My Chinese new Year Dinner

The Chinese New Year is the most important of the Chinese holidays and celebrated Worldwide by the Chinese.
It is a major holiday in China when the whole country is on the move, all the people trying to get home to be with their family and friends.

Twelve animals appear in the Chinese Zodiac, this year, 26th Jan. 2009 – 14th February 2010 is the year of the Ox. Note that the dates are not a mistake, the Chinese year does not correspond to one Gregorian year, but varies.

There is s much myth, superstition and historical information surrounding the Chinese New Year that it would cover several pages. Therefore, here is a very good link if you want to read more.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_New_Year#Mythology

Being from Chinese decent myself, I could not let the day pass without celebrating in some way. Hence we decided to visit the Chinese New Year Buffet at the Inter Continental hotel right here in Doha.

Obviously the food theme was predominantly Chinese as expected, though being in Doha, the Chinese fondness of pork dishes could not be catered for.

We had a lovely evening experimenting with all the various dishes, fruits and desserts. Obviously the choice, typical of the Inter-Con, was just too much to enable everything to be tried, but what I had was nice.

I started with trying out the salads tables, too many items … trying hard to try everything by just getting a little portion from each items.

I was nearly full when I am done with the salads table, struggling trying out the cooked section. I love the mushroom and truffle soup, and the beef ribs. I tried their lotus rice as well. In Chinese we usually have rice dumpling wrapped in banana leaves. The lotus rice taste exactly the same minus the banana leaves.

One of the chef offered me if they can cook fried noodle Hong Kong style, by then I can’t eat anymore. I only had very little space that I want to use for dessert table.

Just before I went to dessert table, I realise that I haven’t try out their sushi section. I am full, but don’t want to missing sushi out. So I pick 2 pieces and ate them.

The dessert table were really plentyful. They have everything. From fresh fruits (including mangosteen and rambutan) , cakes, till Arabic sweets (including Umm Ali). By then I was really full and only managed with few spoon of Umm Ali, and couple of Mangosteen and Rambutan.

The waiter / waitress were very attentive. The restaurant Manager, Mr.Bassam, keep coming to our table making sure that we are taken care off.

Just before we left, I saw my 2 girlfriends Lydia and Maria. Their table was supposed to be across the room from ours. I asked them to sit with us for a bit for a chat. They told the waiter that they abandoning the table and moving in to our table. The waiter quickly cleaning up our table and set a new cutlery set for them. No question asked.

There were several large groups of Chinese people (catered for naturally by pulling tables together willingly by the staff:)) who were certainly making the most of it and enjoying themselves on their special day.

By then my watched was showing just after 9pm. My son fall asleep in my husband’s knee, he have school and my husband have works the next day. We decided if don’t leave we will need a wheel chair to go back to the car :-)
I enjoyed the night, would like to stay longer if it was in the weekend … but of course it is not the same celebrating Chinese New Year not on the day itself.

Another thing I forgot to mention, the restaurant should put some traditional Chinese music/songs to add a touch of cultural ambience/atmosphere to the night. I am fully aware that there is music playing in the background. I don’t think It was Chinese music, from what I heard it was more like Buddha bar / café del mar chill out selections.

All round the customer service was very good, an impressive effort to acknowledge this special time and an enjoyable evening.

Oh, and some braised chicken feet wouldn’t have gone amiss!!!