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Header image courtesy of Duddell’s
Originally published by Catharina Cheung. Last updated by Alisa Chau.
No proper Lunar New Year feast is complete without a platter or two of turnip cake or glutinous rice pudding! Bearing auspicious meanings, these dishes were originally thought up for families to herald in the new year on a high note and manifest good luck and fortune, so make sure you have got your share on the table for the Year of the Tiger, too! Here are some of the best places to get Lunar New Year puddings—both traditional and new-fangled—this year.
Michelin-starred Yat Tung Heen’s signature turnip pudding ($238) and classic Chinese New Year pudding ($218) are returning to the scene this year alongside a beautiful signature gift box ($388) full of house favourites. Crafted by chef Tam Tung, the coveted turnip pudding stars premium dried shrimp, conpoy, Chinese preserved sausage, as well as preserved meat treated through air-drying techniques. Meanwhile, the stunning wooden gift box is stocked with Yat Tung Heen’s house XO sauce, candied walnuts, and ginseng oolong tea leaves. Pre-order is available from the restaurant’s website, with the redemption period taking place between 26 and 31 January.
Yat Tung Heen, Level B2, Eaton HK, 380 Nathan Road, Jordan | (+852) 2710 1093
Passionately handcrafted by the culinary team at T’ang Court, The Langham presents traditional puddings that evoke good fortune and auspicious joy in their elegant deliciousness. Packed in intricate boxes that make for delightful gifts, choose from a selection of hand-shredded turnip pudding ($348), loaded taro pudding ($348) with conpoy and dried shrimp, or the comforting sweet glutinous rice new year pudding ($288). All are available for collection from now until 29 January at the reception area of T’ang Court and can be purchased here.
The Langham, 8 Peking Road, Tsim Sha Tsui | (+852) 2132 7898
Sexy Crab’s New Year gift box ($588) welcomes two innovative puddings to spice up your festive feast. Discover the crab roe sticky rice cake and black truffle turnip cake as part of the gift set; the former is prepared with a precisely rationed mixture of crab meat and roe to lend to a savoury bite with soft textures, while the turnip-based fusion folds in blasts of truffle with dried shrimp and cured meat. Puddings are paired with a fragrant osmanthus oolong tea from the esteemed historical teahouse Ngan Ki Heung, making for a perfect balance. Coupons for redemption are available at the restaurant for pick-up orders; there will also be limited cakes for sale in-store.
Sexy Crab, Shop 401A, 4/F, K11 Musea, 18 Salisbury Road, Tsim Sha Tsui | (+852) 6655 7629
Ensconced in a beautiful box of hand-drawn patterns by G.O.D. that are evocative of antique Chinese porcelain teacups and soup bowls, the auspicious puddings at Duddell’s are sure to win anyone over as a gift. Offering up Michelin-starred Cantonese flavours, the restaurant has released a classic trio of new year pudding ($298), turnip pudding ($348), and taro pudding ($348). Purchase the Magnificent New Year gift set ($888) to enjoy all three, whilst the turnip pudding comes with a signature XO sauce as part of the Fortune New Year gift set ($668). Purchases can be redeemed between now and 30 January at Duddell’s and ordered online here.
Duddell’s, Level 3, 1 Duddell Street, Central | (+852) 2525 9191
Putting a fresh and colourful spin on traditional puddings, chef May Chow of Little Bao is introducing the unique beetroot turnip cake ($268) and taro cake ($268) this year. The rich red colour of the beetroot base is an ingenious nod to the lucky colour of the season, while the purple tones of the taro are beautifully complemented by rose wine sausages, cured pork belly, dried Japanese shiitake, dried Thai shrimp, agave nectar, and secret five-spice mix. Order here, with delivery available for orders above $2,000 and in-store pick-ups open until 30 January.
