HKK puts a London shine on Chinese New Year

Chef Tong Chee-hwee prepares Spring Festival treats at his Chinese restaurant, HKK, in London.[Photo provided to China Daily]

"The two soups represent the sky and the Earth," the meal's accompanying tasting notes say, "and these complementary forces are prayed to during celebratory festivities to bring brighter weather and improved crops."

Next on the table is another tradition that goes back thousands of years: dumplings for Spring Festival. What emerges from this kitchen's artful hands, though, is an exalted version of what you'd find at a traditional family gathering. The dumpling trio starts with a delicate gem of Dover sole wrapped in Chinese cabbage and sprinkled with black caviar, followed by a foie gras-filled morsel with Chinese chives, and finally a bite of puff pastry filled with slow-cooked chicken. Beside the plate is an artist's paintbrush, which we dip into a porcelain bowl of soy sauce to apply a final savory touch to our dumplings.

"We designed some special dumplings in our Dim Sum Trilogy on the HKK Chinese New Year menu," says Tong, "so we have used traditional dishes from all over China rather than one specific area".

Our next course is cherry wood-roasted Peking duck, stuffed with lemongrass, rock sugar and Chinese five-spice seasoning. The fruitiness of the cherry smoke is softly underscored by a wine pairing of sparkling rose.

Originally associated with royalty, the duck with its crispy skin and rich meat represents luxury and symbolizes fidelity.

Lobster noodle with XO sauce is also replete with meaning: The lobster, as the dragon of the sea, was long embraced by emperors as an imperial symbol that would bring good fortune to their lands.

"The symbolism of noodles extends far beyond the New Year－they represent the eater's life," Tong says.