It's the Year of the Monkey and many local businesses and hotel-casinos are celebrating the Chinese New Year over the next few weeks.
SPECIAL DISPLAYS
Chinese New Year has arrived at The Waterfall Atrium and Gardens of The Palazzo Las Vegas. 78 handcrafted monkeys with unique hand-painted faces are on display throughout The Venetian/The Palazzo. The main feature of the display is a 5-foot-tall, 300-pound monkey king seated at the base of a 38-foot-tall wishing tree. 29 young and mischievous monkeys are among the wishing tree's 8,000 branches of golden foliage. There are also 88 gold and red 6-foot lanterns suspended over the walkways, more than 1,000 blooming flowers, and more than 1,200 plants. On display through the Chinese New Year season.
Bellagio's Conservatory & Botanical Gardens celebrates the Year of the Monkey with a spirited display through March 12. The display's centerpiece features a garden representative of monkeys and their natural habitat. The display also features six colorful Chinese children topiaries, a moon gate bridge above a tranquil pond filled with Koi fish, an 18-foot tall Chinese money tree, a 12-foot lantern and I-Ching coins and Ingot fountains, and a dazzling mirrored horse from the Tang Dynasty in the lobby.
The main lobby at ARIA will feature celebratory decor in honor of the Year of the Monkey. Guests will be greeted by a 229-foot dragon weaving its way through clusters of Chinese lanterns and around a money tree. Three Chinese deities -- Fuk, Luk and Sau -- will greet guests upon check-in while standing on a platform behind ARIA's front desk.
The Flower Carpet on the first floor of The Shops at Crystals features a 12-foot-tall, illuminated and golden-coated monkey situated atop a bed of gold coins while holding a peach. The West Carpet features a Buddha sculpture surrounded by 50 citrus trees and 500 orchids. A total of 1,000 bromeliads, red and yellow mums and birds nest ferns were used throughout the two gardens at The Shops at Crystals.
LION DANCES
Caesars Entertainment Las Vegas resorts will host more than 15 Lion Dances across the city, begriming with daily performances at The LINQ Promenade on Monday, Feb. 8 through Sunday, Feb. 14. At each of the nine resorts, additional Lion Dance performances will start at the porte cochère and make their way through the casino from Feb. 12-17.
Feb. 8-13
7 p.m. – The LINQ Promenade
Feb. 12
5 p.m. – Caesars Palace
8 p.m. – The LINQ Hotel & Casino
9 p.m. – The Cromwell
Feb. 13
Noon – Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino
1 p.m. – Paris Las Vegas
2 p.m. – Bally’s Las Vegas
5 p.m. – Harrah’s Las Vegas
6 p.m. – Flamingo Las Vegas
Feb. 14
2:30 p.m. – The LINQ Promenade
Feb. 17
7 p.m. – Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino
DRAGON AND LION DANCES
The M Resort will celebrate the Chinese New Year with dragon and lion dances on Feb. 8 at 5 p.m. 30 dancers from the Lohan School of Shaolin will perform. In addition to a 63-foot dragon, there will be adult and baby lion dancers, happy Buddhas, musicians and festive flags. The resort will also be decorated during the Chinese New Year season with banners, orange trees with red envelopes and Chinese lanterns on display.
ARIA – Monday, Feb. 8 at 3 p.m. at the main porte cochere
MGM Grand – Tuesday, Feb. 9 at 3 p.m. inside the main lobby
Bellagio – Wednesday, Feb. 10 at 6:30 p.m. at the main porte cochere
CONCERTS
Tsai Chin, a pop and folk singer from Taiwan who sings in both Mandarin Chinese and Taiwanese, will perform at 10 p.m. Feb. 12 inside The Colosseum at Caesars Palace. Tickets range in price from $58 to $100, not including fees.
Ruco Chan and Linda Chung perform Feb. 12 inside The Joint at the Hard Rock hotel-casino. Tickets start at $73.
