Chinese New Year Family Reunion Dinner

We have different expectations for Chinese New Year in different stages of life. During childhood, it is a kind an excitement: playing firecrackers and games without any intervention. It is like a pent-up child who has found a way to give off his chest. It is only a game.

During early youth, it is something new and exciting: dating, drinking and gambling. It is a short-term debauch. It is like trying to step into the adult world while challenging taboos and guilt.

During youth, it is a kind of responsibility: busy running about, sending gifts to tighten relationships.

Based on Chinese New Year customs, we allow ourselves to be fully socialized and accept traditional requirements.

During middle-age, it is a frame of mind: it all depends on our own feelings to choose the way we want to celebrate it.

My Chinese New Year celebration seems pretty simple yet fun and meaningful this year.

Together, we enjoy the dinner and enter a brand new year.
Previously, I thought that reunion dinners are only meant to reunion in which everyone sits around a table to tighten relationships.But I realized later that the dinner is also meant to forgive and forget. The gap,dissatisfaction,complaints, and should all be decomposed and digested through oral movements.

With the help of sweet wine and great dishes, affections are sublimated and connections are re-established. Through the reunion atmosphere, we can find a mutual dependent relationship. In fact, many customs contain far-reaching moral values.
We are required to salute the elders and worship when we were young. But we did not fully understand and recognize the customs.

Today, when we have lost the opportunity to do it again, we realized that it is a way to internalized the spirit and traditions.
The spiritual world of Chinese includes heaven, earth and humans. Humans are in the middle with heaven on top and earth beneath. The Chinese worship heaven first, followed by earth and ancestors. Worshiping our ancestors is actually paying respect to our blood and the origin of our lives. It is a feeling of thanksgiving.

Paying door-to-door visits is actually expanding our relationships and affections.
Chinese New Year is a kind of normal human relationship, extending from families to the society and the world. It is to arrange the order of our "love" and by following the "love order", we make ourselves, families and the society live in harmony.

Feel the changes over the past year and have a taste of the throb of life.

My family has arranged a family reunion dinner on 'Chor Chat' (CNY Day 7th). It was a 9-course dinner priced at RM700 per table. There were 20 of us so we took 2 tables.

Before dinner start, four of us took a picture. It would be even perfect if my second sis were here with us. We miss you, sis!

It's the time for lou sang!!! I love lou sang, because everyone will shout and say many good, prosperous things while lou teh yee sang. Very happy!

Instead of serving with raw salmon fish, they served with abalone.

We only have the chance to eat the lou sang every Chinese New Year. Mad long! I love the crispy 'keropok'.

After we added the salmon fish, I had no time to take photos as everyone started to use their long chopsticks to stir the 'yee sang'. As you know, stirring the 'yee sang' (or what we call 'lou sang') is considered auspicious and I would not want to miss out on the action! Haha!

Everyone 'lou lou lou'!! Yuet lou yuet sang (in Cantonese)!!!!

Aiyo!!! You see, my aunt and uncle sooooo happy!!!

After that delicious 'yee sang', came the shark's fin soup with crab meat and crab roe .

I'm quite satisfied with this shark's fin soup. Although no shark's fin in it. We're not supposed to be eating shark's fin right? ;)

See, see, see.. Full of crab meat

Supposedly this dish came before the shark's fin soup. The restaurant has mixed up already. What do we called this dish huh? I think it called 'Ren Pan' in Mandarin.

Over this dish, i only like the scallops. The BBQ pork ribs also not bad. But i'm not a pork lover. Haha..
Among all the dishes, this was the most healthier dish. With mushrooms, brocolli and abalone

The next food on the menu turned out to be my favourite dish for the night! But i forgot the name of the fish.

Steamed fish with chop ginger and preserved bean paste
My cousin bro just graduated his study as chef & hospitality from Taiwan. So he was told to show his skill in front of us on how to cut the steamed fish.

Next on the list was roasted whole smoked suckling pig .

Poor 'lil pig. We don't really fancy pork. This came together in the menu, we've no choice. But the meat dipped into a little of the sauce was scrumptious!

Finally, it was time for fried glutinous rice with waxed meat . I was already quite full by then, but I could still take in some more, haha!

It was not bad although we could not finish it! So in the end, we had to 'ta pau' (take away) whatever remained on the plate.

After resting our stomachs for a while, we were served dessert.

Dessert - Longan with lemon. Sweet Sweet..

Before we left, it was picture time! :D

He is our most helpful uncle. When need help, ask him! He willing to do everything! He looks so tough huh! :D

With my beautiful adorable sister, Joanne

We're bro! Now & forever!!

My cutest + lovely aunt & uncle from Singapore
Me & my lovely mom

Both cousin bros are taking picture with my aunt & uncle from Singapore

My dad's siblings. From far left: Uncle PD-My dad's younger bro, Aunt Aloy from Singapore-My dad's elder sis, 3rd aunt from KL-My dad's younger sis, 2nd aunt-My dad's 2nd sis

Overall Rating: 3.5/5

Price: Above reasonable

Service: Depends on occasion, accepatable

Ambience: Air condition

Lot 5990, Jalan Labu Lama, Terminal 2,
Seremban, Negeri Sembilan
70200
http://www.minkok.com/
Phone : 06-761 8458, 06-761 9717, 06-761 5157