Phat Eatery is able to have fun Lunar New Yr.
Pink envelopes full of cash, lion dances for good luck and fortune, and household gatherings with nice meals are a number of the requirements to a profitable Lunar New Yr celebration. In Houston, a metropolis with a big Asian inhabitants hailing from completely different corners of the continent, the vacation unfolds in native eating places in addition to at residence.
“[Lunar New Year] is one thing that’s a part of who I’m,” says Nick Wong, chef-owner of the upcoming Agnes and Sherman. “I need to showcase my tradition and my heritage.”
Wong grew up going to a Chinese language restaurant within the Bay Space that had set particular menus for the brand new yr. He remembers consuming Chinese language-style charcuterie that consisted of jellyfish, beef shank, and seaweed; and lobster yi mein, lengthy noodles that signify an extended life.
When he started working in eating places, he knew he wished to share a few of his traditions with diners. As government chef of the now-closed UB Preserv, Wong was in a position to import Dungeness crab for Lunar New Yr, which was necessary for him as a result of he grew up consuming it in California. The restaurant additionally served noodles and handed out purple envelopes with fortunes and reward playing cards to prospects.
Though Agnes and Sherman is just not open but to assist Houstonians have fun the Yr of the Snake, Wong is already pondering of the way to deliver a little bit of his tradition to his new restaurant subsequent yr. He hopes to have a Lunar New Yr menu full of dishes that signify good luck within the Chinese language tradition, akin to noodles and probably entire fish, served alongside cocktails which have Chinese language-American aptitude.
Much like different holidays, relying on which metropolis or nation you’re from, the celebration would possibly look a bit completely different. Grace Xia—co-owner of Hongdae 33 and Duck N Bao, notes that in Beijing, the place she hails from, they usually eat dumplings, however her husband, who’s from South China, grew up consuming rice desserts.
Kevin Lee, one in every of Phat Eatery’s director of operations, all the time ate Chinese language barbecue on New Yr’s together with his household. Nowadays, both the day of or day earlier than, they have fun by cooking up an enormous feast of steamed fishes, a couple of different completely different proteins, and tons of veggies—he says to think about it as a mini Thanksgiving however with Asian components.
To have fun the 2025 Lunar New Yr, which begins on January 29, Phat Eatery can have a prix fixe menu at each its Katy and Woodlands places. Though the precise menu continues to be being labored out, Lee says it usually features a prosperity toss. An enormous salad made with ribbons of cucumbers, carrots, radishes, and fish is tossed into the air—the upper it goes, the extra luck is introduced into new yr.
In previous years, the restaurant has served dishes like coconut sea bass and the Chinese language barbecue of Lee’s childhood. He says they like to supply this to the workers in addition to to prospects.
“It’s all the time so chaotic throughout Chinese language New Yr’s as a result of everyone seems to be attempting to have fun on the identical time,” Lee says. “As a lot as we’re family-oriented, we additionally need to be sure that all of our workers and staff members really feel the identical manner, so we often have a very nice meal with them as nicely.”
Phat Eatery may also host 4 reveals throughout each places by Lee’s Golden Dragon, Houston’s oldest lion and dragon dance troupe, to bless the restaurant and produce good luck and fortune to the upcoming yr.
Lion dances and purple envelopes are staples in a Lunar New Yr celebration.
In the meantime, on the Blind Goat, Christine Ha plans to serve a few of her Vietnamese dishes. Ha says one of the well-known Lunar New Yr dishes in North Vietnam is bánh chưng, a cube-like rice cake that is full of mung beans and pork. Her Spring Department restaurant will likely be providing this conventional merchandise, alongside a crispy model that will likely be on a restricted particular menu for the brand new yr.
In any respect three Duck N Bao places throughout this yr’s vacation, duck fried rice might be added to an entire or half Peking duck for $1 extra, and with any dish bought, prospects may also embody a lobster for $29.99.
Variations in customs go even past meals. As a consequence of superstitions inside his tradition, Lee says you received’t see anybody at Phat Eatery sweep throughout Lunar New Yr, because it’s mentioned this may sweep away the nice luck. You received’t see them coming to work with a brand new coiffure, both, as a result of getting a haircut means reducing away your good luck.
However on the Blind Goat, it’s the alternative. Ha and her workers will do a deep clear of the restaurant previous to the celebration to start out the yr with a clear slate. At residence, Ha says she and her husband will likely be getting haircuts to allow them to transfer freshly into the brand new yr.
“Historically, [Lunar New Year] is about shifting ahead, wanting ahead, and forgiving the previous or any misgivings that you simply may need had previously—it’s a contemporary starting,” Ha says.
And very similar to how Hispanics have fun Día de los Muertos, Ha says Lunar New Yr is a time to honor your ancestors or anybody who’s deceased in your loved ones. She can have a makeshift altar for her mother and father with their pictures, incense, and a few of their favourite snacks.
The little purple envelopes full of cash, then again, seem like common. Ha says they gave them to their workers final yr, not solely as a logo of luck, but in addition as a result of the act of giving means prosperity will observe you into the brand new yr.
Lukkaew Srasrisuwan, the proprietor of MaKiin, Kin Dee, and Thai Tail, additionally plans to provide out purple envelopes to prospects this Lunar New Yr. It’s her manner of bringing her tradition a bit nearer to Houston.
“Celebrating is basically completely different right here,” Srasrisuwan says. “I don’t have household round, so I make my work residence my very own little household. I hang around with my prospects and inform them about how we have fun [Lunar New Year] again residence and have them expertise it and be part of it.”
She says Lunar New Yr virtually looks like Christmas yet again, a time when everybody comes collectively to eat particular meals and have fun. At MaKiin, she may also have a lion dance and serve a drink impressed by tian op, the Thai candle that acts as a scenting agent to Royal Thai dishes.
Whereas Lunar New Yr ends on February 16 this yr, the enjoyable doesn’t cease then for Srasrisuwan. She notes that whereas Chinese language tradition makes use of a moon calendar, Thailand is on a solar calendar, so she has one other new yr celebration on the books for April.
