(UPDATED) Welcome the Year of the Metal Ox with these "lucky" treats, events, and promos.

These are not endorsed by ABS-CBN News.

CITY OF DREAMS MANILA'S FESTIVE MENUS

City of Dreams Manila marks the arrival of the Year of the Metal Ox with festive menus that symbolize good fortune at its well-loved signature restaurants Crystal Dragon and Nobu Manila.

Diners can indulge in a prosperous meal of fine Cantonese cuisine and regional Chinese specialties at Crystal Dragon until February 26. The restaurant elevates the ubiquitous Chinese New Year traditional table fare with the Prosperity Abalone Yu Sheng, a vibrant salad drizzled with oil and sweet plum sauce consisting of sliced abalone, colorful julienned papaya, pomelo, carrots, radish, onion leeks, chopped peanuts, and deep-fried flour crisps.

Specialties to welcome the new year make up the special a la carte menu, which include: Double-boiled Black Chicken Soup with Chinese ham, conpoy (dried scallops), maca (Peruvian ginseng) and fish maw; Steamed Prosperity Chicken with assorted Chinese herbs; Wok-fried Mud Crab in spicy chili bean sauce; Braised Chilean Abalone with pork knuckle, dried oyster, sea cucumber, and black moss; Steamed Taro Rice with lap cheong (Chinese liver sausage), mushrooms and diced chicken; and Crispy Rice Net Wrapped-Tikoy topped with cheddar cheese and accompanied by candied winter melon.

Crystal Dragon is open daily from 12 p.m. to 11 p.m.

Meanwhile, celebratory a la carte dishes infused with Japanese-Peruvian flavors made famous by celebrity Chef Nobu Matsuhisa are fit for a joyous Chinese New Year dinner fête at Nobu Manila.

Available throughout February, these include: Sea Bass Tempura with sweet chili cilantro, mixed field greens and sesame seeds; Nobu-Style Pica Pica Platter, a mouth-watering assortment of Wagyu tacos, Kobe dumplings, black cod in butter lettuce and scallop in phyllo; and Lapu-Lapu in a selection of Nobu-style sushi and sashimi canapés: Tiradito, New Style, Dried Miso, Umamijime and Kobujime.

For a leisurely al fresco dining experience, guests can book their dinners at the restaurant's open-air cabanas and bask in the glow of the new moon.

Nobu Manila is open on Sundays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m., and until 11 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.

CHINATOWN VILLAGE AT AYALA MALLS

In partnership with ChinoyTV and Fil-Chi Ho Tsia Ho Dim, Ayala Malls is presenting Chinatown Village, dubbed as the go-to destination this Chinese New Year. One of its main attractions is Chinatown Strip -- a food fair, shopping bazaar, and activity area offering delicacies, lucky charms, and workshops.

The Wok of Fortune Food Fair features beloved Chinese restaurants like David's Tea House, Shi Lin, and Asian Mart at Circuit; Tai Koo HK Roast, Luk Yuen, Gong Cha, Dimsum Bar, El Presidente of Binondo, and Fat Fook Taiwanese Kitchen at Glorietta; and Hap Chan, Asina Mart, New Age Mart, 999 Pharmacy at Manila Bay.

The fair will also provide spaces for start-up brands and homegrown exhibitors in Vertis North, TriNoma, Solenad, Capitol Central, The 30th, Greenbelt, and Centrio. This booth-to-booth set up will allow mall-goers to taste every dish in one convenient location.

Chinatown Strip also allows mall-goers to watch the traditional lion and dragon dance, buy charms, marvel at zodiac signs and horoscopes, make wishes, take dates to the Lunar Love Festival in TriNoma, and more.

Ayala Malls assured that all activities require social distancing and other basic protocols.

EDSA SHANGRI-LA'S AUSPICIOUS TREATS

Edsa Shangri-La Manila ushers in the year of the Metal Ox with auspicious dining and a collection of delicacies. From 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., classic nian gao or tikoy are available at the Tikoy counter located at the hotel lobby until February 11, and at Summer Palace until February 26.

The signature Nian Gao is available in various unique shapes and flavors: classic, radish, pumpkin, taro, and in fish shape. Prices start at P1,488+, and the gold bar shape is priced at P688+.

Guests may also feast on authentic Cantonese specialties with Summer Palace's Chinese New Year set menus, starting with the Wealth Set priced at P2,318++ per person, Prosperity Set at P2,388++ per person, and Longevity Set at P6,088++ per person. These may be enjoyed in the restaurant or at the comforts of your own home.

