SITTING at a round table and having small talk over a spread of fancy dishes is one of many people’s favorite ways to celebrate festivals. For Chinese people, a bounteous dinner is essential to the Lunar New Year celebration. Now instead of spending days to prepare for the big meal, people can reserve a table weeks ahead the festival. The InterContinental Shenzhen is ready to receive the diners who are willing to have their year-end gathering at the hotel. Guests can have an auspicious start to the Year of the Dog at EL Chino Chinese Restaurant with cuisine such as braised abalone with pork trotter, steamed shrimp with Shaoxing yellow wine, steamed spotted grouper with soy sauce and double-boiled fish maw with mushroom soup. The special New Year set is created by Tam Cho-fung, chef de cuisine of the restaurant. Tam benefited from being born into a family with food and restaurant experience. He has nearly 30 years’ experience of cooking authentic Cantonese cuisines. Drawing inspiration from traditional Chinese cuisine, Tam has created his own cooking style, which focuses on using fresh and high-quality ingredients to create authentic dishes that are uncompromising in quality, freshness and aroma. Diners can find an array of festive dishes, with 10 sets of menus for up to 10 persons, some of which are called Great Prosperity, Happy Reunion, Wealth Treasures and Rich Fortune. Guests can also indulge in and celebrate with Chinese poon choi, which includes 10 fresh ingredients such as tiger prawn, sea scallop, sea cucumber and abalone. Each item, cooked individually and then layered in a huge casserole, refers to putting all the best wishes for the new year together. It is considered the best and most traditional way to make a wish. What’s more is on the eve of the Lunar New Year, EL Chino will offer private dining rooms with festive Chinese decorations, and a unique Barcelona ballroom for joyful family reunions.(Cecilia Tan) | 