A Confucian Wellington New Year’s Eve

Hot Sauce is serving up a spicy Wellington New Year’s Eve for its inaugural end of year bash. And it’s doing it with lucky number 7 in mind.

The digit most people choose when asked for a number between 1 and 10, and probably the most significant number across world religions and cultures. There are 7 days in a week, 7 hells in Game of Thrones, and 007 is Bond … James Bond. There are 7 deadly sins, 7 seas to be sailed, and 7 colours in the rainbow.

Many would say the most important 7-related titbit is that “Seven” is the name George Costanza desired to give his first-born (having allegedly promised this to the widow of baseball great Micky Mantle).

But this is a shout out to another 7.

Taking a leaf out of Chinese culture, Hot Sauce is bringing the fire and flavour to Wellington New Year’s Eve with a menu that involves seven elements, which represent harmony and bring good fortune according to Confucianism.

There’s Yin and Yang cocktails, and a set menu of dishes inspired by Metal, Wood, Water, Fire and Earth. Next-level kitchen skills and culinary innovation means guests will experience a wild ride of flavours and melodious cocktails to match.

Kong Qiu, better known as Confucius, was an uber-wise man and was known to spit the truth now and then. Clearly Hot Sauce have taken “The way you cut your meat reflects the way you live” on board, because their NYE dishes are sharp, fresh and cutting edge, to say the least.

The menu designed for two includes:

Water

Ora King salmon oyster scampi sashimi with dashi soup buckwheat noodle.

Earth

Potato beetroot carrot kumara soba noodle tempura.

Fire

Scallop ceviche inside burnt leek.

Air

Gochuzang spiced chicken.

Wood

Golden needle oyster shitake mushroom okonomi yaki.

Yin Cocktail

Spiced rum, crème cacao, brown sugar with orange and angostura bitters
Served in a double rocks glass over ice.

Yang Cocktail

Chili infused white rum, coconut syrup, pineapple and lime juice
Served in a highball with a black shaved coconut rim.

Hot Sauce New Year’s Eve bookings are a must. Call (+64) 4 802 8901 or email [email protected]

words by niall roeder