XUÂN YÊU TH??NG at The Cosmopolitan is an unforgettable New Year celebration featuring performances by world-class artists including Dam Vinh Hung, Thu Phuong, Tran Thu Ha, Quang Linh, Duy Manh, Lam Vu, Phuong Trang, Quang Toan, Khanh Di, Phuong vu, Tan Hy Khanh, Viet Huong, Hoai Tam, DCP Dancers and MC Thanh Tung. It will take place at 8:30 p.m. Feb. 13 inside The Chelsea at The Cosmopolitan. Ticket prices start at $50.
DINING
Guests at Caesars Entertainment Las Vegas resorts can enjoy special dining menus with traditional Chinese and Asian delicacies during the Lunar New Year at the Bacchanal Buffet at Caesars Palace, Beijing Noodle No. 9 at Caesars Palace, and MR CHOW at Caesars Palace.
Spago Las Vegas at The Forum Shops at Caesars is also celebrating the Year of the Monkey. From February 8-17, Executive Chef Eric Klein will be creating special Chinese New Year dishes that include Crisp Pork Belly & Tiger Praw Salad, Whole Sea Bass Hong Kong, Dim Sum with Bershire Pork Pot Sticker & Jidori Chicken Dumpling, Roasted Peking Duck and more. Additionally, on February 18, Wolfgang’s WP24 Executive Chef John Lechliedner will be at Spago and will prepare his special Chinese New Year dishes for that night only that include Prawn Hargow Dumplings, Stir Fried Manila Clams, Soy Glazed Kurobuta Pork Shanks and more.
The new Hong Kong Cafe at The Palazzo is offering a Chinese New Year special menu from Feb. 5 to 12. Menu includes soup, golden crispy chicken, sun-dried golden oyster with sea moss, Asian pork knuckle stew, Buddha Feast featuring sauteed seasonal vegetables with ginger juice, firecracker Manila clams, roasted pork belly, pan-fried lamb, sea cucumber, baby bok choy, live lobster and the Emperor's Treasure featuring a variety of seafood for four people.
Public House at The Venetian is celebrating with a a special of crispy beer-braised pork belly bao buns, with pea tendrils, cucumbers, green onion, hoisin sauce, sweet chili sauce, and peanuts (2 per order) for $8.88, along with wine and beer pairings to complement the dish.
db Brasserie at The Venetian is offering lobster and pork belly fried rice, star anise and maple-marinated duck breast.
Dragon Noodle Co. & Sushi Bar at the Monte Carlo is offering a special menu on Feb. 8 for $28.88 per person. The menu features braised dried oyster and black moss with oyster sauce, Manila clams with black bean sauce, and Chinese Napa with bean thread, black fungus, black moss, snow peas and Chinese mushrooms.
Hakkasan is celebrating the Year of the Monkey with a limited edition menu created by International Executive Chef Ho Chee Boon alongside an exclusive cocktail and dessert. Menu items include double-boiled fresh ginseng and chicken soup followed by Diced Wagyu beef and pine nut golden cup and a Dim sum platter. Main dishes include Wok-fry lobster in spicy truffle sauce, Pipa duck, Grilled Chilean seabass in honey and a Hericium mushroom stir-fry with lotus root, asparagus and lily bulb in black pepper and Dried scallop and crab meat fried rice. Desserts include the Golden Halo (banana and peanut cake and five spice infused cream). The 9 Hou cocktail is comprised of 9 components representing the monkey's 8th position on the zodiac. Everyone who dine from the special menu will receive a specially designed Year of the Monkey coin as a gift of good fortune. A lion dance will take place Feb. 4 inside the restaurant.
Studio B Buffet at theM Resort will serve a variety of Asian favorites Feb. 8-23. Selections will include lion’s head meatballs with Bok Choy, poached chicken with ginger and scallions, beef lo mein, sweet and sour pork, chicken lettuce wraps, spinach and bamboo shoots, spring rolls and Chinese almond cookies.
