I felt much richer in my knowledge of the use of sauces. We had delicately flavoured lobster in XO sauce (made of dry scallops and shrimps). There was chicken in the chef's own Black Beau sauce and its subtler cousin - pepper sauce. I sampled bean curd tossed in dry chilli sauce, prawns with lychees in a cloying sweet (and sour) sauce and a very standard chicken in honey sauce. But what was missing was the natural flavours of the food - everything was so tasty and spiced up.

At Taipan (Oberoi), too, Chef Jakie Soo had planned a proper new year's meal and introduced us to the highlights in his halting English. We were welcomed with hotly fried moneybags (little stuffed dimsum-like pouches.. Next we were introduced to the mysteries of sea moss (lohan chai) without which no new year is complete. Along with this was special New Year's fried rice with the mandatory Chinese sausages and rice cake in vegetables - another must.

The Scallops with snow peas and Jumbo Prawns were a true testimony to the amazingly light Cantonose style. But the culmination of the meal was the Peking Duck. Tiny pungent slices of it are rolled up with crisp cucumber and spring onions in little phulkas of maida. We ended the meal with New Year's candied sweets (a taste of which I must develop), and good luck oranges.

The rabbit is supposed to symbolise graciousness and good taste. If this can be represented in food you will find it at the Empress of China (Parkroyal). The food here is an example of good sichuan flavours - pungent but not overpowering. Here too there is a special New Year's menu, with a wide choice for vegetarians. If you go there in a group try the beggars chicken - a whole, but boneless bird, stuffed and cooked in the oven.

You can also check out Sampan at Surya for your very own Bugs Bunny. Between February 17 and 24, it will be there to welcome you and send you off with bunny-shaped chocolates. And if you get lucky, you may win a complimentary meal at one of the Surya restaurants.