Uncovering London's Finest Chinese New Year Celebrations in Chinatown
Chinese New Year in London's Chinatown is a vibrant fusion of culinary delights and cultural traditions, where the excitement of firecrackers and lion dances meets the richness of symbolic feasts. As the Year of the Horse dawned, I ventured into the heart of the West End, determined to savor the celebrations while avoiding the notorious restaurant queues that often accompany this festive period.
The streets were alive with energy, illuminated by glowing lanterns and filled with families gathering for reunion meals packed with dishes promising luck, wealth, and longevity. With many popular spots overflowing, careful planning led me to two exceptional establishments that delivered unforgettable flavors and experiences.
Plum Valley: A Timeless Cantonese and Sichuan Fusion
Nestled along Gerrard Street, Plum Valley is a family-run restaurant that has been a cornerstone of Chinatown since the 1980s, masterfully blending Cantonese tradition with the bold heat of Sichuan cuisine. It proved to be the ideal setting to ring in the New Year with friends, offering a menu steeped in symbolism and taste.
We embarked on their special Chinese New Year menu, starting with a turnip cake generously studded with Chinese sausage and shrimp, which astonished me with its depth of flavor. The highlight, however, was the Yee Sang, also known as Yu Sheng, a colorful 'prosperity salad' that involves tossing it high into the air while shouting wishes for the coming year. This ritual, filled with laughter as strands of vegetables and salmon flew about, felt as meaningful as the dish itself—a vibrant mix of shredded vegetables and salmon sashimi coated in sweet plum sauce, topped with crunchy peanuts, sesame seeds, and crispy wonton slices.
Our feast continued with a whole sea bass smothered in sweet and sour sauce, its deep-fried head ceremoniously turned toward me as a gesture of good fortune. We also enjoyed longevity noodles for a long life and a colorful array of dim sum bursting with shrimp, possibly hinting at truffle. For dessert, tangerine custard buns, with their glossy orange shells symbolizing luck and wealth, revealed a creamy custard interior that was simply divine.
Plum Valley's festive menu is designed for gatherings, offering a celebratory and theatrical dining experience where every dish carries significance and exquisite taste.
Sakurado: Elegant Japanese-Inspired Festive Treats
Just a short stroll away lies Sakurado, meaning 'House of the Cherry Blossoms,' a patisserie that since its 2017 launch has brought modern Japanese technique to London with beautifully crafted, delicately balanced cakes. For Chinese New Year, their display featured limited-edition treats, including Year of the Horse 'lucky parcels,' chewy matcha mochi cookies adorned with gold coins, and traditional Nian Gao, a sticky rice cake.
The Horse cake was a masterpiece of indulgence, featuring layers of cream wrapped in a thin crêpe with soft chocolate sponge beneath, rich yet not overwhelming. Their cinnamon Nian Gao offered a satisfyingly sticky and comforting sweetness, paying homage to the glutinous rice cake exchanged by families for prosperity. Sakurado's creations are perfect for those seeking unique gifts or desserts to enhance a reunion dinner.
Between tossing prosperity salads and savoring tangerine-shaped buns, this exploration showcases how to celebrate Chinese New Year in Chinatown with style and substance, blending tradition with culinary innovation.
