Where to celebrate Chinese New Year in Metro Manila

MANILA, Philippines – The Chinese New Year is right around the corner, which means there’s another good reason for people to eat, drink, be merry, and celebrate. Obviously, Chinatowns all over the country  will be at the center of the festivities, but there are lots of other places where one can ring in the Year of the Earth Pig.

Here are just some of the Chinese New Year celebrations in the metro:

Lucky Chinatown

Of course Lucky Chinatown is celebrating the holiday in the most extra way possible. The mall is hosting a prosperity fair, a sale of up to 70% off at select stores, a chance to win prizes, a street food market offering authentic Chinese cuisine, and performances by Sud, and Taiwanese pop band EggPlantEgg.

Lucky Chinatown will also be host to a Chinese New Year countdown on February 4, with cultural numbers as well as performances from artists including I Belong to the Zoo, Janine Teñoso, Bret Jackson, James Reid, This Band, Quest, and KZ Tandingan. There will also be a fireworks display at 12 midnight, and Year of the Earth Pig forecasts by expert Johnson Chua. The festivities will carry over to February 5, with a mall-wide lion and dragon dance at 9 am.

Lucky Chinatown
Binondo, Manila

Shangri-la Plaza Mall

Chinese culture takes the spotlight at the Shangri-la Plaza mall for the Lunar New Year as it hosts the free-admission 13th Spring Film Festival. The festival includes a Chinese Painting exhibit until February 5, a Chinese Music Concert on February 2, and a Chinese Painting workshop on February 3.

Also on February 2, there will be a fireworks show and dragon and lion dance at 8 pm at Shangri-la Plaza’s streetscape.

Shangri-la Plaza Mall
EDSA corner Shaw Boulevard, Mandaluyong

Rockwell Powerplant

The mall will have a Spring Festival Fair from February 1 to 5, where traditional Chinese delicacies and luck-bringing gifts will be available.

On February 5, there will be a mall-wide lion and dragon dance from 10 am onwards, Chinese cultural dances at 4 pm, and a Wushu exhibition at 6 pm.

Powerplant Mall
Rockwell Center, Makati

Sofitel

Sofitel is celebrating Chinese New Year with a feast of “12 Dishes of Prosperity” at the famous Spiral restaurant. The dishes are prepared by chef Yui So Chan, one of the region’s experts on Chinese cuisine. The offering is available from February 4 to February 8, and starts at P2,850/person for lunch, and P3,888/person for dinner.

Aside from that, Sofitel’s Sunset Bar will also be holding a Chinese hawker style barbecue buffet on February 4 – a feast that will include live music, fire dancers, and a fireworks display. Rate is at P3,488/ person, including unlimited local beer, iced tea, cocktails, and the Wine of the Month.

Sofitel Philippine Plaza Manila
CCP Complex, Roxas Blvd, Pasay

I’M Hotel

I’M Hotel’s Chinese New Year celebrations include a special banquet feast specially curated by Singaporean Chinese chef Alfie Seah. The set dinner includes seafood, meat, and vegatable dishes, with the star dish, Norwegian Salmon Yusheng, representing prosperity, harmony, and health.

The dinner feast is at P1,688/person for 6 courses, and P1,988/person for 8 courses.

I’M Hotel
7862 Makati corner Kalayaan Avenue, Makati

Marco Polo Ortigas

For an auspicious new year, feng shui master Joseph Chau will be performing a Taoist Ritual Blessing Ceremony to bring prosperity to the guests at Marco Polo’s Chinese New Year festivities.

For a sweet treat, the hotel’s Chinese restaurant Lung Hin will be offering tikoy or nian gao, which come in gold bar and round designs, and brown sugar or orange flavors starting at P798 each.

Marco Polo Ortigas
Meralco Avenue and Sapphire Road, Ortigas Center, Pasig

Manila Hotel

The iconic Manila Hotel lobby will be all done up in golden bamboo and red lanterns, in an art installation by designer Rachy Cuna. But more than the photo-op worthy interiors, the hotel will be host to Chinese New Year festivities, which will begin on February 5 at 10:15 am – supposedly an auspicious time – with a lion dance to kick off the Dotting the Eye ceremony.

The hotel’s Chinese restaurant Red Jade will also be serving special 10-dish set menus from February 3 to 6. Each menu includes dishes such as Crispy Fried Pigeon, Baby Rock Lobsters in Cheese and Butter, and E-fu Noodles.

Manila Hotel
One Rizal Park, Manila

New World Makati

If you want to celebrate the Chinese New Year with a staycation, New World Makati has a room offer starting at P6,488 from February 1 to 5. The offer includes breakfast for two at Cafe 1228, a late check-out if the booking is on Friday or Saturday night, and a Chinese New Year kit that includes a feng shui diary, and an ang pao with a voucher worth P888 for New World’s The Shop. The hotel will also be hosting an eye-dotting ceremony, and a dragon and lion dance on February 5 at 12:30 pm.

At the same time the hotel’s restaurant Jasmine is offering set menus prepared by executive chef Kam On, which includes dishes such as roasted suckling pig, steamed live garoupa, and handmade dumplings. Set menus start at P13,888 from February 1 to 10, while yum cha lunch is available at P1,688 per person, including unlimited juices, soda, and local beer.

New World Makati Hotel
Esperanza st corner Makati Avenue, Ayala Center, Makati 

– Rappler.com