Chinese NewYear Dinner @ Summer Palace

Up to the last minute, I didn’t know whether to invite some 20 people over at our house for our annual Chinese New Year dinner or not. After a few days of contemplating, I decided to just have a 4 + 2 in a restaurant since I’ve been feeling under the weather lately, most especially on Monday and Tuesday where I felt the worst.

Oyen was able to reserve a table for 6 in Summer Palace, the Chinese restaurant on the second floor of Edsa Shangrila.

Oyen was a little worried when we left our house at 6:15 pm, we could be late for our 6:30 reservation. We were there in 10 minutes because there were few vehicles and people around SM Megamall surprisingly at the time.

Oranges were arranged on the hotel’s lobby floor like the Chinese New Year GOOD LUCK.

Giant sheep made of maroon rose buds and Malaysian mums.

Hotel visitors took turns taking photos beside this gorgeous sheep.

Oyen chose a red and white dress and a red Balenciaga bag for our Chinese New Year celebration.

In Vietnam, they grow kiat-kiat orange trees up to the ceiling.
I am going to plant a few of this. Hope they grow as tall as a two story house.

Our reservation was at 6:30, table for 6.

Tikoy for us

We ordered our food a few days ago as per the restaurant’s request. But when we arrived, they told us we haven’t ordered.
Oyen had to stand up and talk to the person in charge. We chose the same menu letter C.

This Minced Seafood wrapped in lettuce was not in the menu package, but we ordered this as an additional dish.

Prawns with sotanghon. This was very tasty but difficult to eat. Edmund was kind and patient enough to volunteer to peel the prawns for me and Mela.

They ran out of Scallop dumplings which was supposed to be the one included in the menu package. Instead, they replaced it with delicious pork siomai that’s fresh tasting and with whole river shrimps with fish roe on top. The texture was so different from regular siomai that is full of extenders.

I suggested that we play a memory game. Kailangan daw merong prize so I put P500 on the table. I made it clear that this would be the only prize. Should there be a tie, they will split the P500. If there are 4 winners, they each get P125.

Eliminated on the first round = Edmund
Eliminated on the second round = Mela
Eliminated on the third round = Me
Eliminated on the fourth round = Oyen
Runner -up = Derrick

The winner is now P500 richer.

I went to the washroom and found every one wearing red too. Except for the toilet cleaner who was in green.

Here comes the dragon

A E O N with Mela and Derrick

At 8:20 pm. the Lions and the dragons arrived and collected angpaos from the diners.

Feeding the lion

Feeding the dragon

The desserts were served after the dragon and lion dances.

Friend banana with camote filling

Tikoy with taro

Edmund was in a hurry to leave. He’s so full daw and wanted to walk-off the calories. But the fresh fruit platter was included in the package and they haven’t served it yet. Sayang naman kaya we waited.
The mangoes were very pale and sour. The pineapple looked sweet but they were sour too. Do not be deceived by their looks.

Before we left, the waiter asked us to pick a raffle prize. Maswerte si Oyen sa raffle kaya we delegated the task to her.

Could it be a one night stay at the Edsa Shangri-la hotel?

Yehey 50% discount on Peking duck. Big savings. The duck costs P3,700 + tax + service charge = P4,300 more or less. We only have to pay approximately P2,150 only.
BUT who would pay for the other half plus the food that we’re going to order when we dine. Edmund said that’s an expense and not a discount.

Validity August 31. We can use it on his birthday.