Welcome The Year of the Dog at Crowne Plaza Manila

Celebrate the Chinese New Year with a sumptuous feast and usher in the Year of the Dog at Crowne Plaza Manila Galleria...

Crowne Plaza Manila Galleria kicked-off its Chinese New Fear festivities last February 8, 2018 with special activities culminating in a traditional feast at Xin Tian Di. It was an auspicious start for the Year of the Earth Dog, with themes of prosperity and abundance permeating throughout the property for a whole lot of good vibes.

At the lobby, an elegant golden Prosperity Tree (L) blooming with bright red ampao gift envelopes added a festive vibe to the day's Chinese New Year festivities as Calligraphers (R) prepared names and wishes brushed with black ink on red paper for hotel guests. Then, the sound of beating drums announced the start of the celebration...

No Chinese New Celebration is complete without the traditional Dragon and Lion Dance adding a festive vibe to the lobby of Crowne Plaza Manila Galleria...

...followed by an elegant feast at Xin Tian Di. For this year's celebration, Xin Tian Di prepared a special menu set good for ten, an impressive feast with traditional Chinese dishes from starters, mains and dessert. The Lunar New Year Elegance Auspicious Set Dinner includes the Glory Yu Sheng, the traditional Salmon and Jellyfish Salad with a variety of fresh condiments, with each ingredient symbolizing the wishes and hopes for a prosperous new year. And Xin Tian Di is the place for an authentic Chinese dining experience (for more on Xin Tian Di, see my previous post, Love Dim Sum? You'll Love Dim Sum Unlimited Nights at Xin Tian Di...).

At the table, each guest added the different condiments and fresh ingredients to the traditional Yu Sheng along with a wish to welcome the year of the Dog. The ceremonial salad is just one of the many traditions of the Lunar New Year, with its interactive format allowing friends and family to renew and strengthen bonds.

With all the condiments and ingredients added to the salad, diners then prepared for the ceremonial toss with cheers and chants of well wishes for the new year. With the traditional Yu Sheng ritual, the promise of a prosperous new year is celebrated by the way the salad is tossed, high and messy. It's all part of the fun, and after the toss, you can help yourself to a generous serving of fresh vegetables and seafood to start your feast at Xin Tian Di. 

Xin Tian Di's impressive feast for the Chinese New Year includes eight sumptuous courses, starting with The Divine Combination Platter with Sweet & Sour Pork, Pork Asado, Salt & Pepper Tofu, and Suckling Pig. Elegantly plated, each component of The Divine Combination Platter delivered tasty bites with a savory richness, and that's just for starters...

The Eight Treasure Fish Maw Shredded Sea Abalone Soup combines succulent seafood with a thick broth warming both the palate and body with its rich flavors. The flavors are subtle and delicate, with the briny sweetness of the fresh seafood lingering long after the first sip. 

The Deep-Fried Crispy Taro Shrimp with Honey Plum Sauce and Scallops with Wasabi Sauce offers both textural contrast and flavor in one dish, with the plump shrimps covered in lightly-crisp taro and succulent scallops draped in a flavorful sauce combining for a tasty one-two punch. One bite, and you just can't have enough of the shrimps and scallops...

Xin Tian Di's signature Roasted Peking Duck is also included in the Lunar New Year Elegance Auspicious Set Dinner, as servers present the dish before carving.

Served the traditional Two-Ways, wrapped in Chinese Pancakes (L) and wok-fried minced duck served with fresh lettuce cups (R), Xin Tian Di's Roasted Peking Duck is one of the metro's best. With each serving offering different flavors, there's just no better way to celebrate the Chinese New Year. But there's more. Much more...

The Steamed Fresh Garoupa in Crushed Soya Bean topped with fresh scallions and garlic offers light yet flavorful notes with the delicate sweetness of the steamed fish lining your palate with just a hint of soy to complete the flavors. Masterfully executed, freshness and authenticity with the finest ingredients are just some of the details you can expect from Xin Tian Di.

The Stewed Home-Style Pork Knuckle with Flower Mushroom & Sea Cucumber "Patatim" Style is a personal favorite, with fork-tender pork melting in your mouth delivering a savory richness with every bite. Simmered for hours, you can slice a piece of the pork knuckle with your spoon. The nutty notes of the mushrooms and texture of the sea cucumber add to the complexity of the dish. Just perfect.

Soft Mantou bread (L) is served along with the savory Patatim to complete the dish. This is then followed by the hearty Braised E-fu Noodle with Crab Roe Meat and Dried Scallop with Abalone Sauce (R) for a truly auspicious Chinese New Year feast at Xin Tian Di, served on a large platter good for ten.

As guests and diners enjoyed their feast, the lights were slowly dimmed as Xin Tian Di was transformed becoming a stage for the latest creations featuring the lucky colors for the Year of the Dog by eight noted designers from the Fashion Designers Association of the Philippines...

The elegant restaurant became a runway for the elegant creations of the metro's noted designers,

...with each creation flowing seamlessly in a graceful series of finely-tuned movements across Xin Tian Di's spacious interiors.

It was a memorable evening, a sensory experience for the both the eyes and palate, in a unique Chinese New Year celebration. Crowne Plaza Manila's General Manager, Gaurav Rai, is flanked by the hotel's management team, fashion designers and models at the end of the evening's festivities. It was indeed an auspicious start for the Chinese New Year at Crowne Plaza Manila...

For dessert, the sumptuous Lunar New Year Elegance Auspicious Set Dinner ends with Poached or Deep-Fried Tangyuan, Chinese Glutinous Rice Balls with Sweet Wild Honey and Ginger Jasmine Tea as well as Pan-Fried Nian Gao, the sweet and sticky glutinous rice cakes served during Chinese New Year (for more on Xin Tian Di's special Lunar New Year Elegance Auspicious Set Dinner, see contact details below for more information). 

Crowne Plaza Manila's Prosperity Koi Fish Tikoy will also be available for sale at P 1,203 net with 2 pieces per box at the third level of Robinsons Galleria Mall. For Robinsons Malls VIP Card Holders, here's even more good news. Cardholders can avail of the special Buy One, Take One offer for the Prosperity Koi Fish Tikoy from February 12 to 18, 2018, simply present your card for this exclusive double treat. Prosperity and abundance. Start the Chinese Lunar New Year right and welcome the Year of the Dog...at Crowne Plaza Manila.