Ping Pong welcomes the Year of the Snake

Ping Pong has unveiled a new seasonal menu to celebrate Chinese New Year – the Year of the Snake. Inspired by the Cantonese / Portuguese fusion cuisine of Macau, a former Portuguese colony since the 16th century, Macanese cuisine consists of a blend of southern Chinese and Portuguese cuisines, with strong influences and blends of spices from Latin America, Africa, India and southeast Asia. Classic Macanese ingredients and flavours include salt cod, chilli, turmeric, coconut, paprika, five spice powder and star anise.

Devised by chef David Wong, one of the founding members of the Macau Culinary Association, the specials menu will be available at all Ping Pong restaurants from 5th February until 8thApril 2013.

Plates include Cod and Tuduo Balls - salted cod, coriander, red pepper and potato, served with a chilli bean sauce [£3.95]; Chinkang Prawn Wrap – prawn, bream and cabbage rolls with Chinkang sauce, served on a black fungus bed [£3.95]; Spiced Pork Stew - pork, shiitake mushroom, black fungus, black cardamom, cinnamon and star anise, served with jasmine rice [£5.25]; and Pao Cai and Mushroom Dumpling, shiitake mushroom, carrot and cabbage in a carrot pastry [£3.45].

Diners can round off their meal with a Macanese classic - Pastel de Nata - a custard tart served with traditional vanilla ice cream [£3.95]. And for those that fancy trying a cocktail with a Macanese twist Ping Pong’s bar team have created the Guava Tea Party, a well-balanced combination of tropical flavours with a hint of chilli, Bacardi rum, peach, guava juice, limes and jasmine iced tea [£6.95]. The cocktail is available in virgin form [£2.95].

David Wong said, “It has been a pleasure working with the team at Ping Pong to bring a little bit of Macau to London. I hope it will inspire people to visit Macau and discover its unique culture and history for themselves”.

Visitors to Ping Pong restaurants between 5th February and 8thApril 2013 will also have the chance to win a five night trip to Macau, courtesy of Travelbag, with flights, accommodation and transfers included.