10 Delicious Desserts to Celebrate Lunar New Year in LA

Celebrate the Year of the Tiger with vegan ice cream kits, taro donuts, high tea, and more.

Lunar New Year is the biggest vacation of the year in China and other Asiatic rural area like Vietnam , South Korea , Malaysia , and Taiwan , beginning on the first fresh lunar month of the lunar calendar year and encompass up to two full weeks of celebrations . The holiday , which fall on February 1 this yr , represent a time to give thanks to ancestors and gather with protracted family that you might only get to see once a year .

Los Angeles ishome to one of the largest Asian populations in the countryand many restaurants honor the custom with lavish seasonal dishes meant to land luck and prosperity into the Modern year . Desserts like Babao Fan eight gem rice , Nian gaosticky Elmer Leopold Rice cake , Tang Yuan glutinous rice dumplings , and fried sesame seed Lucille Ball are classics , but in late year , a raw genesis of Asian - American pastry chef , chocolatiers , and ice cream makers are premise new twists on nostalgic tone . Here are ten Lunar New Year desserts in LA to serve you ring in the Year of the Tiger :

Chinese New Year Ice Cream Kit

Dear Bella CreameryHollywoodAlice Cherng and Belinda Wei are known for their delectable scratch - made , seasonally rotating vegan ice creams , offering everything from sundae to floats to soft serve and ice-skating rink ointment cakes . To celebrate their Taiwanese - American heritage , they are launching three particular flavour for Lunar New Year — Black Sesame , Taiwanese Pineapple Cake , and Dan Dan Noodle , a sweet and spicy collaboration withFly By Jingchili crisp swirled into a rich groundnut butter ice rink cream base that ’s infused with toasted sesame oil , acetum , and gluten - gratis soy sauce . Noodles are typically eaten during Lunar New Year , with long noodles represent a long life . How to order : All three Lunar New Year flavor are available by the scoopful at their Hollywood scoop shop , and you canpre - decree the celebration kit online , include three pints of ice pick , a jarful of homemade red bean sauce , and Formosan candies to pick - up in stock between January 29 and February 3 .

Lunar New Year Mousse Cake and Lucky Candy Buttercream Cake

dōmiArts DistrictThe showy hair gel cakes by former all right dining pastry chefs Evelyn Ling and Joe Cheng Reed are almost too pretty to eat , but slice into their determine editionLunar New Year Mousse Cakefor layer of sweeten red bean mousse , fragrant Earl Grey cake , and white chocolate crunch . There ’s also aButtercream Sponge Cakeinspired by the strawberry - flavored lucky candies that are popular during Lunar New Year , with Valrhona hemangioma simplex ganache and strawberry buttercream . How to order : Curbside pick - up in the Arts District on Santa Fe Ave and 7th Ave from Friday through Sunday , along with Saturday evening choice - ups in Temple City atElite Ballet Theatre . The Lucky Candy Buttercream Cake can also be ordered for countrywide legal transfer onGoldbelly .

Red Bean Mille Crêpes

Lady M ConfectionsArcadia , Irvine and West HollywoodLady M is famed for delicate mille crêpes , combine Japanese and French proficiency and flavors for ethereal cakes that are n’t too honeyed . For Lunar New Year , their signature crêpes are layered with pastry dough cream and Hokkaido azuki red bean library paste , which is a vulgar filling in traditional Taiwanese pastry like sesame seed ball and nian gao sticky Sir Tim Rice patty . How to order : Walk - indium are accept and you’re able to order private slices of cake or cull up the full Red Bean Mille Crepes in each dress shop . You canorder onlinefor same - day clean - up andorder Lunar New Year gift setswith crepe cakes , tradition red envelopes , and confections to ship nationally too .

Prosperity Taro Donut

Holey Grail DonutsCulver CityCulver City is the only blot on the mainland where you’re able to sample this mini Hawaiian sinker chain that releases weekly tasting boxes that celebrate their community . Holey Grail ’s turn taro solution donut are light and downlike with a crispy outside , fried to order in coconut fossil oil , and vegan too . Kumquats are a traditional gift of prosperity during Lunar New Year , and this kumquat poppy seed glaze is a bright , tart seasonal favourite . How to say : Walk in or govern pickuponlinefromPlatform LA . Holey Grain is open up a Santa Monica workshop shortly .

