Switch it up this reunion dinner — Thai & Thai debuts its first-ever Thai New Year’s Eve set menu

▲ Thai & Thai launches its first-ever “Thai Harmony” reunion dinner set this Lunar New Year’s Eve. (Photo provided by Thai & Thai)

Reported by Huang Shiyuan, Taipei

Tired of traditional reunion dishes? Thai restaurant Thai & Thai is launching its first-ever “Thai Harmony” reunion dinner set this Lunar New Year’s Eve. The specially curated authentic Thai royal cuisine features dishes symbolizing chicken, fish, and seafood — staples of New Year feasts — such as Stir-Fried Scallops with Leaping Carp using fresh horse mackerel and Traditional Roast Whole Chicken.

The “Spring Festival Royal Thai Banquet” consists of ten dishes: Fortune Shrimp Cakes (Money & Prosperity), Dual Delights of Thai Grilled Meats, Stir-Fried Scallops with Leaping Carp, Traditional Roast Whole Chicken, Sautéed Sea Cucumber with Auspicious Wishes, Stir-Fried Green Pak Choi, Golden Curry with Pineapple and Shrimp, Lobster Pho in Imperial Hotpot, One-Pot Imperial Feast, and a Sweet Assortment for Completeness.


▲ Stir-Fried Scallops with Leaping Carp. (Photo provided by Thai & Thai)


▲ Traditional Roast Whole Chicken. (Photo provided by Thai & Thai)

Tradition dictates that fish must be present during the New Year. Stir-Fried Scallops with Leaping Carp — made with fresh horse mackerel, where the fish meat is removed and the bones are deep-fried at high heat. The spine is artfully curled by skilled chefs to resemble a swimming fish. The tender fish meat is then stir-fried with sweet scallops, basil, and green Sichuan peppercorns, symbolizing abundance year after year. As for the Traditional Roast Whole Chicken, it is marinated for four hours in cilantro, white pepper, soy sauce, oyster sauce, and fish sauce, then slow-roasted until the skin turns golden and crisp, resulting in juicy, aromatic meat. Pineapple traditionally symbolizes prosperity. Golden Curry with Pineapple and Shrimp involves dicing an entire pineapple, mixing its flesh with a red curry paste of red chili, kaffir lime leaves, lemongrass, and galangal, then sautéing it. Fresh coconut milk is added and simmered with shrimp, served in a hollowed-out pineapple.


▲ Golden Curry with Pineapple and Shrimp. (Photo provided by Thai & Thai)

For the essential reunion hotpot symbolizing completeness, Thai & Thai presents a sour and spicy seafood steaming hotpot. The steamer tray is loaded with plump seafood such as scallops, shrimp, sea bass, and lobster, which are steamed above the sour-spicy broth. The essence of the seafood drips into the soup, enriching the flavor. A side of barley pork belly and vegetable platter is also provided for dipping.

The “Thai Harmony” reunion set, available from Lunar New Year’s Eve through the fifth day of the New Year, comes with a complimentary bottle of Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc 2015 worth 4,500 NTD. The set is priced at 32,888 NTD + 10% (serves 10 people) and includes 10 dishes. Additionally, from the first to the fifth day of the New Year, the “Thai Harmony” alternative set, “Thai Auspicious,” is offered at 21,888 NTD + 10% (serves 10 people) and includes 8 dishes.