It was a satisfying evening in every respect, made even more remarkable by the relatively modest cost — $50 — and the fact that Wong was still recovering from several broken ribs he suffered in an auto accident a few weeks earlier.
China Cotttage’s Chinese New Year celebration is quickly becoming a must-attend event, but it appears the secret is already out: The dinner drew 200 people each night, and both nights sold out well in advance.
Tiger pulls in the chefs and several employees from China Cottage’s other restaurants in Kettering, Springboro and Trotwood to make the evening work, and what could have been a logistical nightmare came off without a hitch.
Tiger said he tested as many as 50 different dishes before deciding on his menu. The attention to detail showed. Highlights from the 11 food courses included a seared scallop served atop a thin slice of sweet pineapple; a complex, flavorful palate freshener of tangerine macerated in orange liqueur and cinnamon; an “Olympic Bird Nest” dish that contained real crab meat; Chrysanthemum Filet Mignon, beef tenderloin stir-fried with sweet red bell peppers and button mushrooms; and the only dish to make a return appearance from last year’s China Cottage New Year’s menu, a spicy, garlicky Sea Bass with XO Sauce.
The restaurant placed two bottles of wine, one white and one red, on each 10-person table to share, at no additional charge. One person at each table of 10 received a $10 gift certificate, and every attendee was given an envelope with a crisp $1 bill in it at night’s end.
Diners who were not seated in the bar area had to watch the musical performance on video screens, but that’s a necessary inconvenience when serving a crowd of 200.
It was a fabulous evening, start to finish.
Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2258 or mfisher@coxohio.com.
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