4 Culinary Takes On Lunar New Year In MA: Cheap Eats

MASSACHUSETTS — Lunar New Year, or Chinese New Year, is upon us.

The festival celebrates the beginning of the Chinese lunisolar calendar, which combines the lunar and solar calendars, indicating both the moon phase and the position of the sun.

This year is the Year of the Snake, and Lunar New Year officially begins on Jan. 29.

Lunar New Year celebrations have been scheduled across the state for 2025, including many culinary ways to take in the holiday.

In this story, we've compiled four examples ranging from an esteemed restaurateur's Peking duck popup to chocolate snakes and cocktail specials. Here's a few ways to celebrate this year:

Margeaux Supper Parlor Hosts Peking Duck Popup With Restaurateur Doris Huang

A restaurant legend is set to host a Peking Duck Popup to celebrate the Year of the Snake.

Margeaux Supper Parlor will welcome the esteemed Doris Huang on Feb. 4 for the popup featuring multilayered scallion pancakes, a flight of shumai, stir-fried pork and pork stuffed soup dumplings.

The highlight of the evening, however, is a three-course Peking duck feast featuring crispy duck skin and homemade pancakes, duck and noodle stir-fry and duck soup. Each duck dinner serves 2-3 people and will cost $98 (without tax and gratuity) per person.

Special New Year Cocktails from the Margeaux Supper Parlor bar and wine pairings from the restaurant’s cellar will also be available.

Known as one of Chinatown’s earliest entrepreneurial women chefs, Doris Huang has cooked for Julia Child, Emeril Lagasse, Marcus Samuelson, Lidia Bastianich and Larry David, among others.

The Margeaux Supper Parlor popup will be reservation-only in nine "strictly enforced seatings" from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Karma Asian Fusion Celebrates With Specials, Cocktails

In Winchester, Karma Asian Fusion is coming off its grand opening season and diving head first into the New Year celebrations.

The restaurant will offer a limited menu offering sushi, fusion dishes and a variety of signature cocktails.

Those drinks include the Year of the Snake, a cocktail with toasted black sesame seeds, Hine XO cigar reserve cognac, Bhakta 1928, coconut, RumChata, spiced maple syrup and lemon.

"This cocktail is perfect for those who enjoy unique, savory-sweet cocktails with complex flavors, reminiscent of the beloved black sesame seed pudding," restaurant officials said.

"The creamy and rich consistency of the coconut cream and spiced maple syrup give it a smooth, comforting texture, while the hint of lemon brightens the flavors and balances the richness."

L.A. Burdick Chocolates

L.A. Burdick is releasing its Lunar New Year Collection with "a selection of chocolates inspired by traditional Asian flavors cherished during the holiday."

The assortments, ranging from $36 to $88, include flavors such as black sesame, red bean, plum wine, ginger root, green tea and more.

L.A. Burdick's chocolate snakes will also be highlighted for the Year of the Snake, and will be available for four weeks.

The serpentine chocolates are filled with ganache and come in two flavors: a dark chocolate snake with dark chocolate ganache is made with fresh mandarin orange juice and zest, covered in dark chocolate; and a milk chocolate snake with dark chocolate ganache with ground black sesame seeds, enrobed in milk chocolate.

Each snake assortment box, priced at $40, contains five dark and four milk chocolate snakes.

L.A. Burdick is located at 220 Clarendon St. in the Back Bay; 52 Brattle St. in Harvard Square; and 1330 Beacon St. in Brookline. Shop hours are 8 a.m. until 9 p.m. Lunar New Year Boxes can also be shipped online at the link here.

Lunar New Year at Red 8 at Encore Boston Harbor

The classic Cantonese restaurant will host an exclusive Red 8 Lunary New Year menu at the price of $188 per person.

Created by Chef Kevin HanQing, "incorporates some traditional flavors and dishes to celebrate Lunar New Year." It is available starting Jan. 27 through Feb. 12.

The multi-course set menu includes items like a half Peking duck with thin pancakes, bamboo pith seafood soup, sampan lobster in spicy garlic and ginger sauce and pan-fried sweet nian gao.

Red 8 is located at Encore Boston Harbor at One Broadway, in Everett. It is open daily for dinner from 5 to 11 p.m. and weekends for lunch and dinner from 12 p.m. to 12 a.m.