The set menus are available from Chinese New Year eve until February 26. A minimum of two persons is required to avail of this offer.

Guests may also delight in a selection of Chinese New Year dishes such as lucky salmon Yee Sang, fresh oyster omelet "Teowchew style," fried fresh scallops with salted egg, fried rice with assorted waxed meat, and taro and pan-fried Malai cake.

To cap off the succulent oriental feast, diners get to pick an ang pao bearing vouchers of up to 50% savings on the food bill for the guest's next dining experience at Summer Palace.

FESTIVE FEAST FROM LEMON GRASS

Lemon Grass Food Services Inc., a catering, canteen, and fine dining business specializing in gourmet Filipino and intercontinental food, is offering dishes for this year's Chinese New Year celebrations.

Its box of 12 cream puffs resemble the shimmer of gold coins, which represent wealth in Chinese culture.

The Fish Salad, on the other hand, is ideal for the health-conscious and those who wish for prosperity this year. It is served with a side of vegetables and is good for 10 to 15 people.

There is also the Fish Fillet, which comes in either tartar or lemon butter sauce and is good for 10 servings.

Those looking for appetizers can try to siomai and dumplings, while meat lovers can order the chicken cordon bleu and chicken galantine.

For more details, check out Lemon Grass' Facebook and Instagram pages.

FORTUNE-FILLED EVENTS AT ROBINSONS MALLS

This month, mall-goers at Robinsons Place Manila can have their photos taken at the Rose Bear and Golden Tree to usher the Chinese New Year with fun and luck.

They can also get a chance to win prizes from partner stores when they shop at Robinsons Galleria until February 14 for a minimum single receipt purchase worth P3,000 from Robinsons Supermarket or Robinsons Appliances, or worth P2,000 from other participating stores.

Until February 14, Robinsons Galleria and Robinsons Magnolia's RPersonal Shopper service offers a special ang pao that contains a surprise gift from partner stores.

Robinsons Magnolia will have the traditional lion dance on February 12 at 11 a.m., while Robinsons Manila will have the "God of Fortune" roaming around the mall from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Those who correctly guess the weight of the giant tikoy at level 2 of Robinsons Galleria or the upper ground level of Robinsons Magnolia until February 14 get to bring home a week's supply of tikoy from Eng Bee Tin.

GRAND LUNAR NEW YEAR AT RESORTS WORLD MANILA

Resorts World Manila has finally opened its Chinese restaurant, Happy 9, to the public. Happy 9 offers a five-course Lunar New Year Feast from February 11 to 12 for P3,500 net per person.

Guests can also celebrate the Spring Festival with family and friends the whole month of February through a prosperity toss of Yee Sang with smoked salmon for P100 net per person, and feast on Braised Pork Belly with Rock Sugar at P530 net and Deep Fried Seafood Ball with Dragon Beard at P300. Also available is Pan Fried Tikoy for only P50 net. Happy 9 is located at the 3F Newport Garden Wing.

Resorts World Manila's international hotel brands are also joining in on the celebrations with special offerings.

Marriott Hotel Manila's Chinese fine dining restaurant, Man Ho, is celebrating with a Lunar New Year set menu at P2,988++ per person from February 12 to 14.

Sheraton Manila Hotel's S Kitchen has prepared a lavish feast of Roast Suckling Pig with packages starting from P7,888 net until February 12.

Hotel Okura Manila's Yamazato is serving a special Chinese New Year Teppanyaki Kaiseki menu at P6,888++ per person from February 12 to 21.

Guests can sample Hua Yuan at Hilton Manila's Prosperity Treats, an authentic assortment of Shanghainese specialties, starting at P998 net available until February 14.

LUCKY FORTUNES BY SERIOUSLY COOKIES

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A post shared by Seriously, Cookies? By Migs (@seriouslycookiesbymigs)

In celebration of Chinese New Year, Seriously Cookies has a new line of fortune cookies in different flavors.

Called Lucky Fortunes, it includes fortune cookies in Vanille, Balance, Joy Luck, Wealth, and Jade.

Vanille has a vanilla base; Balance has butterfly pea blossoms and toasted coconut; Joy Luck "spells out LUCKY in the boldest, loudest way" and contains bits of cashews; Wealth has a "melon hue" and white sesame seeds; and Jade has "serene notes of green tea and black sesame seeds."

The fortune cookies may be ordered via the Instagram or Facebook page of Seriously Cookies.

