CHINESE NEW YEAR 2010 – FORTITUDE VALLEY BRISBANE

Last Saturday afternoon, the TRIBE drop by and had a look at the Chinese Year Celebration being held in Chinatown, Fortitude Valley.  We intentionally avoided the Sunday celebration as we know that it will be too crowded for us.  The steel carp was still all wrapped up and it was unveiled the next day, it was nice actually when I saw it on the Sunday afternoon news.  I was expecting that I will be knocked out of my sandals when I got to see the renovated Chinatown Mall but sorry to say, it was just okay to me.  All they did was smooth the pavement and add a structure that looks Asian but resembles the lopsided structure in the Brisbane City Mall.  Yes, they did add a water feature but I still miss the old one with live koi (carp) and goldfish.

The program was okay, the highlight of the show was the Lion Dance, people just followed them where ever they were because they looks so vibrant and exciting.  After the show the Lucky Fire Crackers were lighted and the God of Wealth distributed “Red Packets” with the help of 2 security guards, sad to say….even when the lady announcer told the audience that the packets were for the children, half way through the distribution the audience lost the plot and mobbed the packet givers, I didn’t know full grown adults are still considered children.  Mr. H told me earlier for us to join in the fun of squeezing ourselves so that Miss M and Mr. Adventurous can have one packet each for luck but I told him, we should just wait and they will come to our area …..silly of me, to make the story short…the little ones didn’t get any red packets.

Lion Dance and Martial Arts Display was performed that Saturday afternoon by the Hok Chung Wu Shu Centre.

The first thing we  did once we went out of the parking lift was to do a beeline on the handful of stall located on the left side of the stage.  Miss M bought folded fans and a hand drum for Mr. Adventurous.  I got a couple of red envelope packets to top up my supply for the year as I use them to give money gifts for friends and relatives on their special occasions.

I would love to buy those little teapots for decorations but I have to control myself, I got too many knick knacks at home.  Look at those little bowls, aren’t they lovely?

Here’s the water feature I’m talking about, so average I think….

I took a picture of the structure before we had dinner as it looks nicer at night time.

The TRIBE ate here (I don’t want to type the name),  as I was not sure during last week when we will go during the Chinese New Year week long celebration, I didn’t make a booking on any of our favourite restaurants in the Valley.  That night, I first asked Enjoy Inn if they have any available seats but I was told that they are fully booked.  Next to Enjoy Inn was this place and when asked, was very accommodating and friendly.  We were seated immediately outside, as requested and orders were taken very quickly.  I was excited as I saw a newspaper food review on their front door stating that this place was good.

 

Well, the food arrived……I ordered a Mixed Entree (curry puff, prawn toast, fried dim sim), for $7.50 and it was just normal take away fare, if I bought this in a Chinese take away shop I would have got a couple of each for that asking price.  The Fried Rice and Deep Fried Boneless Chicken was ordinary.  What’s really disappointing was the Home Made Crackling Pork, I didn’t take a picture as it is not worth it.  There was crackling alright, but the meat was a bit on the tough side and it was drizzled with light soy sauce, about 12 slices in total and the dish doesn’t do justice with its expensive price tag, I won’t even serve this dish at home.  The Roasted Bean Curd with Chinese Mushroom in Hot Pot was very nice, this one I did enjoyed.  The staff at this restaurant was very friendly and attentive, too bad for the food.  A bit on the expensive side or maybe I am so used to eating in Sunnybank that offers good quality food with reasonable prices and you don’t have to pay for parking.  Oh well, maybe the guy who did the food review found something special with the food here that I might have missed with my average taste buds.

Before we went out of the Chinatown Carpark, I took a picture of the hustle and bustle going on downstairs.  It was a nice visit, but would I go again?  My answer would be, “If I really need to, I guess……to get takeaway in Kim Lan (they got nice food, trust me!) and maybe to find a certain ingredient that is not available either in Sunnybank or Inala.”  Maybe last Saturday was not the TRIBE’s lucky day, but it won't stop us from trying other restaurants in Chinatown specially the newly opened ones in the future.