Bringing forth a superb range of vegan and organic goodies, The Cakery is releasing a line of sugar-free festive treats that include the classic turnip pudding ($228), which has been reinterpreted with dried mushrooms, black fungus, and preserved pickles to retain its customary savouriness, with an added garnish of truffle paste and gold flakes. Meanwhile, the glutinous Lunar New Year pudding ($198) offers a lighter way to enjoy the sweet treat. For something that nourishes you from within, the red date pudding ($228) with puréed dates and goji berry is chock-full of immune-boosting antioxidants. Check out the full catalogue and make your order here.
Made local and using only vegan ingredients, Green Common’s new Chinese New Year pudding series redefines beloved recipes with a distinct spin. Made from low-fat oat milk from Minor Figures, the pillowy pumpkin rice cake ($128) includes a nourishing hint of turmeric and quinoa, giving it a golden glow. Green Common’s ever-popular OmniPork vegan XO sauce red quinoa turnip cake ($138) is also making a comeback, offering a meat-free option that will excite even the most fervent of carnivores. Check out the full collection of Lunar New Year-themed snacks to tide you over the holidays and place your orders for puddings here.
Beginning the year with a bang, Regal Hotels has compiled a varied range of puddings that will satisfy everyone in the family. Made from seasonal favourites, the classic collection includes sumptuous turnip pudding with assorted air-dried meats ($238) and a taro pudding ($238) in addition to the refreshing water chestnut pudding ($228) and delicious coconut new year pudding ($228). Meanwhile, health-centric choices come in the form of a vegetarian pudding with pumpkin, porcini, and fresh yam ($238) crafted to tickle the savoury palate, alongside a coconut milk pudding with peach gum and lotus seed ($238), as well as the bird’s nest and sweet osmanthus pudding with gold flakes ($228) made to wow gourmands. Check out their e-shop to place your orders; the redemption period runs from now until 31 January.
Showing its reverence for Chinese vegetarian cuisine whilst still adding a modern touch of inventiveness, Veggie Kingdom has compiled a series of festive puddings that are all-natural and vegetarian. Behold the winning red date pudding ($168), fragrant osmanthus water chestnut cake ($108), turnip cake with shiitake mushrooms ($128) with the irreplaceable and aromatic five-spice taro cake ($128). Order via phone call or send Veggie Kingdom a direct message via the restaurant’s official Facebook page. Pick-ups are available from 17 January onwards.
Veggie Kingdom, 7/F VIP Commercial Centre, 120 Canton Road, Tsim Sha Tsui | (+852) 2366 3233
Michelin-starred Ying Jee Club is kicking off the year with two fantastic puddings designed by executive chef Siu Hin-chi and his team. Making full use of their Cantonese culinary backdrop, the varieties include turnip pudding with conpoy and air-dried meat ($298), which showcases mouth-watering Chinese bacon and preserved sausages, along with a coconut milk pudding with red bean and Ceylon tea ($238), which bridges together two highly favoured Chinese cuisine components in a seriously smooth and balanced way. Place orders in-person at Ying Jee Club or call (+852) 2801 6882. Puddings are available for collection from now till 30 January.
Ying Jee Club, Shop G05, 107 & 108, Nexxus Building, 41 Connaught Road Central | (+852) 2801 6882
As the star of every dinner table during the holidays, the best puddings are the ones that taste like home. Created with the finest ingredients under the expertise of Chef Wong Chi-ki from Above & Beyond, Hotel Icon has revealed a line of hand-spun puddings that turn up the dial on that warm fuzzy feeling. Options include a turnip pudding with Yunnan ham and preserved meat ($298), a taro pudding with conpoy and preserved meat ($298), and a brown sugar new year pudding ($298). Its premium Chinese New Year pudding set ($340) is available as an easy gifting option and includes a pudding of your choice paired with either a bottle of house-made XO sauce or a pack of crunchy amber walnuts. Place an order here for pick-up from now until 31 January.