Black Sesame Praline Yuzu Bonbons + Black Sesame Hazelnut PralineChocolate Bars

Milla ChocolatesCulver CityKorean - American chocolatier Christine Sull Sarioz is creating a couple of circumscribed edition coffee delicacies for Lunar New Year . Cube - shape Black Sesame Praline and Yuzu Ganache Bonbons will be in inventory start January 22 , along with Black Sesame Hazelnut Praline Bars in festive red packaging that resembles the lucky red envelopes that are traditionally filled with cash and given to family and friends during the holiday . How to say : Milla Chocolates is open Wednesday through Sunday , from 10 am to 5 autopsy . Tuesday they are open for pickup arm only from twelve noon to 5 premier . Curbside pick - up is also available byordering out front .

Almond Jelly Gelato

ChifaEagle RockChifa is a luxe , jade - hued Eden for Peruvian - Chinese cuisine , and for the 2d weekend of Lunar New Year , they ’re offering a special afters in quislingism with local gelato Godhead Alicia Liu ofLavender and Truffles . Make a reserve to sink into dishes like Tiradito with fresh Japanese sea bream and Mrs. Henry Wood - grill Lomo Saltado , but make indisputable you finish your repast with Liu ’s single Almond Gelato , served in a argent sundae bowlful with a yield garnish and inspire by almond jelly fruit cocktails that are a popular dessert at Formosan buffets . The dessert will come along on the menu the weekend of February 11.How to order : Reservations are encouraged and can be made viaTock . Order onlinefor weft - up .

Lunar New Year High Tea

Le Méridien Pasadena ArcadiaArcadiaFrom February 1st through February 13 , this fresh , mid - century innovative hotel that ’s adjacent to the Santa Anita wash track celebrates the Year of the Tiger with a sweet and spicy high-pitched afternoon tea menu . Make a booking and tuck into Chinese pastries like Coconut Jelly , Red Date Mochi , Black Sesame Red Date Walnut Cookies , Peanut Sesame Candy , and Sugared Tomatoes by Jasmine Chou atKaki Bakery . How to order : gamey afternoon tea service is uncommitted in the Mélange High Tea Lounge , Thursday through Sunday from 2–5 Prime Minister . Reservations must be made at least 24 hours in advance viaOpenTableor by call the eatery flat at 626 - 412 - 8688 .

Xôi Gấc and Mứt

Sesame LAChinatownSesame LA possessor Linda Sivrican is curating Lunar New Year boxes fill with sweet candies ( Mứt ) and blossom - shaped unenviable red Elmer Leopold Rice cake ( Xôi Gấc ) made by her mom to portion out some of her favorite Lunar New Year handle with guest . The box include candied versions of lotus seeds , pep , soursop , colourful young coconut core , and crunchy black and lucky sesame collation along with other surprises . How to order : Pre - order $ 35 Lunar New Year box viaInstagramDM . There will also be a limited identification number of boxes available in the shop class , and Xôi Gấc cake will be available for individual purchase ( $ 8) while supplies last .

Oolong Pineapple Cake, White Rabbit and Jasmine Sea Salt Osmanthus Ice Cream

Wanderlust CreameryMultiple locationsThis Filipino American - owned exclusive shop has three Lunar New Year - inspired tone on the card in February , include a White Rabbit nip inspired by Shanghainese White Rabbit milk confect that proceed viral in 2019 . The Oolong Pineapple Cake features whirl of house - made pineapple press and larder piece of Taiwanese - style pineapple pastry dough , and trade name new this year is a Jasmine Tea Ice Cream with swirls of osmanthus flower - infused salted blank chocolate ganache . How to order : These Lunar New Year flavour will be available at all five scoop shops to order by the scoop or pint throughout the month of February . Wanderlust Creamery also offers in - store pickup and local delivery throughout Los Angeles , and ships pints nationwide from theironline dry pint shop .

Harmony and Good Fortune

CrustaceanBeverly HillsVietnamese - owned icon Crustacean rings in the Lunar New Year with two sweet for harmony and good fortune . Harmony is a vegan coconut tapioca theme with a pastiche of tropic fruit including dragon fruit , litchi , rambutan , jackfruit , and coconut water ice . Good Fortune resembles a tangerine tree , a traditional symbol for wealth , with sticky gooey butter bar , makrut lime tree , and desiccate Citrus reticulata . How to tell : Both set Lunar New Year desserts will be available from February 1 through 6 during dinner party service at Crustacean for $ 22 each . Same - day reservations are not accept . Make reservationsonline .

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