A wish followed by a high toss, that's the way to welcome the Year of the Earth Pig...
Crowne Plaza Manila Galleria and Holiday Inn Manila Galleria of the InterContinental Hotels Group presents its indulgently auspicious offerings for the Year of the Earth Pig with culinary delights at Xin Tian Di.
The new year is welcomed once more with a lavish feast at Xin Tian Di, the signature Chinese restaurant of Crowne Plaza Manila Galleria (for more on Xin Tian Di, see my post from last year here at Welcome The Year of the Dog at Crowne Plaza Manila and Love Dim Sum? You'll Love Dim Sum Unlimited Nights at Xin Tian Di... two years ago).
Located at the Fourth Level of Crowne Plaza Manila Galleria and Holiday Inn Manila Galleria, Xin Tian Di is the property's premier oriental dining destination with its wide array of authentic Chinese dishes prepared by Executive Chinese Chef Peter Yeung. And for the Chinese New Year, Xin Tian Di pulls all the stops for a decadent feast to usher in prosperity, luck and happiness...
...starting with its festive Koi Fish Nian Gao as the perfect Chinese New Year gift for family and friends.
The vibrant pair of Koi Fish Nian Gao is encased in an elegant red and gold box priced at P 1,188++ and available only until February 15 at Xin Tian Di. From the festive packaging to the intricately detailed Koi Fish-shaped Nian Gao, it's the ideal gift to welcome the new year and spread a whole lot of good vibes. 
No Chinese New Year celebration is complete without the traditional Yu Sheng Salad, with each ingredient symbolizing our fervent wishes and hopes for the new year. That day, Executive Chinese Chef Peter Leung served Xin Tian Di's indulgent Great Glory Yu Sheng (P 1,688) with Sliced Sea Abalone and Tuna along with an assortment of fresh vegetables.
Xin Tian Di's staff delicately laid the tall and ornate platter of fresh seafood and vegetables on the table along with the different condiments, sauces, oil and seasonings. Following tradition, Executive Chinese Chef Peter Leung then prepped the salad before the much-anticipated toss with a precise sequence of steps... 
...by first adding the sliced abalone and tuna to symbolize abundance throughout the year followed by a squeeze of citrus over the seafood for both luck and smooth sailing in all our endeavors. Abundance, luck and smooth sailing, I'm all for that. And the salad is looking real good.
A dash of pepper and salt adds both flavor and attracts some cool positive vibes, including wealth and treasures. I'm all for that too.
Oil is then poured in a circular motion to increase profits a thousand-fold as well as to encourage money to flow easily from all directions. The vegetables also have specific fortunes everyone hopes for in the new year, with carrots for blessings of good luck, shredded green radish for eternal youth, and white radish for prosperity in business and promotion at work. The condiments are also added one by one, with crushed peanuts symbolizing gold and silver, sesame seeds for a successful enterprise, and deep-fried flour crisps to represent an abundance of gold and wealth. It's this variety of ingredients that give the Yu Sheng Salad contrasting notes and textures, all coming together in a festive toss.
Then, extra long wooden chop sticks were handed out for the much awaited moment. At Executive Chinese Chef Peter Leung's cue, shouts of "Lo Hei" signaled the start of the ceremonial toss. The salad must be tossed high up toward the center for seven times while shouting out your wishes for the new year.
After the toss, the salad is ready...that's the way to celebrate an abundant and prosperous new year at Xin Tian Di.
With your chop sticks, simply pick up the vegetables along with some tuna and sliced abalone and enjoy. Xin Tian Di also offers the Fortune Yu Sheng (P 1,188) with Salmon Fillet and a variety of condiments and the Vegetarian Lo Hei (P 728) with Mixed Seasonal Fruits and Shimeji Mushrooms with condiments. Diners can also request for the Salmon Fillet Yu Sheng (P 988) or Sliced Abalone Yu Sheng (P 1,288), available until February 15.
The liberating Yu Sheng Salad Toss was a great way to start a sumptuous lunch with Xin Tian Di's curated Chinese New Year Menu. Xin Tian Di showcases a decadent feast until Chinese New Year, February 5, with a choice of Set and A La Carte menus. Included in the Set Menu is a box of Koi Fish Nian Gao, a choice of Eight Treasures Fish Maw with Shredded Sea Abalone Soup or the Double-Boiled Conch Meat, Chicken with Conpoy Soup, a choice of rice or noodles with the Braised E-Fu Noodle with Crab Meat and Assorted Seafood with Egg White or Fried Organic Rice with Veal and Asparagus in XO Sauce followed by dessert with the Taro Pearl with Coconut Cream and Pan-Fried Sweet Glutinous Rice. For our lunch, we sampled Xin Tian Di's "Wealthy Menu" (P 12,888++ for four persons) which starts with a choice of either the Great Glory Yu Sheng or the Cold Cuts Combination (Chinese or Japanese style) with jellyfish, sliced pork, century egg, sushi and rolls.
