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Luck has everything to do with it

A La Carte

January 19, 2020

Story By: Elima Pangorang | Photos by: Chef Chai

Chef Chai’s elegant dining area (File photos)

January’s last weekend brings a special dinner to celebrate the Lunar New Year at Chef Chai restaurant on Kapiolani Boulevard.

On Jan. 24-26 owner Chai Chaowasaree prepares a Chinese New Year Dinner for four. The three-course meal presents an incredible lineup featuring an appetizer sampler, four entrees and a dessert sampler.

The appetizer sampler brings a delightful start to the night. It comprises five different dishes, which are Chicken Sate with Thai peanut sauce and Cucumber Salad Asian Flat Bread; Smoked Duck Taco with fresh tomato mango salsa; Salmon Gravalax Roulade with cream cheese and crab meat on cucumber chips; Kataifi  and Macnut Crusted Jumbo Black Tiger Prawns with pineapple vinaigrette; and Roasted Butternut Squash and Lobster Bisque Shooters.

Crispy Whole Fresh Fish with Sundried Tomato Citrus Beurre Blanc ($30 this week only, one per table)

Eyes will light up and mouths will water when the next course is laid out on the table, which includes the best of land and sea. Guests have the pleasure of enjoying Grilled Kabayaki New Zealand King Salmon with sauteed veggies, Pan Roasted All Natural Chicken with Hennessy Cognac peppercorn sauce, Braised Kurobuta Pork Osso Buco with five spice demi.

Plus, highlighting the entire dinner is Crispy Whole Snapper with chili ginger sauce. This whole fish holds significant symbolism in Chinese tradition for the Chinese New Year — it is eaten to increase prosperity during the year.

Finally, it’s no true multicourse dinner without dessert and Chaowasaree has a sweet surprise sampler ready for the gang to indulge in.

Reservations are highly recommended for this Chinese New Year Dinner for four and can be made by calling the restaurant. Cost is $50 per person.

Honolulu, HI 96814

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