'LUCKY' FINDS AT RUSTAN'S

Rustan's is inviting everyone to wish loved ones and friends well this Chinese New Year through meaningful traditions and symbolic gifts.

East Cafe at Rustan's Makati is offering the Fortune Fish Tikoy Set for P580 until February 12. Pre-orders with down payments are processed 3-5 days prior to pickup.

Celebrate Chinese New Year's Eve in bright red and complement it with the colors of the year: Ultimate Gray and Illuminating Yellow. For men, Hackett offers complete apparel and accessories including shirts, outerwear, pants, and belts. Phone accessories and gadgets from Cygnett and Ideal of Sweden are great options for boosting work productivity.

For women, brands such as Adolfo Dominguez, Ricardo Preto, Strathberry, LoQ, and Longchamp offer eye-catching pieces ranging from tops and bottoms to bags and footwear. Christian Louboutin's logo belt is one must-have accessory for the stylish woman, while Aquazzura's suede sneakers are comfy go-to's for errands and casual days.

Kids, spend their treasured ang pao on toys that stir imagination and curiosity. Lego's Chinese New Year-themed set familiarizes children with the importance of tradition. Space-themed sandwich cutters from Lunch Punch and cooler bags from SoYoung also make snacks more enjoyable during playtime and home school sessions. Supercute backpacks, Banz sunglasses, and Micro bikes and gears will also help children enjoy the rare taste of the outdoors.

For the home, decorating in red is believed to bring luck all year long. Gorenje refrigerators in Fire Red add a strong yet minimalistic design to the kitchen. Another essential for any cook or baker, KitchenAid stand mixers come in Empire Red. Finally, tableware from Noritake, Bordallo Pinheiro, Bugatti, and Christofle create a luxurious atmosphere at home reminiscent of fancy dinners at restaurants.

NEW WORLD MAKATI'S CNY EATS

New World Makati Hotel begins the Lunar New Year with premium dining experiences at the property's renowned Chinese restaurant, Jasmine, with options for set menus, all-you-can-eat dim sum, and an a la carte selection to savor at home.

Jasmine's best-selling handcrafted nian gao is offered in koi fish and round shapes for P1,388 and P1,188, respectively. Bulk orders of 30 boxes or more get a 30% discount, while Club Epicure members enjoy 15% off.

Auspicious set menus highlight Jasmine's Chinese New Year dishes. Set Menu I-A includes Imperial Peking duck (half); Hot and sour soup with shredded chicken and sea cucumber; Wok-fried beef tenderloin with Mandarin sauce; Fried garoupa fillet with chili, garlic, and coconut sauce; Wok-fried duck with salt and pepper; Braised assorted wild mushrooms with mixed vegetables; Braised e-fu noodles and honey-barbecued pork; Glutinous rice dumplings with milk chocolate filling; and Chilled mango cream with almond bean curd.

Set Menu I-B, on the other hand, consists of Combination platter (shredded chicken "Sichuan" style with honey-barbecued pork and crispy Japanese tofu); Assorted seafood with wintermelon and conpoy soup; Wok-fried diced beef tenderloin in XO sauce; Fried garoupa fillet "Singaporean" style; Deep-fried spareribs with mayonnaise and vinegar sauce; Braised egg bean curd with abalone mushroom and premium oyster sauce; Fried rice with pork belly and preserved olive leaves; Glutinous rice dumplings with milk chocolate filling; and Chilled mango cream with almond bean curd.

Set Menu II-A, meanwhile, has Combination platter (suckling pig, honey-barbecued pork, soy chicken, jelly fish and century egg); Steamed shrimp; Roasted pumpkin seafood soup; Wok-fried beef tenderloin with chicken and XO sauce; Steamed black garoupa with premium soy sauce; Deep-fried spareribs with salt and pepper; Garlic fried chicken; Fried rice and assorted meat in lotus leaf; Glutinous rice dumplings with milk chocolate filling; and Chilled mango cream with almond bean curd.

Finally, Set Menu II-B includes the Combination platter (roasted pork belly, soy chicken, marinated beef shank, and jelly fish); Imperial Peking duck (half); Japanese conpoy with abalone shell, seafood and bamboo pith soup; Wok-fried diced beef tenderloin with shrimp and XO sauce; Fried black garoupa "Singaporean" style; Deep-fried pork spareribs with mango and mayonnaise; Braised abalone mushroom with assorted fungus and vegetables; Braised miuse "Fookien" style; Glutinous rice dumplings with milk chocolate filling; and Chilled mango cream with almond bean curd.