We were then served the rest of dishes from the "Wealthy Menu", starting with the Eight Treasure Fish Maw with Shredded Abalone Soup, a hearty soup loaded with succulent seafood...
...and the Deep-Fried US Scallop with Wasabi Salad Dressing with a side of broccoli. The plump scallops delivered bold yet fresh and clean flavors, punctuated by the subtle bite of the spicy wasabi.
Elegantly plated, the stuffed US scallops coat the palate with its rich flavors to welcome an abundant and prosperous new year.
The juicy Roasted Duck in Plum Sauce also seemed to be quite the crowd favorite on our table, and why not, the duck is just masterfully roasted for a decadent richness that just lingers long after that last bite.
The juicy duck meat with that layer of fat and skin will have you going for one more piece. And another...
The Steamed Codfish Fillet with Black Bean Sauce offers delicate flavors, with melt-in-your-mouth slabs of codfish on soft and silky tofu drizzled with nutty black bean sauce.
Best enjoyed with a piece of codfish and tofu and some of the black bean sauce in one bite to complete the flavors, the dish is another flavorful layer to your Chinese New Year feast at Xin Tian Di.
More rice? The Fried Organic Rice with Veal and Asparagus in XO Sauce completes the feast.
For dessert, diners can indulge in thick slices of Pan-Fried Sweet Glutinous Rice Cakes...
...and the Taro Pearl with Coconut Cream. It's a lavish feast to get you on the perfect right start for the new year. Xin Tian Di also offers other Set Menu options including the "Happiness Menu" (P 16,888++ good for six) with Fortune Yu Sheng (Salmon Fillet) or Cold Cuts Combination, Hot Prawn Salad, One-Half Roasted Peking Duck served Two-Ways with Chinese Pancakes, Steamed Halibut Fillet in Golden Garlic Sauce, Braised Broccoli with Wild Mushroom Bean Curd Roll in Abalone Sauce, and Wok-Fried Minced Duck in Lettuce Cups.
The "Prosperity Menu" (P 22,888++ for eight persons) includes the Great Glory Yu Sheng or Cold Cuts Combination, Hot Prawn Salad, Roasted Peking Duck, Deep-Fried Crispy Taro Shrimp with Honey Plum Sauce, Scallop with Chun Sauce, Stewed Home-Style Pork Knuckle with Mushroom and Deep-Fried Homemade Bean Curd "Patatim" Style (this one's an old favorite, find out more on my post from last year here at Welcome The Year of the Dog at Crowne Plaza Manila and an absolute must-try), Steamed Codfish Fillet in Crushed Soya Bean and Wok-Fried Minced Duck in Lettuce Cups.
The "Fortune Menu" (P 26,888++ for ten persons) includes the Fortune Yu Sheng or the Cold Cuts Platter, Hot Prawn Salad, Roasted Peking Duck, Stir-Fried Tiger Prawn with Butter and Garlic Sauce, Stewed Homestyle Pork Knuckle, Steamed Live Garoupa with Superior Soya Sauce and Wok-Fried Minced Duck.
Or you can go all out with Xin Tian Di's "Great Glory Menu" (P 29,888++ for ten) with Great Glory Yu Sheng or Divine Combination Platter, Deep-Fried Crispy Taro Shrimp with Honey Plum Sauce and Scallop with Wasabi Sauce, Roasted Peking Duck, Steamed Live Codfish Fillet with Deep-Fried Homemade Bean Curd in Crushed Soya Bean, Stewed Home-Style Pork Knuckle with Black Mushroom and Sea Moss and Wok-Fried Minced Duck.
To get you in the Chinese New Year vibe, Crowne Plaza Manila Galleria and Holiday Inn Manila Galleria will be presenting a Lion and Dragon Dance later this evening, February 4 at 7:00 pm at the Crowne Plaza lobby.
It's all about starting the year right. And you can begin at Xin Tian Di...
Xin Tian Di is located at at the Fourth Level of Crowne Plaza Manila
Galleria, Ortigas Avenue, corner Asian Development Bank Avenue, Ortigas
Center, Quezon City or call (632) 633-7222 local 7296 and 7298 for inquiries and
reservations. You can also visit their FB Page at https://www.facebook.com/xintiandirestaurant/ for more updates.
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