A delicious Shanghainese twist for Lunar New Year
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Lunar New Year celebrations will soon sweep the globe as many Asian nations mark the beginning of the new year.
At the centre of many of these celebrations is the sharing of traditional foods to mark the occasion – and for natural nine, one of Canberra’s most exciting Chinese restaurants – this Lunar New Year will be a very special one indeed as they usher in a new era for their menu: “Pop Chinese cuisine with Shanghainese influences”.
“With the arrival of our Shanghai-born Head Chef Sean (Yi) Xing in mid-2023, natural nine has delved into the exciting Shanghainese flavours of the mainland,” explains David Black, Head of Food and Beverage at Casino Canberra, home to natural nine.
As a chef himself, having owned and operated Artisan at Narrabundah Shops, David has always focused on bringing unique flavours to Canberra that you cannot find elsewhere.
“Our chefs are seamlessly blending the flavours of Shanghai in a fun and vibrant way, fusing the bold spices and aromas of Shanghai’s bustling streets with fresh, locally sourced ingredients.”
From natural nine’s modern interiors to its colourful cocktail menu and Yum Cha Fridays, it’s clear it’s a place where reverence for traditional flavours meets playful experimentation. The result? A menu that finds fun in every bite and is constantly evolving, with dishes like Crispy chicken wings and ‘magic’ chilli served alongside elevated street food favourites like Hokkien chicken char mee, and show-stopping mains like Peking Duck breast pancakes.
“Our chefs have been playing with these traditional flavours using traditional Chinese cooking and preparation methods in our ‘Pop Chinese’ style while also adding the offering of traditional Chinese weekly specials, including dishes like Aunty Song’s ginger and fish thicken soup (宋嫂鱼羹), Freshwater eel stew (响油鳝糊), Sweet and sour boneless whole barramundi (松鼠盲曹 ), Poached whole chicken 白斩鸡) and classic sautéed prawn meat (清炒虾仁).”
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This fusion of old and new will be the focus of natural nine’s Chinese New Year Chef’s Special Menu, which will be offered for dinner bookings on 9, 10, 13, 14 and 24 February.
Celebrating the Year of the Wood Dragon, David explains much thought has gone into creating an authentic Chinese New Year experience for diners to bring in the new lunar year in style.
“Chef Sean has introduced a selection of traditional Chinese New Year dishes such as: Crystal prawn meat, Sweet soy braised sticky rice, Filled boneless whole duck,
Braised boneless whole pork hock in master sauce, and fresh mushroom and whole chicken soup – just note that these last two dishes must be pre-ordered when you make your booking to avoid disappointment.”
Naturally, natural nine’s finely crafted cocktail menu will be available on these evenings (we highly recommend the Queen of Hearts) as well as their usual extensive selection of some of the finest local and regional Australian wines (think: Nick Spencer, Nick O’Leary and Clonakilla to name a few) including a wide selection of champagne and Australian sparkling wines for toasting to the Year of the Wood Dragon.
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natural nine is also where you can find one of Canberra’s rarest experiences – a private dining room. Available for bookings of six to 10 guests, private dining room Room 8 will be a focus for natural nine in 2024 as David hints at some very special opportunities yet to come.
“In 2024 natural nine will be diving deeper into the world of mainland traditional Shanghainese cuisine and our Private Dining Room ‘Room 8’ will be offering a specially curated traditional Chinese banquet dining experience from late February.”
“Expect a menu with favourites like House-roasted duck, House-roasted char sui pork, Poached chicken, Braised squid and preserved tofu sauce, Cucumber salad, Tahini vermicelli noodles, Twice-cooked pork belly and bao, Sweet and sour boneless whole barramundi, Seasonal Chinese greens, Pan-fried garlic chive and pork dumplings and more.”
Well, if we weren’t hungry already…
