CELEBRATE THE FULL MOON WITH A CHINESE BANQUET FROM GLASGOW’S JIMMY LEE

I had my first taste of moon cake to celebrate the Chinese full moon festival at Lychee Oriental on Tuesday.  
(Please don’t confuse moon cake with space cake - they are both very different things! and the moon cake was sweet like a pastry made of tablet.)
I enjoyed a full five course banquet prepared by telly chef and all round good guy Jimmy Lee at the restaurant.
It was a real delight with everything from an incredible Ginger Broth Congee (like savoury porridge but so moreish) , to Crispy Wontons with Soy Butter Dip, Five Spice Beef Flank Stew with Pak Choi and Steamed Rice, and sweet dessert of Hong Kong Peanut Butter French Toast with Banana Fritter.
Jimmy is a a real whizz when it comes to cooking - and I’m so glad he quit his job in financial services to become a master chef.

This September, people around the world will celebrate China's Mid-Autumn Festival, or Moon Festival. As the last days of late summer fade and the leaves on the chestnut trees begin to turn a golden brown, families come together in the cool, crisp air to enjoy a feast under the glow of the full moon. Red lanterns strung with riddles dance in tree branches, while the sweet fragrance of osmanthus flowers wafts through the evening air.

Lychee Oriental Head Chef, Jimmy Lee has created an impressive five-dish 'Chinese Moon Festival' menu that includes, Ginger Broth Congee, Crispy Wontons with Soy Butter Dip, Five Spice Beef Flank Stew with Pak Choi and Steamed Rice, Hong Kong Peanut Butter French Toast with Banana Fritter and finally, Chinese Tea served with traditional Mooncake.  

It is available at £30 until October 25 and theshowbizlion.com gives it a massive thumbs up.

JASON DERULO HAS MAMMOTH BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION IN GLASGOW NIGHTCLUB

US superstar Jason Derulo threw a huge birthday bash at a Glasgow club while he was performing in Scotland.
The Watcha Say and In My Head hitmaker appeared at the Hydro on Saturday night just hours after he’d celebrated his 29th birthday until the wee small hours at city centre club Distrikt.
Jason and his posse began his big celebration backstage at a dress rehearsal in the Hydro before returning to Glasgow’s Malmaison to get dressed up for the night.
As they drank champagne from plastic cups in their dressing room, Jason told his posse: “Hey I want to thank you all for your passion so hang tight. We’re heading somewhere legendary. There’s no better way to spend my birthday than with my second family.”
After a few hours of chill time at the hotel, he emerged around eleven thirty pm wearing a gold and black jacket, black jeans and a huge gold cross ready for his big bash.
As he made his way down from his upstairs room, he was grinning from ear to ear as he was serenaded on the phone by a relative in Miami who sang happy birthday to him.
Then, as he carried a Taylor & Taylor toiletry bag, given to him as a present, he and his forty strong entourage headed out for dinner in a convoy of Black taxis to an Italian restaurant nearby.
At around one pm he and his party then arrived at Distrikt nightclub where they took over three of the private booths.
Shocked clubbers scrambled for a better view as the Talk Dirty star and his posse were led in by some huge security guards and Jason, his band members and touring crew made it clear they were in for a big night.
As they sat down in the plush roped off booths, a sea of flaming bottles of booze were carried over to them by the club’s hostesses.
One onlooker said: “It was non stop. Every few minutes there would be another spark of light as more bottles were set on fire and taken to Derulos booth. It was like fireworks night inside the club.”
Jason had forty people with him to enjoy the celebrations but then his group began inviting other punters at the club into the booths to have even more drinks.
The clubber continued: “Most of the attractive girls ended up in the booths at some point while the bouncers made sure Jason was happy and safe. At this be point Jason moved over to an empty booth to feel less crowded as more and more people joined in with the party.”
Although Jason had specifically asked that no mention he made of his birthday, it was obvious that the party were in a celebratory mood as they kept ordering bottle after bottle of champagne, spirits and sparking wine.
A source at the club said: “Jason and his party were out to have a good night and they pulled out all the stops. I can’t say too much because it’s confidential but they spent a lot of money on the night. It was great because we’d normally have to spend tens of thousands of pounds to get Jason Derulo to make an appearance but instead he paid us for having his party.”
The source revealed that Jason ordered bottles of Grey Goose vodka at £150 a throw.
The insider added: “They also ordered bottles of Ceroc vodka.  They  had loads of bottles of Jack Daniels Whiskey Tennessee at £150 each, and they drank around a dozen bottles of Moet Chandon Rose Imperial at £80 a bottle as well as other bottles of Moet Chandon Brut Imperial.
The party who also enjoyed bottles of Martelle Cognac, drank three cases of Luc BelAire Sparkling rose wine which they specially requested be brought  to the club. The bottles which are sold in nightclubs for around £50 a throw feature a funky neon label which glows in the dark.
The source said: ”We had to get the drink in specially for Jason. It is not usually sold in the club but it is a favourite of rappers like Rick Ross.”
During the night some of Jason’s friends took off their tops while others danced away to the beats of DJ Naeem.
Jason later said of his birthday bash: “I can’t think of a better way to spend a birthday party than here.”