IT’S this time of the year when Chinese communities all over the world celebrate the Lunar New Year. Even here in the Philippines, shops and malls dress up their interiors to give their shoppers a feel of the occasion’s vibe.
The first time I was hands-on in taking part in the celebration was when I worked with a huge hotel in Manila. We had a fan-painting activity for the entire family, wherein their works were placed on an exhibit. The traditional lion and dragon dance enticed our hotel guests as they played their beat from the entrance to the lobby and various parts of the hotel’s common area. Since the hotel has a Chinese restaurant, a whole menu of Chinese New Year treats was specially prepared during that time.
It was a 10-course set menu with prosperity dishes that included the traditional tikoy, Chinese New Year Yu Sheng Prosperity Salad, Slow Cooked Assorted Seafood Hot Pot, Deep Fried Minced Shrimp Balls with Shrimp Glazed Almonds, Wok-fried Beef with Gann Xiang Sauce, Steamed Live Flambeed Garoupa, and Pan-fried Nian Gao.
But my most memorable Chinese New Year food trip was when my friends and I braved the crowded streets of Binondo to partake of the revelry in the renowned Chinese community in Manila. Expectedly, restaurants, eateries and hole-in-the-walls had long queues of diners hoping to get a bite of their delectable food. These dining joints didn’t fail those who wait to savor their offerings.
During that trip, lunch for us was pork chop rice, fried dumplings, hong ma, silver roll bread, and braised beef noodles; lumpia for snacks; and hakaw (shrimp dumplings), sweet and sour fish, yang chow, broccoli flowers with garlic, and radish cake for dinner. Indeed, the food made those experiences extra memorable, a Chinese New Year celebration I will always relish.
Now, Bacolodnons do not have to go to Binondo for a taste of their food delights. Binondo888 near Riverside Hospital offers very affordable Chinese food. It has a street food concept for those who are looking for a combination of taste and budget.
As a city known for its Chinese New Year festivities, expect Bacolod to fire up our palate this coming Bacolaodiat with the various food finds at the Chopsticks Alley and the Imperial Village at the Bacolod City Government Center.
Other Chinese New Year events and attractions will be found in these two Bacolaodiat sites from February 1 to 5 as we usher into the Year of the Earth Pig. Yuan Thong Temple also has prepared several activities and Buddhist rites and ceremonies to welcome the Lunar New Year.
The Chinese food that we enjoy during this celebration is part of a tradition that is handed down from one generation to another for many centuries. All of them symbolize something in our lives, primarily good fortune. Many of them are pleasing to the eyes, giving a joyous feel to the atmosphere. More importantly, these flavors leave a warm feeling that will make you look forward to the coming year with glee and satisfaction.
All photos are by this author unless otherwise stated. Claire Marie Algarme blogs at http://firsttimetravels.com. Follow her as @firsttimetravel on Twitter and @firsttimetravelsblog on Instagram and like her Facebook page First-time Travels blog.