Hotel Icon, 17 Science Museum Road, Tsim Sha Tsui | (+852) 3400 1000
An annual source for artisanal Chinese New Year puddings, executive chef Li Chi-wai collaborates with acclaimed designer Ruth Chao for gorgeously packaged festive delights, showing off the traditional conpoy turnip cake ($298) and Chinese New Year pudding ($398) at their best. The former is available between 24 and 31 January while the latter can be picked up from now until 31 January. Order the puddings here.
Rosewood Hong Kong, Victoria Dockside, 18 Salisbury Road, Tsim Sha Tsui | (+852) 3891 8888
Celebrating the time of family and reunions, Shangri-La has crafted the perfect puddings for the occasion. At the Island Shangri-La, executive chef Leung Yu-king has devised a Michelin-starred recipe for the Chinese New Year pudding ($1,388) that sees 80-year-old dried tangerine peel paired with red bean or aged pu’er, merging together a palate unique to Chinese food with a favoured holiday treat. Presented in a beautiful silk-clad box, the puddings are available for redemption at Michelin-starred Summer Palace until 30 January.
Honing in on flavours that reinvent the typical taste, chef Daniel Cheung Long-yin at Kowloon Shangri-La presents the decadent turnip pudding with whole abalone and black truffle ($568), as well as the Japanese brown sugar pudding with dried persimmon ($388) that gives the spotlight to levels of tender sweetness in these international ingredients. Order them online and pick them up between now and 29 January.
Shangri-La Hong Kong, locations across Hong Kong Island and Kowloon
Bringing smiles to our faces and keeping our bellies full during the joyous festivities, Dynasty Garden has released a trio of delicate Chinese New Year puddings, all handmade without preservatives. Perfect for gifting or simply to enjoy at home, choose from the abalone turnip pudding with conpoy ($268) that is full of bite and dotted with whole abalone, the sweet and chewy Chinese New Year pudding ($188), or the blend of water chestnut pudding with black glutinous rice ($198) that is lusciously tender and crunchy all at once. Place your orders here.
Dynasty Garden, Level 1, Goldin Financial Global Centre, 17 Kai Cheung Road, Kowloon Bay | (+852) 3188 2153
Ringing in an auspicious Year of the Tiger, China Tang’s puddings come packed in beautiful narcissus-printed boxes. For a savoury delight, turn to the turnip pudding with dried tiger prawn and local preserved meat ($388), whilst those looking for a little something sweet can opt for the handmade rice pudding with Taiwanese brown sugar and purple rice ($388), both of which were crafted by executive chef Menex Cheung and dim sum chef Mok Wing-kwai. Order forms can be found via the QR code in this poster. Redeem between now and 31 January.
China Tang, Shop 411–413, 4/F, Landmark Atrium, 15 Queen’s Road Central, Central | (+852) 2522 2148
Kill two birds with one stone with Grand Hyatt’s special pudding gift set ($508), a combo that includes an authentic coconut pudding ($268) made with refined black sugar cane, as well as a turnip pudding ($268) with premium dried shrimp, cured meats, and Chinese sausages. Order online here and pick up from now until 2 February.
Grand Hyatt Hong Kong, 1 Harbour Road, Wan Chai | (+852) 2584 7744
Executive chef Koo Yim-lung at Dim Sum Bar has crafted a beautiful selection of homemade Chinese New Year puds for the Year of the Tiger, made with premium ingredients following traditional recipes. Perfect for gifting and sharing with family and friends, the red dates pudding with ginger and gold foil (starting from $128) is an understated stunner, while the classic turnip pudding with conpoy and preserved meats (starting from $128) will please a crowd. Visit Dim Sum Bar to purchase, or place an order online for pick-up in-store.
Inside a vibrant box that features a roaring tiger splashed over its front, you will find Marco Polo’s line of sumptuous new year puddings. Elevating traditional favourites, the selection includes coconut pudding with gold leaf ($218), Chinese turnip cake with conpoy ($218), and water chestnut cake ($218) that have all been passionately made with top-notch ingredients. Place your order here and redeem your puddings between now and 31 January.
Marco Polo Hong Kong, 3 Canton Road, Harbour City, Tsim Sha Tsui
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