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Dining out
If you’re not invited to a swank private soiree, dining out is the easiest way to feel part of the end-of-the-year party. Plenty of places around town are offering holiday menus from prix fixe to just jazzed up, complimentary sparkling spirits for the midnight toast and live music. But be sure to make reservations. The last way you want to spend the evening is schlepping around town trying to find a table with all the other amateurs. We’d rather stay home and bang our own heads with pots and pans.
Stay the course
Prix fixe is really just a way to keep things simple and efficient for the servers and kitchen, but we like to think that these menus are a sign of restaurants going out of their way to print up a special piece of paper in a pretty font with the date on top just for us. As for options, you could go the decadent route at Palladio for $155, which gets you five courses paired with five Barboursville wines, including the Octagon VIII Edition 2005. A sip from that bottle alone is worth busting out your black tie (though, it’s optional). Also on the higher-end scale, both the The Boar’s Head Inn and Keswick Hall are offering two different dining and dancing options. At the former, for $144, you can dine slowly over four courses or, for $97, head to the Pavilion Gala starting at 9pm and get down and dirty with the Kings of Swing while digging into hors d’oeuvres and the open bar. At Keswick, for $189, you can linger over seven courses or head straight down to the ballroom for a buffet spread and dancing to live music from the Project for $109.
You can spend a little less and still get stuffed on “duet of duckling” or one of the other entrées at the Ivy Inn, which is offering five courses for $65; one of the fine fusion creations at Ventana ($65 for four courses plus amuse-bouche and music); choice of an 8 oz. filet mignon at the Downtown Grille ($55 for three courses); or choice of local “Rag Mountain” trout with Champagne buerre blanc at the Local ($45 for four courses plus glass of Prosecco). And there are prix fixe options at Fellini’s No. 9 ($50), the X Lounge ($48) and Tavola ($70), to boot. All of the prices listed above are per person.
More of the same, but with a soundtrack
Other spots aren’t doing a full special menu or prix fixe, but will offer additional flare.
Mas is celebrating Bollywood Nights with the addition of east Indian-inspired tapas to the regular menu, plus a DJ. Rapture has special menu items plus PARTY R2010 at Club R2 next door with DJ Mega Myke. Escafé will have a shorter NYE menu, but with some adventurous new special entrees for the occasion and DJ eSc until 2am. Maya is having a few menu specials plus live flamenco music from Toma Que Toma. Aberdeen Barn has a quartet playing through dinner plus sparkling toast and party favors at midnight. Zinc will have a few special items on their tapas menu plus a midnight toast and possible DJ, and Bel Rio has Alligator, the local Grateful Dead tribute band ($25 tickets in advance or $35 at the door).—Katherine Ludwig
Dining in
Spending New Year’s Eve at home is not a bad thing. The safe, inexpensive option also means you can leave your slippers on, light all your Christmas candles and drink all the leftover booze. A few festive outsourcing ideas for turning your still-decked halls into a fresh, new year.—Lisa Reeder
Pizza pizzazz
Crank up your oven, assemble your toppings—but get the dough at Breadworks and some red sauce at Mona Lisa Pasta. If you’re entertaining little ones, make smaller “personal” pizzas—they might even eat something healthy if it’s buried under cheese.
Nacho night
Homemade Mexican food can have el sabor autentico if you outsource your salsa and chips. Check your favorite Mexican restaurant for carry-out chips and salsa options, and add them to an array of toppings for tacos or nachos.
Once you pop…
Partying with the foodies? When made the old fashioned way, popcorn can be dressed up for the holidays. Try grated Everona Piedmont cheese, chopped flatleaf parsley, cracked pepper and a fine-grind sea salt, or go for a spin on Cracker Jack—roasted, sweetened peanuts and a drizzling of caramel. When the popcorn is gone, the bucket can become a wine chiller…or keep it by your bed in case you overindulge.
Guacamole: Turn the brown around
Assemble the “base” of your guacamole recipe ahead of time (onion, tomato, lime juice, cayenne, cilantro, garlic, and/or olive oil) and save the whole avocados ’til the last second. Tie on an apron and slice, scoop and mash on site—passing the bowl around for the “smooshing” will help you meet the crowd.
Go and get it
It’s sweet and crunchy, perfectly portable…and made locally in Troy, Virginia. Try Red Rocker Almond Toffee with Dark Chocolate (www.redrockercandy.com)—or any of their other concoctions —as a sweet hostess gift, a self-contained addition to a sweets table, or just a secret weapon in the glovebox of your car.
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