Jasmine at Bellagio will offer a Chinese New Year a la carte menu in place of its regular dinner menu February 7-14 available 5:30 p.m. – 10 p.m. and a special holiday Dim Sum menu February 5-14 available 11 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. The menu will feature Steamed Golden Oyster and Sea Moss, Braised Beef Brisket with Five Spice and Daikon and Breaded Stuffed Crab Claw with Shrimp Pasta.
The Grand Wok and Sushi Bar at MGM Grand will offer a special menu, February 6-13, featuring Pan Fried Filet Mignon, Braised Sea Bass and Sesame Mochi with Bean Powder. The celebratory menu will be available February 6-7 & 12-13, 11 a.m. – 2 a.m., February 8, 11 a.m. – midnight and February 9-11, 11 a.m. – 10 p.m.
Fin at The Mirage will add Crisp Fried Chilean Sea Bass to its regular menu for $42 as a special treat for the holiday.
China Poblano at The Cosmopolitan will offer a special Year of the Monkey menu between Feb. 7 and 22. Festive dishes will include Zhu Da’s Yu Yin with cured quail egg yolk, caviar and rose wine; Vegetable Jiaozi with seasonal vegetables, soy seasoning and cilantro dough; Leaping Over the Dragon’s Gate with crispy snapper fish, scallions and ginger; Zh? Què with whole quail and dragon fruit; Wealthy Pork Noodle with braised pork belly, hand-pulled noodles and pickled carrots; Gem of China with whole abalone and superior congee and Choy Sum with oyster sauce and black bean crumbs. Cocktails will include the Monkey King served with dragon fruit and lychee infused baijiu, jasmine tea syrup, yuzu and Belgian wheat ale; Journey to the West crafted with gin, lemongrass-ginger syrup, butterfly pea tea and lemon juice; Green Tea Sour infused with green tea whiskey, St. Germain, lemon and egg white; and Golden Rice prepared with mijiu and Ti Kuan Yin oolong tea syrup perapina. To close out the celebratory feast, China Poblano serves up its Sweet Life dessert; a black sesame flan topped with lychee sorbet and caramelized walnuts.
Celebrate the Year of the Monkey at Holsteins Shakes and Buns inside The Cosmopolitan with Holstein’s Crispy Beer Braised Pork Belly Bao Buns, prepared with pea tendrils, cucumbers, green onion, hoisin sauce, sweet chili sauce, and peanuts.
CHINESE NEW YEAR IN THE DESERT
"Ben" the WeChatRobot will make daily appearances at The LINQ Promenade from Feb. 8-14 and answer questions about the scheduled Chinese New year events.
Opening ceremony on Feb. 9 featuring a live authentic dragon dance, an eye painting ceremony and performers dressed in elaborate costumes on Feb. 9 at The LINQ Promenade.
Performances by Hunan group at The LINQ Promenade Feb. 9-14.
Ice sculpting and fruit carving by Le Cordon Bleu at The LINQ Promenade on Feb. 10. Noodle pulling and suckling pig demo on Feb. 12.
Dance 4-A-Cause on Feb. 13 at The LINQ Promenade to benefit Somerset Academy and Spread the Word Nevada.
Display of 22-foot long, 6-foot wide and 12-foot high illuminated dragon during the Chinese New Year season inside The Forum Shops at Caesars.
20th annual Meadows School Dragon Parade on Feb. 8 inside The Forum Shops at Caesars. More than 120 students from the school participate.
Special retail offers during the Chinese New Year season.
OTHER CELEBRATIONS
The Boulevard Mall is hosting its first Chinese New Year in the Desert Celebration on Feb. 10 to usher in the Year of the Monkey. The festivities will take place from 5 to 7 p.m. The celebration will include lion dances, martial arts demonstrations, a cultural fashion show, acrobats, traditional Chinese music performances and folk dances. Children can make lanterns in the Craft Area throughout the day. All entertainment is free and open to the public.
If you would like to submit information for this article, send a press release to joyce.lupiani@ktnv.com.
