Lunar New Year specials fill up fast in Chicago
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Dumplings and noodles will figure prominently in Lunar New Year specials around town this month. Wonton ramen at Urban Belly. Photo: Courtesy of Urban Belly.
Asians around the world are gearing up to celebrate the year of the double fire horse next week, but many local food specials are already in full gallop and reservations are filling up fast. We gathered some of the tastiest specials here:
Urban Belly: Chef Bill Kim is offering a five-course Lunar New Year prix fixe menu at his Wicker Park eatery from Feb. 9-28 for $30 per person and featuring:
- Marinated Chinese eggplant with Thai basil
- Chicken dumplings with soy ginger sauce
- Sesame gochujang–glazed chicken wings along with noodles, fried rice or ramen
- Solato vanilla gelato finished with Vietnamese cinnamon caramel
Plus, each guest gets a red envelope and a surprise gift.
Guinness Open Gate Brewery: This huge Fulton Market brew house is collaborating with Chef Phillip Tang of Noodle Club Chi on new year specials including mapo tofu noodles topped with whipped tofu ($19), and Szechuan peppercorn-laced Lunar Flame Red Ale ($8) now through Feb. 17.
Hing Kee Restaurant: Since 2005 this Chinatown Square eatery has hosted new year Dumpling Making Dinners that sell out in a flash. Enjoy an afternoon of lion dances, a full meal and dumpling lessons on Feb. 14, 15, 21 and 22. $45 per person.
Uptown's Sun Wah BBQ presents one of the city's most popular Lunar New Year dinners for $60. The venerable duck-centric Cantonese spot will post its menu and start taking reservations for its Feb 27-28 meals Monday Feb. 9.
The Duck Inn will offer a whole chili crunch rotisserie duck dinner ($85) and other new year specials from Feb. 16-March 3.