The Jasmine set menus I-A and B are priced at P10,888 nett, while menus II-A and B are at P12,888 nett. All menus are ideal for groups of six.

For guests who prefer to dine at home, the Chef's Recommendations menu offers a la carte selections such as the Salmon Yu Sheng salad for P1,988, Braised baby abalone with Chinese mushroom at P2,888, Wok-fried prawn with chili garlic and coconut sauce at P1,458, Scallop with broccoli and XO sauce for P1,340, Pan-fried garoupa fillet with chili garlic and coconut sauce at P1,118, and Braised seafood with sea cucumber and sea moss for P1,128.

Jasmine's best-selling dim sum will also be on offer with a special Lunar New Year menu that includes appetizers and barbecued items at P1,888 per person.

New World Makati's other restaurant, Cafe 1228, is also offering Chinese specialties in its all-you-can-eat feast that also includes free-flowing chilled juices, soda, or iced tea. Rates are at P2,988 nett per person, and P1,494 nett for Club Epicure members and BDO credit cardholders.

PREPARE POON CHOI AT HOME

Planning to celebrate Chinese New Year at home? Here's an auspicious dish that you may want to try making in your own kitchen.

Poon Choi, which literally translates to "casserole in a basin," is usually seen on the table of many Hong Kongers during Chinese New Year. The dish comprises of around 10 to 20 ingredients served in a large clay pot.

The good thing about poon choi is that it is highly modifiable, unless you are set on making a traditional version.

Ingredients:

• 10 small/medium braised abalone
• 10 dried oysters
• 10 medium/large dried scallops
• 10 prawns
• 10 Chinese mushroom
• 20 pieces of roast pork
• 1/2 roast chicken
• 1/2 Chinese cabbage (cut into small sizes)
• 1/2 radish (cut into small slices)
• 1 carrot (cut into small slices)
• 1/2 broccoli (cut into small sizes)
• 1 small bundle of black moss vegetable
• Chicken/vegetable broth
• 3 tablespoons of oyster sauce
• garlic and ginger

Procedure:

1. Have a pot of water, blanch the prawns until cooked. Clean the dried oysters, scallops and soak the shitake mushrooms. Steam these 3 ingredients for about 15 minutes until the oysters are soft.
2. Steam all the vegetables (cabbage, broccoli, raddish and carrots) for 10 minutes.
3. In the clay pot, put a few tablespoons of cooking oil and saute the ginger and garlic until fragrant. Turn off the heat and add chicken/vegetable broth. Add the oyster sauce and stir until well combined.
4. Start the layering from the bottom, as follows: radish; carrots; cabbage, dried oyster, and black moss vegetable; roast chicken, roast pork, mushrooms, broccoli, and prawns; abalone and dried scallops.
5. Add the remaining broth, but do not submerge the ingredients. Bring to boil under medium heat for at least 20 minutes.

SHANGRI-LA PLAZA'S OODLES OF NOODLES PROMO

Kick off the Year of the Metal Ox in good spirits by catching the traditional Chinese dragon and lion dance at Shangri-La Plaza on February 12 and 13. Mall guests will get to receive bits of wisdom through fortune cookies upon entry at the Shang on the same dates.

Selected restaurants are also part of Shang's month-long Oodles of Noodles promo, which offers discounted rates on ramen, pho, pasta, japchae, and other dishes.

SHOPEE'S CHINESE NEW YEAR PICKS

Shopee is encouraging customers to celebrate the Chinese New Year indoors with its home shopping picks.

These include a popcorn maker from Russell Hobbs (P1,327), a 32-inch slim and smart TV from Ace (P6,399), an ultra lounge chair and ottoman from Intex (P1,800), a Tefal titanium forged wok pan (P3,500), a Kyowa air fryer (P3,500), and tikoy from Polland (P200).

Shopee is also letting its users send ang paos digitally with its mobile wallet, ShopeePay.

WELCOME YEAR OF THE OX AT ORTIGAS MALLS

To bring in abundance and prosperity in the coming year, Ortigas Malls has laid out a host of activities.

Astrologer Maritess Allen brings her forecast based on Chinese animal zodiac signs as she shares her predictions at different Ortigas Malls.

Delicacies are also available at the Chinese New Year Fair at Greenhills Mall, Tiendestias, and Estancia.

Participating restaurants include Banana Leaf, Kimono Ken, Ikkoryu Fukuoka Ramen, Italianni's, Sbarro, SumoSam, Watami, Pho Hoa, Lemongrass, Hen Lin, Bon Chon, Pepper Lunch, and Sweet Inspirations.