perfect starters to the festive menu.
According to one’s choice of menu, a hot ‘Vegetable noodles soup’ or ‘Wonton chicken soup’ follow soon. The clear water soup clears up one’s senses and prepares their appetite for the meal to follow.
Each of the items in the menu have some significance and symbolism. “The noodles in the soup should not be cut and should be prepared as they are. The long noodles symbolise longevity of life,” says Abhijit Chavan-Patil, senior sous chef and head chef of ‘Zen’.
After the soup, appetisers follow suit. For non-vegetarians, a good option will be the ‘Seafood dumpling, chicken lettuce wrap and konjee lamb’; which are crispy with a mix of varied flavours — from a dash of sour and sweet to a tinge of chilli. Vegetarians can opt for ‘Simeji in pepper chilli, vegetable pine roll and vegetable dumplings’.
The ‘entre’ will include non-vegetarian delights like ‘Steamed fish in black bean sauce tempered with sesame oil’ and ‘Braised pork belly with sticky rice’, or vegetarian treats like ‘Mapo tofu’ and ‘Pan fried noodles with Chinese green in chilli garlic sauce’. These are quite filling and make a great ending to the wholesome Oriental goodness.
The team which conceptualised the menu feels that there are many culinary highlights to the day. “Traditionally, the wonton soup and steamed or stirred fish are an important part of the menu. Wanton soup symbolises prosperity and steamed whole fish is supposed to bring happiness and joy for the whole year. Pork preparations are also a big part of the day, which symbolise strength and wealth while duck symbolises fertility,” details Abhijit.
A combination dessert platter includes interesting items like the red bean icecream and ‘dates and nuts crackers’ which look and taste like a toffee roll. A drizzle of mango pudding is added to the platter.
“Each of these items have meanings to them. Mango pudding is an essential part of the New Year celebration. Green tea is also added as crumbles for the colour and visual appeal. Red is believed to be lucky and thus a dash of cherries were included,” sums up Abhijit.
The special menu will be available for lunch (12 pm to 3pm) and dinner (7 pm to 11 pm).
To book your reservations, call 30571520.