Looking for New Year Eve's plans and parties? We've got a huge roundup of the best events going on December 31st.
FUN AND FESTIVE
Café Atlántico
405 Eighth St., NW; 202-393-0812; cafeatlantico.com
This colorful Penn Quarter restaurant invites guests to ring in Nochevieja with a DJ, party favors, a midnight Champagne toast, and an eight-course tasting menu. Dinner includes foie gras terrine with pressed pineapple and duck gelée and 72-hour braised short ribs with Brussels sprouts and a truffle-potato espuma. An à la carte menu will also be available at an earlier seating.
Dinner reservations from 5 to 7:30 for the à la carte menu; the tasting menu is available from 8:30 to 10:30 for $95 per person.
Cafe Milano
3521 Prospect St., NW; 202-333-6183; cafemilano.net
The truffle-heavy, fixed-price menu at this Georgetown Italian hangout includes braised Jerusalem-artichoke soup with sole polpettine and black truffle; seared pancetta-wrapped sea scallops; foie-gras raviolini with Norcia black truffle; a choice between sautéed fennel-pollen-crusted Mediterranean sea bass or roast beef tenderloin with porcini sauce and a truffle-polenta timbale. For dessert, there’s mocha-hazelnut meringue with coffee crème brûlée, bittersweet-chocolate mousse, and an assortment of miniature Italian holiday treats. Never a place to shy from a party, Cafe Milano will also have dance music and a Champagne toast.
Seatings at 6:30 or 9; $125 per person.
Domaso
Hotel Palomar, 1121 N. 19th St., Arlington; 703-351-1211; domasotrattoria.com
This Rosslyn Italian restaurant in the Hotel Palomar offers a party along with dinner. Guests can choose between a three-course or five-course menu with wine pairings included. The menus include butternut-squash soup with goat-cheese mousse and amaretti; garganelli pomodoro with pork ragu; and cedar-roasted Arctic char with lemon risotto and caper-butter sauce. For dessert, there’s cinnamon-poached pears with a honey-pinenut tart or a fig-and-berry crostada. A more budget-friendly option is the party in Domaso’s lounge. It’ll have party favors, a Champagne toast at midnight, and no cover charge. DJ EZGruuv will spin Latin, disco, and tribal music from 10:30 PM to 2 AM, and happy-hour specials will run from 10 to midnight.
Dinner reservations from 5:30 to 10; $75 per person (three-course menu) and $95 (five-course menu).
Hudson
2030 M St., NW; 202-872-8700; hudson-dc.com
This pink-drenched West End restaurant is offering a four-course dinner menu with an open bar. The first course is a choice of steak tartare with shaved fennel and apple; Serrano ham and melon with feta and mint; or grilled-asparagus salad. Next is a choice of a beet tartlet with goat cheese; grilled prawns with fennel-and-blood-orange salad; or a seared scallop with celery-root purée and pork belly. For the entrée, there’s pan-roasted lamb with chestnut-and-mushroom ragoût; red snapper with zucchini tempura and pistou; beef tenderloin with grilled baby artichokes; or pappardelle with porcini mushrooms, fava beans, and sorrel. Desserts include berries in Champagne sabayon; poached pear with Barolo syrup; apple-cinnamon beignets; and a chocolate trio. DJ duo BKS will play from 10 PM to 2 AM, and there will be party favors, an ice luge, and a Champagne toast at midnight. The open bar is $60 alone or $40 with the purchase of dinner. Hudson will also be collecting nonperishable food for the Capital Area Food Bank.
Two seatings, from 6 to 8 ($60) or 8:15 to 11:30 ($90).
Indigo Landing
1 Marina Dr., Alexandria; 703-548-0001; indigolanding.com
This waterfront restaurant is offering a four-course menu with two seatings plus dancing and a midnight Champagne toast. Chef Ernesto Pabico’s menu includes shrimp-and-crab cakes; a salad with walnuts, bleu cheese, and Champagne vinaigrette; and three entrée choices, which might include grilled lamb or pistachio-crusted halibut. For dessert, there are chocolate truffles and ganache cake.
Two seatings, from 5 to 7 ($95 per couple) or 8:30 to 10 ($120 per couple).
