Van N.
Yelp
Happy Lunar New Year!
It's the Year of the Cat!
It's the Year of the Mèo Bar!
While everyone is celebrating the rabbit for Lunar New Year (Tết) 2023, us Vietnamese folks are celebrating the Year of the cat, con mèo.
As a child, my excitement of Tết was focused around the amount of lì xì (lucky money) I would receive. I remember waking up early each new year's morning to memorize the blessings that I would later have to give to each elder I came across. I truly believed the more blessings I gave, the better chance I would have to receive extra red envelopes.
As I grew older, I started to recognize Tết was so much more than the lì xìs. I started to see the symbolism behind the cleaning of the ancestral shrine, the care my mother took to make her pickled veggies, the offerings of sweet sticky rice to Ông Táo, the kitchen god, the smell of incense roaming through the house before the crack of dawn, the family gatherings surrounding a table filled with assortment of dishes from bánh Tết to thịt kho trứng, and the silent bows in front of Buddha my parents gave to pray for me and my siblings to live a life that's happy and healthy.
And maybe it's because this is my first year not being able to celebrate Tết with my family, but I value more than ever now, the meaning behind how you welcome in the new year. So friends I am here to tell you, that if you find yourself in a place where you don't have close access to your family or usual customs, Mèo Bar is here for you.
Year of the Mèo Bar, I share these blessings with you.
Chúc mừng năm mới - Happy New Year
The Golden Moon: sugar cane juice, kumquat, lemon grass, and egg white. A perfect representation to celebrate the first new moon of the lunar calendar. Bright, bold and refreshing.
An khang thịnh vượng - Wishing you security, good health, and prosperity.
Daikon Foie Stacks: turnip cakes, house bacon, sesame sweet soy, and grated foie gras. May the new year be as prosperous and solid as this thick stack of turnip cakes were.
Vạn sự như ý - May things go according to your will.
Spicy rice rolls: crispy rice rolls, spicy tamarind, sesame, and scallions. Life is a rollercoaster, let the good times roll, and it will always be a good time with these rice rolls.
Tiền vô như nước - Hope your money flows in like water.
Squid ink siu mai: house bacon, gulf shrimp, squid ink wonton skins, gold flakes. May money flow in like water or sit on top of your dumplings, both sounds nice.
Sống lâu trăm tuổi - Wishing you a long life of 100 years.
Kimchi butter dumplings: steamed chicken filling, Napa cabbage, kimchi butter sauce. Maximize your lifespan by bathing yourself in this kimchi butter sauce.
Sức khỏe dồi dào - And a year filled with plenty of health.
Salty Kitty: salted plum vodka, orange tincture, lemon, turbinado, and egg white. Do not be a salty kitty and have regrets. Instead, go drink a salty kitty and spend your time intentionally. Live a life that is full of love, happiness and good health.
And if you made it this far into this review you deserve a lì xì. Order the tea ceremony!
-Sailor out