Happy Chinese New Year

[wolf]

The time for Chinese New Year is again upon us. Joy and happiness to all in the Year of the Rooster! Chinese New Year Day is actually February 9, 2005, but the restaurant I go to likes to beat the rush.







They make you wear the hats. You don't get a choice.

The waiters hats are more elaborate. They move pretty quickly, and it was hard to get a good picture of their Roosters.



Once again I ventured forth with my dear friends to celebrate the prosperity of the coming year by experiencing a variety of Special Gourmet Chinese Dishes, this year again at the Yantzee Restaurant in Lansdale.

Yantzee is the younger sister restaurant of The Abacus, also in Lansdale, PA.

I recommend both highly, although I have a preference for Abacus, since I've been going there longer.

The experience of the New Year Banquet is somewhat like being a taster on Iron Chef, but without having to worry if the theme ingredient will be squid ink.

The table setting was pretty standard, but included a peanut butter cup with the symbol of the Rooster on it.





After giving everyone a little time to get settled, they start bringing out the grub.

Lots of grub.

With just enough spacing between the courses to allow for conversation and to keep you from getting too full too fast!

The Duck Breast with Millet Soup was a little hard to eat with chopsticks, but we still managed to struggle on. I wouldn't have expected anything made with a grain that is more commonly used in birdseed mixes to be this tasty.



It was served along with a steamed bun. Our waiter explained that Americans usually expect bread with soup, and the Chinese don't really make any, but that this is often served as part of a breakfast.



Cod Roll and Mango Salsa next danced across our palates. The Cod Roll was mostly unremarkable actually. A fishy egg roll that that involved a layer of seaweed under the outer wrapper, and wasn't as crispy as I personally like, but was still tasty. The Mango Salsa was served in a sort of a creamy sauce with a couple of whisps of lemon grass providing an interesting texture contrast.