Chinese New Year is a time to celebrate with family and loved ones, and what better way to enjoy each other’s company than to eat and drink delicious things together?
While there are various traditional savoury foods and meals that are enjoyed leading up to/on Lunar New Year, there are some sweet treats and beverages available that we just can’t ignore.
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All inspired by the Year of the Rooster or simply the Lunar New Year in general, you’ll see that most of these creations represent the tenth animal in the Chinese zodiac cycle in some way.
Be sure to head to one of these 6 spots and pick up/enjoy the offerings inspired by the celebration on Saturday, January 28, 2017.
1. Boulevard Kitchen + Oyster Bar
Zhōngchéng (‘Devoted’) Cocktail from Boulevard Kitchen & Oyster Bar (Photo: Amy Ho)
Boulevard’s Beverage Director J-S Dupuis has created a special cocktail to celebrate Lunar New Year – the Zhōngchéng (‘Devoted’) Cocktail. This beverage is a combination of rich flavours with notes of citrus including Hennessy VSOP Cognac, Giffard Ginger of the Indies, drops of mandarin tincture, candied ginger, and sweetened Lapsang Souchong hot tea.
Address: 845 Burrard Street, Vancouver
Phone: 604-642-2900
Instagram: @blvdyvr
2. French Made Baking
French Made Baking has crafted a Lunar New Year rooster macaron along with a golden macaron. These treats are filled with Jasmine green tea ganache. The rooster macarons will be available from January 26 to January 29. Place an order and reserve yours ahead of time.
Address: 81 Kingsway, Vancouver
Phone: 604-558-4880
Instagram: @frenchmadebaking
3. L’Abattoir
‘The Golden Rooster’ Cocktail (Photo courtesy of L’Abbatoir)
L’Abattoir Head Bartender Katie Ingram has created the ‘The Golden Rooster’, a cocktail that is inspired by the Rooster’s colour of brown, gold, and red. This drink is a mixture of blended whisky (with notes of toffee apples, biscuits and a malty finish) a nutty Olorosso Sherry, lemon juice, and Nin Jiom Pei Pa Koa Cordial – a traditional Chinese syrup made from a blend of herbal ingredients, menthol, and honey. The beverage is finished with egg white giving it a creamy texture, along with a few dashes of Bittered Sling Zingiber Crabapple bitters.
Address: 217 Carrall Street, Vancouver
Phone: 604-568-1701
Instagram: @labattoir_van
4. The Salted Vine Kitchen & Bar
‘Cockeyed Rooster’ Cocktail (Photo courtesy of Salted Vine Kitchen & Bar)
Salted Vine Bar Manager Dave Warren has created the ‘Cockeyed Rooster’ Cocktail offering for Chinese New Year. This beverage is a combination of Cockspur Rum, Soho lychee liqueur, brewed five-spice tea, pear and fennel shrub, and finished with a dash of sichuan pepper bitters.
Address: 37991 Second Avenue, Squamish
Phone: 604-390-1910
Instagram: @saltedvine
5. Thomas Haas
Thomas Haas Lunar New Year Collection (Photo: Amy Ho)
Thomas Haas is known for his amazing chocolate sculptures for special celebrations, and for Lunar New Year he did not disappoint. The collection includes the ‘Good Fortune Mandarin Orange’, a hand-casted mandarin orange airbrushed with vibrant cocoa butter finished with gold-foil coins in 37% milk and 62% dark chocolate. The ‘Lucky Lucy’ chocolate sculpture is 62% dark and white chocolate, and the ‘Year of the Rooster’ is a hand-painted 62% dark chocolate rooster.
Address: 2539 West Broadway Avenue, Vancouver
Phone: 604-736-1848
Address: Unit 128, 998 Harbourside Drive, North Vancouver
Phone: 604-924-1847
Instagram: @thaaschocolates
6. Wild Sweets
The Lunar New Year collection from Wild Sweets includes hand-painted artisan bonbons that come in special celebratory flavours such as vanilla bean caramel ganache with cubed sticky rice cake. As usual, the chocolate art from Wild Sweets is just a great as the taste of the chocolate itself. You can buy items from the 2017 Lunar New Year collection here.
Address: 12191 Hammersmith Way, Richmond
Phone: 604-765-9507
Instagram: @wildsweets