Chinese New Year is the most important festival for where families come together to rejoice over a culinary feast. Having a reunion dinner at Dian Xiao Er adds the festive feel. Catering a homely sumptuous meal in an inn-themed dining concept, expect Yu Sheng, Fish Maw Soup, Roast Duck and many other delectable CNY dishes that are second to home-cooked food.

A part of good ol’ tradition is the mandatory Yu Sheng to honour this festive season of Chinese New Year. Toss to a good 2014 with Smoked Salmon Yusheng ($22.80 small, $39.80 large). Pour in the different ingredients at their specific timings, while yelling the different Mandarin idioms. Then toss it around and shout out wishes for the brand new year! It gets messy, but it gets joyous as well. A little sweet, a little hearty, a little crisp, HUAT AH!

Leaving me with a warm tummy is the Fish Maw Soup with Crab Meat & Conpoy. With a sauce that is savoury and richly flavourful, this is the soup to go for. The fish maw is thick and gelatinous, combining with generous amount of crab meat and conpoy, it is evidently a mix of culinary goodness altogether.

Whenever you dine at Dian Xiao Er, the first dish that comes into your mind is definitely their HERBAL DUCK which is prepared and roasted in the display kitchen daily. To infuse an exotic cacophony of flavors into the specially bred ducks, they are first marinated in a myriad of herbs and spices for hours. They are then roasted just right such that the skin is crisp to the touch and golden brown in appearance while the flesh remains tender and bursting with juicy herbal goodness.

You can choose from 3 delicious options:

• Duck Roasted with Angelica Herb ($12.90 small, $24.30 medium, $34.60 large, $42.30 whole): Nourishes the blood, promotes blood circulation and removes blood stagnation.
• Duck Roasted with Ten Wonder Herbs ($13.60 small, $25.30 medium, $35.90 large, $43.90 whole): Comprises of 10 herbs including codonopsis root, foxglove root, licorise root etc. It revitalises energy and relieves mental stress.
• Duck Roasted with Wild Ginseng ($13.90 small, $25.90 medium, $37.30 large, $45.30 whole): Cooling and revitalizing, it promotes the secretion of body fluids, reduces heatiness and restores energy level.

Since we can no longer pop those fire crackers anymore, how about savouring the “Firecracker”rolls? Wrapped with thinly sliced lean meat and fried to perfect, the sweet and sour “Firecracker” symbolizes the ushering in of a new beginning.

Instead of steaming, the Silver Cod Fish ($25.90) is deep fried and drizzled with superior soy sauce and fried garlic.

For a hearty serving, go for the Luxurious Seafood in Claypot which signifies a year of abundance and prosperity. The claypot of intense goodness features sea cucumber, mushrooms and many more. It is heavier in taste and hence, best to go with rice.

Dian Xiao Er’s CNY dishes have come more deftly executed with each passing year. My clear favourites are definitely the Roast Duck, Fish Maw Soup and Seafood in Claypot. Whatever I had above are part of the Abundant Fortune Set menu. The price starts from $178 for 3 pax onwards.

CNY set and ala carte menus are available from 18 January to 14 February 2014. Prosperity Treasure Pot have to be reserved 2 days in advance. Takeaway pre-orders are also available at all outlets for collection on eve of CNY, till 26 January 2014.

If you have DBS/POSB credit card, GOT DISCOUNT!!!

1. 10% off with minimum spending of $50 on ala carte menu (valid only till 28 Feb, not applicable from 30 Jan – 14 Feb)
2. Complimentary abalone gift set for spending above $448 (before GST and service charge), with use of DBS/POSB cards. (valid from 9 Jan – 14 Feb)

For more information, please visit www.dianxiaoer.com.sg. For more updates on their promotions, follow them on www.facebook.com/dxesg