HAWAII KAI TOWNE CENTER CELEBRATES YEAR OF THE TIGER WITH DYNAMIC LION DANCE

WHEN: Saturday, Feb. 5, 2022, 11 a.m.

WHERE: Hawaii Kai Towne Center
333 Keahole Street
Honolulu, HI 96825

WHAT: Hawaii Kai Towne Center welcomes the Year of the Tiger, with a cultural celebration featuring the award-winning Wah Ngai Lion Dance Association. Community members and visitors are invited to ring in the Lunar New Year at the scenic Marina Docks, as the group dances and presents a martial arts demonstration.

This free and family-friendly celebration is a spirited tradition at Hawaii Kai Towne Center. Watch as the dancing lion is fed lai see (lucky red envelopes with money), a custom that is believed to bring prosperity to the giver throughout the year, while it visits businesses around the center. The performers will be socially-distanced for the safety of guests.

Also visit community partner Gimme a Break as they present a Resource Fair and Mini Educational Seminar, next to Maile’s Thai Bistro. Gimme a Break is a non-profit whose mission is to support caregivers by giving an emotional and physical break, as well as resources for continued well-being.

Wah Ngai Lion Dance Association, founded in 2005, is committed to preserving the Chinese traditions of lion dancing and martial arts for future generations. The association has been praised for both technique and artistry, competing against teams from around the globe.

While attending the Lunar New Year celebration, guests are invited to grab a bite to eat and visit the wide array of retailers at Hawaii Kai Towne Center. Dining options include Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese, Mexican, Euro-Asian and American cuisine, among others. 

With more than 50 stores, restaurants and businesses, Hawaii Kai Towne Center has something for the entire family to enjoy. From national brands to local businesses, Hawaii Kai Towne Center is East Oahu’s leading retail destination and community gathering place, featuring a variety of stores, administrative and business offices, business services, plus an assortment of restaurants and dining options.

Follow Hawaii Kai Towne Center on Facebook and Instagram @hawaiikaitownecenter. See www.hawaiikaitownecenter.com. 

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Yauatcha Waikiki's Chinese New Year Menu

Last night I attended a media dinner to try out Yauatcha Waikiki's new Chinese New Year Menu.

Now through March 4, Yauatcha Waikiki offers a Chinese New Year menu (along with its regular menu) with dim sum, main entree, and dessert options:

Salted egg yolk custard sesame ball (representing togetherness) at $10 per dish

Chilean sea bass roll (symbolizing financial prosperity) at $10 per dish

Golden fortune prawn in lime sauce (seafood has connotations of good luck) at $16 per dish

Steam scallop in black bean sauce with glass noodle at $25 per dish

Stir-fried duck breast with hazelnut in mala sauce at $20 per dish

Seafood braised rice in lotus leaf at $20 per dish

Haoyun Lantern petit gâteau dessert with soy caramel and mandarin (citrus is believed to bring luck, whilst ‘haoyun’ translates to ‘lucky’)

 Macarons: vanilla orchid, a lucky flower for 2018, raspberry Szechuan pepper, vibrant red in color to reflect Chinese New Year celebrations, and kumquat cashew (image courtesy Yauatcha Waikiki)

My personal faves were the prawns, stir-fried duck breast, and seafood braised rice.  There were many who also raved about the scallops and sesame ball.

The lantern dessert was a beauty, but many commented that the ingredients didn't seem to go well together. 

To help celebrate the Chinese New Year, Yauatcha Waikiki commissioned London artist, Lydia Kasumi Shirreff, to create beautiful Chinese lantern art installations, which you can see all throughout the restaurant.

(Image courtesy Yauatcha Waikiki)

Whether you're celebrating Chinese New Year or simply want to indulge in fabulous dim sum no matter the occasion, Yauatcha Waikiki is the perfect place to dine!

For reservations, please visit www.Yauatcha.com/Waikiki/reservations, call 808-739-9318 or email waikiki@yauatcha.com.

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