The year of the rooster begins on Saturday. We look at the meaning behind the rooster in the Chinese zodiac, as well as traditional new year dishes like long noodles, mandarin oranges and spring rolls.
L.A. Weekly food editor and host of the podcast "Smart Mouth" Katherine Spiers ran down a list of where to find some traditional Chinese New Year foods in LA right now. Here are her suggestions:
Mama Lu's in Monterey Park for stir-fried dumplings
Luscious for pot sticker style dumplings
Five Star Seafood Restaurant for steamed rock cod
Wang Jia in San Gabriel for sweet rice balls; they serve them stuffed with sesame paste and topped with bits of Osmanthus flower.
Class 302 for miswa, a dish made with long noodles
Sea Harbour for spring rolls
Sam Woo Barbecue for pre-roasted whole poultry
Lunasia in Alhambra for turnip cakes or for a one-stop shop for a full, traditional Chinese New Year meal.