Archived Article By Tom Fitzmorris Originally published January  21, 2008 Year Of The Rat Begins February 7 Chinese New Year Menu At Sesame Inn The Chinese lunar year 4706 begins Thursday, February 7. It functions somewhat the same way the Thanksgiving-Christmas holidays do in the West, with the same historical background: the harvest is finished, and it's not time to start next year's crops. Chinese people put on their best clothes and visit one another with a sense of celebration. Although most Chinese restaurants note the day, for the first time in my memory a local Chinese restaurant has created a special menu for the occasion. The Sesame Inn--a small but excellent cafe just off the Causeway in Mandeville--began offering its Chinese New Year menu last week, and will keep it going until February 10. With a couple of exceptions, the list brings forth dishes not often seen hereabouts. Here's the menu: Fat Choy Soup (New Year Soup) Fine cut celery, fresh mushrooms, and several chicken meatballs in a savory broth $3.25 Shrimp Toast (4) $6.25 Sesame Ribs Four pork ribs in a sweet-spicy sauce, covered with sesame seeds $6.25 Braised Oxtail A traditional Chinese New Year favorite, prepared by stewing choice oxtail with carrots and black mushrooms in a flavorful sauce $14.95 Leaping Buddha A medley of shrimp, scallops, abalone, sea cucumber, chicken and ham, sauteed with black mushrooms and mixed vegetables in a light, clear sauce $17.95 Black Pearl Prawns Prawns and black mushrooms stir-fried with califlower, served over a bed of fried rice noodles and garnished with shrimp chips $14.95 Chung Doo Chicken Stir-fried chunks of white meat chicken, bell peppers, straw mushrooms, and scallions served in a spicy brown sauce $12.95 Season Blossom Shiitake mushrooms with Chinese leafy vegetables stir-fried with minced garlic $10.95 Glazed Bananas $3.25 Hmm. This might make a good Eat Club dinner. I think I'll ask them about that. In the meantime, they have this available lunch and dinner, seven days a week. They'll even do take-out with this menu--although the service staff if so pleasant that eating in is the clear way to go. Happy New Year! Sesame Inn. 408 N. Causeway Blvd. 985-951-8888. © 2008 Tom Fitzmorris. All rights reserved. news@nomenu.com