Last Updated on January 23, 2021
The Perfect Chinese New Year Banquet Delivered to your Door
Chinese New Year otherwise referred to as the Lunar New Year is an is one of the biggest celebrations on the planet, recognised by the people of China, Korea, Vietnam and Taiwan. Based on the new moon, it marks the first day of the new year on the Lunar calendar, dates vary but it is often celebrated in late January to late February and the celebrations can last for up two weeks. It marks the end of winter and the start of Spring a time for new beginnings, traditionally a holiday and a time to honour the household and heavenly deities as well as ancestors, bringing families together for feasting all over the world. This year it falls on Friday 12th February and lasts until the final Lantern Festival on February 26th, it is the year of the Ox, and as it happens, I am an Ox so I am hoping it will bring me some good fortune!
Food is a really important part of the celebrations – all family members have to come back and, if they can’t be there in person the rest of the family leave a spot empty for them, all set with utensils. I’m sure all the family would make it back in person though if they had the promise of a Lu Ban Kitchen Chinese New Year Banquet like the one I’ve been previewing.
I always look forward to enjoying the Chinese New Year festivities with a wonderful feast, I usually get the opportunity to eat out but this year we are in the grips of a lockdown and it seems a shame not to be able to still celebrate this wonderful event with a family feast at home. I was very pleased to be offered the opportunity to try out Lu Ban at Home, restaurant-quality food delivered right to your door. Lu ban has a restaurant in Liverpool as well as Lu Ban kitchen which delivers Cook at Home, Heat at Home and Banquet Boxes fit for every celebration.
There’s something rather exciting about having a big box full of amazing looking food delivered to your door, especially in lockdown it really does bring a bit of cheer. My Chinese New Year Family Banquet box arrived beautifully packaged. Apparently, Lu Ban Kitchen dishes are frozen immediately after cooking to keep the freshness in and ensure that they arrive beautifully fresh. They will remain chilled for 24 hours from dispatch, which means that you can then refrigerate the dishes for up to 3 days before use so you have some flexibility about when to serve your banquet.
Each dish comes with a card with instructions, ready to heat and enjoy. My box included both meat and seafood dishes and was plenty for up to six people. On request, I was also able to get a couple of vegan dishes so my son could also join in this fabulous feast.
The family all joined in the cook up and in no time, we had a beautiful spread which was fit for kings.
Where do I begin….the Chinese Mushroom and Pak Choi Dumplings served with red dragon dipping sauce and dumpling sauce were beautifully light, plump and flavoursome the perfect start to our meal.
We all love Roast Duck with pancakes in our house, the Lu Ban duck, roasted with orange was crisp and tender and flaked off the bone, my son had a vegan version made with jackfruit which he enjoyed just as much. Both versions were served with pancakes and plum and hoisin sauce.
The meat feast didn’t end there, fabulous funky flavours of Salt and Pepper Chicken Wings, smoky Jasmine Smoked Pork Baby Ribs slathered with garlic, ginger and sesame sauce and melt in the mouth Jiang Beef – slow braised feather blade of beef in an aromatic Jiang sauce.
Moving on to a rich and lively Prawn Chow Mein bound with Lu Ban chow mien sauce and noodles, and a delicious dish of Ma Po Tofu with black bean, ginger and a touch of warm chilli, the dishes were accompanied by plentiful portions of authentic Lo Ban Noodles and fragrant rice.
What struck me was the impressive quality of the food and the great selection of dishes, all rich in flavour which made for a lovely family celebration meal, you can even choose to upgrade your order and add champagne, gin or cocktails. Lu Ban provides the perfect way to bring in the Chinese New Year with the hope of spring and better times to come.
Orders can be placed now and delivery scheduled for the Chinese New Year Banquet feast. Here’s the link – https://lubankitchen.co.uk/product/chinese-new-year-banquet/
O,r if you just fancy a top-quality Chinese meal, Lu ban has a wide selection of meals and dishes to order from their website – you can pick from cooks boxes providing the sauces and spices you need to transform your own basic ingredients into a Chinese feast, from the comprehensive ‘heat at home’ menu, which is essentially an a la carte selection of dishes for two people or from a range of boxes – including the Chinese New Year banquet we reviewed and a couple of Valentine’s Night boxes for two people. I’d go for the Champagne option, which at £80 including a bottle of Champagne has everything you might need for a relaxing Valentine’s date night at home. Oh, and they also have a series of ‘virtual parties’ you can buy. So, if you were despairing about yet another birthday in lockdown, you can invite your friends and family to a hosted cookalong or cocktail evening! Find out more from the Lu Ban Kitchen website
For more home delivery options do check our round-up of tried and tested date night home deliveries
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