The 12-year Chinese lunar cycle puts 2009 under the domain of the Ox, the Chinese zodiac animal known for its patient, modest and hardworking virtue.

Having the humble Ox as your guardian, however, does not mean that you are not entitled to welcome the Chinese New Year in style. So here is a selection of feasts and fares at the capital's top-rated hotels, all to get you in the mood for the Year of the Ox celebration on the weekend of Jan. 26.

At the Hotel Borobudur Jakarta, Lunar New Year is coming early with the hotel's very own Chinese New Year Cooking Class and selection of beautifully arranged hampers to give to friends and relatives.

The hotel is proud to have Chinese Master Chef So Kam Lok from Hong Kong teaching guests cook up special New Year's delicacies such as shark's fin soup, fried and crispy golden rolls and Chinese glutinous balls. The cooking class takes place for a day on Jan. 17 and is priced at Rp 270,000 nett per person.

Hotel Borobudur also invites families to its array of delectable buffet and set menus at Bogor Caf* and Teratai Chinese Restaurant. The buffet dinner at Bogor Caf*, priced at Rp 218,000++ per person, is available on Jan. 25 and 26. Teratai's scrumptious set menus, meanwhile, run through Feb. 9 with prices starting at Rp 2,888,000++ per table of 10 persons.

Those wishing to indulge in further culinary delights can try out the traditional Yi Shang (raw salmon fillet) portions served at Teratai. Don't forget to catch the lion dance performance in the hotel's lobby at noon on New Year's Day.

Bringing in the New Year with true Asian style and grace is the Novotel Jakarta Mangga Dua Square in the capital's north, which offers a New Year's Eve dinner and a New Year's Day brunch buffet at its resident Square Restaurant, priced at Rp 138,000++ and Rp 118,000++ respectively.

To make the lunar spirit more merry, there will be a special Yee Sang station in Square Restaurant dedicated to lovers of authentic Chinese salad or yee sang, which features a variety of salted vegetables alongside salmon and other condiments.

Sheraton Media Hotel & Towers, yet another classy hotel in North Jakarta, is also featuring a Chinese New Year set menu dinner at Rp 299,000++ per person at Dragon Court Chinese Restaurant on Jan. 26.

Halfway across town - and just as equally tempting! - is Hotel Santika Premiere Jakarta, which welcomes families to a New Year's Eve buffet dinner on Jan. 25 at its Yan's Palace Chinese eatery.

The cozy dining venue is often frequented by food enthusiasts and media moguls, and will be offering a buffet dinner that comprises perennial Chinese favorites such as Peking duck and shark's fin with crabmeat soup, best topped off with slices of Chinese pancakes and fresh almond bean curd. All of this is available at Rp 150,000++ per person only.

Heading down to The Dharmawangsa in South Jakarta, take your loved ones to enjoy the hotel's gourmet set menu dinner on Jan. 25, or the exceptional buffet brunch on Jan. 26. At the hotel's Jakarta Restaurant and Garden, treats such as classic yee sang salad and a selection of genuine Chinese teas like Pu'er Kwan In and chrysanthemum await in a full buffet brunch costing Rp 495,000++ per person.

Want to keep things strictly in the city center? Then check out Crowne Plaza's over a week-long Chinese buffet at Beranda Caf*, featuring delicious black pepper beef ribs, barbecued lamb chops and chicken in lemon sauce.

The promotion is available between Jan. 19 and 25 at Rp 145,000++ per person, while dinner and brunch on Jan. 26 will set you back Rp 155,000++ per person.

Meanwhile, strategically located next to the Indonesian Stock Exchange on Jl. Sudirman is The Ritz-Carlton Jakarta, Pacific Place, whose Pacific Restaurant Lounge will be offering three sets of Chinese New Year's Eve and Day dinners and brunch.

Fares such as fortune mackerel fish, braised shark's fin with crab meat and steamed sea bass in black bean sauce are prepared by resident chef Ken Lee starting from Rp 318,000++ per person or Rp 158,000++ per child under five years old.

Speaking of another top-rated hotel set in Jakarta's Central Business District, JW Marriott Jakarta is ushering in the Chinese Year of the Ox with a golden lion dance as well as other Chinese musical and art performances.

Don't miss out on the giant yee sang tossing ceremony at Sailendra restaurant on Jan. 25, where you can expect to see pieces of vegetables flying about in the air.

On the same evening, Sailendra and JW Lounge will be serving a special buffet dinner with Lunar New Year treats aplenty. JW Marriott's Pearl Chinese restaurant is also coming up with a special set menu course starting from Rp 418,000++ per pax.

For those looking to spend Chinese New Year in the fashionable Kemang district, the Grandkemang Hotel is sure to be your best bet. The hotel is offering a Lunar Brunch at Sperta all-day dining for only Rp 158,000++ per person on Jan. 26 with free flow juices, coffee and tea.

Grandkemang brunch will be hosting various activities from children's games to cooking lessons for mothers conducted by the hotel's resident chef. At the same time, fathers can tune in to the latest movies or sports telecasts, and the whole family can check out the lion dance shows and the fun bazaar for both children and adults.

Not too far away from Kemang is the equally hip Mahakam area, where Hotel Gran Mahakam will be hosting not one but two lion dance performances on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day.

The hotel's Oriental Food Festival buffet is available between Jan. 19 and 24 and is priced at Rp 159,000++ per person and Rp 86,000++ per child. On the eve and the day of the New Year, the price is Rp 229,000++ and Rp 109,000++ per person and child.

If you're curious about what the Year of the Ox holds in store for you, try consulting the feng shui consultant and fortune teller standing by Hotel Gran Mahakam's premises throughout the festivities.

Likewise, for those wishing to ensure lasting good health, wealth and happiness throughout the Year of the Ox, why not kick it off by sampling the abundant culinary offerings mentioned above? Happy New Year!

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