The Year of the Dog is upon us. If you're looking to celebrate Lunar New Year with a friendly feast, head to one of these top Chinese restaurants for a new year meal featuring traditional dishes and (in Hakkasan's case) lion dancers inside the restaurant! The holiday is officially on February 16th, but we'll be celebrating all year long.
A little bit Cantonese, a little bit Taiwanese, House of Pancakes is a hidden gem in Parkside. The space is small and the service is slow but that’s because the noodles are hand-pulled noodles and the dumplings are fresh. Choose from their signature array of savory Chinese pancakes or opt for the more traditional noodles and dumplings.
Hakkasan
Serving upscale, modern Cantonese cuisine, Hakkasan's limited-edition New Year menu was a collaboration between Hakkasan chefs from the U.S., London, the Middle East and Asia. At $118 per person, it’s a splurge, but you'll be treated to dishes like abalone and Chinese sausage fried rice in bean curd wrap or braised beef tongue with caramelized walnuts, asparagus and mint. Make a reservation before February 24th to try it out.
Like it spicy? Go Szechuan. Chili House is the kind of low key hole-in-the-wall where you can have an affordable feast with friends around the Lazy Susan laden with Peking duck (a decidedly non-Szechuan option, but it's done well here), poached fish in flaming chili oil and killer wontons in spicy peanut sauce.
In the Shaanxi region, in northwest China, the Muslim-influenced cuisine is filled with lamb and noodles. Terra Cotta Warrior turns out some of the region’s best dishes in a tiny space (note: this is a good option for takeout this New Year) like cold Mian Pi noodles in sesame sauce, cumin lamb biang biang noodles or the house lamb burger packed in Chinese pita bread.