London's restaurants embrace Year of the Snake
A host of London restaurants are celebrating the Chinese Lunar New Year with innovative menus ushering in the Year of the Snake. Olivia Palamountain reports
Lunar New Year celebrations are taking hold across the capital as restaurants mark the beginning of the Year of the Snake (January 29, 2025), with special menus that reflect both traditional Chinese dishes and innovative fusion fare.
Roe, from the team behind Fallow and FOWL, is offering a British interpretation of celebratory Chinese dishes.
Chef Directors Will Murray and Jack Croft have created an £88 set menu featuring imaginative dishes such as crispy stuffed chicken wings topped with Exmoor caviar and a "Year of the Snake" wellington with smoked eel and sea bream. Pudding is caramelised pineapple served with Timut pepper brioche and fragrant osmanthus flower.In contrast, China Tang at The Dorchester is marking the occasion with a more traditional affair, featuring elaborate decorations and lion dance performances taking place on January 28th and 29th. Their special menu of symbolic dishes includes Lo Hei (raw fish salad or abalone salad), representing prosperity and success, alongside Lobster with XO Sauce on Crispy Noodles symbolising longevity.
Master Wei, featured on Netflix's Emmy-nominated Chef's Table (2024), is celebrating with their signature Biang Biang noodles and authentic street food from China's Shaanxi province. Founded by Chef Guirong Wei, the restaurant specialises in hand-pulled noodles and Xi'an street food favourites.At the luxury end of the spectrum, Novikov's Asian restaurant in Mayfair is marking the occasion with special Char Siu dishes and a themed cocktail called Golden Rush, combining orange vodka, yuzu and elderflower cordial, lime, and champagne. Their Snake Year Blessing dessert features yuzu mousse with a black sesame centre.
Even traditional British establishments are joining the celebrations, with Bentley’s Oyster Bar & Grill offering their interpretation of a classic Cantonese dish: a whole steamed line-caught wild sea bass with soy, ginger, chilli and coriander, served tableside for £99.95 for two.For something sweeter, L'ETO cafes across London are offering special treats from January 29 to February 5, including a Shé Taro Matcha Bubble Tea and themed desserts such as a Coconut Macaron filled with coconut cream, raspberry jam, and lychee (£9.50).
The significance of the upcoming year is highlighted by certified counsellor and astrologist Letao Wang: "Revered as a period of renewal and reflection, the celebrations are steeped in tradition, symbolising a time of new beginnings," he explains. "Astrologically, the Snake is associated with wisdom, intuition, and transformation, traits that promise a year of personal growth and introspection."
These diverse celebrations across London's restaurant scene demonstrate how the capital's culinary landscape is embracing and reimagining diverse cultural traditions.