Saturday August 2nd is Chinese Valentine’s Day. The festival is on the 7th day of the 7th lunar month every year and celebrates the annual meeting of the cowherd and weaver girl in Chinese mythology.
As the legend goes, a young cowherd, Niulang sees a beautiful girl, Zhinü. Unbeknownst to him she is the 7th daughter of the Goddess, who had just escaped from boring heaven to look for fun on Earth. Zhinü immediately falls in love with Niulang, and they get married. They have a perfect marriage, Zhinü was a wonderful wife, and Niulang was an attentive husband. They lived happily and had two children. But soon the Goddess of Heaven found out that Zhinü had married a mere mortal. The Goddess was furious and ordered Zhinü to return to heaven. Niulang woke up one morning to discover Zhinü left with no trace. He was devastated and confused. Suddenly, his ox began to talk, asking to be killed for him to find his wife. He could then wear his hide and would be able to go up to Heaven and find his wife. Crying bitterly, Niulang reluctantly killed his ox, put on the skin, and carried his two beloved children off to Heaven in search of Zhinü. The Goddess discovered this and was enraged. Taking out her hairpin, she scratched a wide river in the sky to separate the two lovers forever, thus forming the Milky Way. Zhinü must sit forever on one side of the river, sadly weaving in her loom, while Niulang watches her from afar, taking care of their two children. But once a year all the magpies in the world take pity on them and fly up into heaven to form a bridge so the lovers can be together for just a single night, which is the seventh night of the seventh moon.
To celebrate, here are two romantic restaurants to take your date out to celebrate:
Flamme Valentine's Dinner
August 2, 2014
699 RMB per couple
99 RMB extra for two Valentine’s Day Cocktails or Sparkling Wine
Offered at both Indigo and Sanlitun locations
Menu:
Amuse Bouche
Eggplant Ricotta with Prosciutto
Bread
House Bread with Strawberry Butter
Starter
Griddle Tiger Prawn & Scallop with Smoked Salmon Mousse
Second Course
Lime Sherbet Cleanser with Rose Cookies
Main Course
Grill Grain Fed 150days Tenderloin 180g with Wild Mushroom Sauce & Roasted Stuffed Golden Crab Shell
Dessert
Yogurt & Raspberry Parfait with Heart-shaped Pastry
Or,
A romantic dinner at Agua.
August 2, 2014
980 RMB per couple
2980 RMB per couple for private VIP room
Menu Option 1:
Agua amuse bouches & complimentary Valentines rose
Duck egg, iberico ham sofrito, potatos & breadcrumbs
Chilled Seafood platter (8pc Argentinean prawn,1/2 boston lobster,2 Hokkaido scallops)
Wagyu short rib served with spinach corinthian raisins & toasted pine nuts and beef jus
Total price per couple: 980 RMB
Menu Option 2:
Slow cooked organic lamb shoulder served with Jordi’s tomato bread and lamb jus.
St.Valentines desserts trolley
Total price per couple: 980 RMB
Vip Room Menus:
Agua amuse bouches & complimentary Valentines rose
50 months cured Ibérico Ham from Monsalud ‘La Dehesa de Extremadura’,
Elected “Best Iberico Ham in the World” in 2011
Chilled seafood boiled in salty water and fresh herbs.
1pc Canadian Lobster, 5 hokkaido scallops, 6 pc premium Argentinian prawns,12 shrimps
Japanese Matsuzaka rib eye A5 grade
St.Valentines desserts trolley
Total price per couple: 2980 RMB