Jackson 20
Hotel Monaco, 480 King St., Alexandria; 703-842-2790; jackson20.com
A 1920s-style celebration, with a retro menu and servers dressed in flapper garb, is happening at the Hotel Monaco’s restaurant. Starters include shrimp cocktail with tomato-and-tarragon granité; roast-artichoke soufflé; and crawfish bisque with tarragon-infused cream. For the main course, there’s lobster Thermidor or Châteaubriand. Desserts are kiddie-inspired: an ice-cream sundae with peanut brittle, a root-beer float, or cookies and milk. The bartenders will shake up classic cocktails.
Dinner reservations from 5 to 11; $65 per person.
Jaleo
480 Seventh St., NW, 202-628-7949; 2250-A Crystal Dr., Arlington, 703-413-8181; 7271 Woodmont Ave., Bethesda, 301-913-0003; jaleo.com
Diners can choose between two dinner seatings at these lively tapas bars. The early seating lets you order from an à la carte menu with holiday specials; the later offering is a prix fixe tapas feast with a DJ, dancing, and a glass of sparkling Cava and 12 grapes—a Spanish tradition—at midnight.
Two seatings at all three locations: 5 to 7:30 for the à la carte menu, 8:30 for the tapas feast ($75 per person at Crystal City and Bethesda restaurants, $85 at Penn Quarter).
Kennedy Center Roof Terrace Restaurant
2700 F St. NW; 202-416-8555; kennedy-center.org
Dine at the Roof Terrace Restaurant on December 31 and receive free tickets to the Kennedy Center’s annual New Year’s Eve celebration in the Grand Foyer, which features a midnight balloon drop and dancing to the National Symphony Orchestra. The Potomac Jazz Project will perform in the restaurant, and the four-course, fixed-price menu includes citrus-and-lobster terrine; herb-roasted beef tenderloin; and bittersweet-chocolate tart with Creole sauce. Each couple will receive a free bottle of sparkling wine.
Dinner reservations between 5 and 11:15; $99 per person.
The Majestic
911 King St., Alexandria; 703-837-9117; majesticcafe.com
At this self-described “causally swank” eatery, chef Shannon Overmiller is creating an extra-special menu in honor of the new year to supplement dishes on the prix-fixe New Year’s menu. The prix-fixe menu offers five selections for each of three courses, with starters such as creamy celery-root soup, fried green tomatoes, and classic Caesar salad (prepared tableside) and entrées ranging from local seared rockfish to a New York strip to cauliflower ravioli with black truffles in red-wine sauce. Desserts include cherry-and-ricotta cheesecake, coconut cake, and pineapple upside-down cake. For a small fee, items from Overmiller’s special menu, including foie gras terrine, can be substituted for one of the prix-fixe courses. Party favors will be distributed as midnight approaches.
Dinner reservations from 5 to 10; $68 per person.
Nage
1600 Rhode Island Ave., NW; 202-448-8005; nagerestaurant.com
Before making any New Year’s resolutions, head to Nage for its Seven Deadly Sins tasting menu and a midnight Champagne toast. “No matter what the resolution, we’ll have a final hurrah on the menu” says chef Kevin Reading. Sloth comes in the form of a spoon-size portion of potato cream with sturgeon caviar; gluttony pork belly with a poached quail egg, seared scallop, and foie-gras foam; lust is truffled-lobster mac and cheese with shaved truffles; envy is veal cheek atop a roasted halibut cheek; greed is a one-bite intermezzo of beluga caviar; wrath is chili-and-cinnamon-seared venison with cayenne sweet potatoes and habanero spoonbread; pride is a chocolate-fig-and-mascarpone pot de crème with port. The restaurant’s à la carte menu will also be available.
Reservations between 5 and 11; Seven Deadly Sins menu $75 per person.
Oya
799 Ninth St., NW; 202-393-1400; oyadc.com
There are two seatings at this sleek French/Asian restaurant in Penn Quarter. For the first, guests can either order a prix-fixe three-course dinner menu or from the à la carte sushi menu. The later seating will feature a five-course tasting menu, a midnight toast, a DJ, dancing, and party favors.
Dinner reservations at 5 (prix fixe menu $28) and 8:30 ($95 per person).
Oyamel
401 Seventh St., NW; 202-628-1005; oyamel.com
José Andrés’s Mexican small-plates restaurant in Penn Quarter offers two seatings. Guests at the early seating can order from the à la carte menu, while diners at the second one will receive a prix fixe menu plus music, dancing, party favors, and a midnight toast. The menu includes oysters in black-peppercorn sauce; a traditional corn-flour cake with sautéed winter squash, chilies, and cream cheese; house-made corn tortillas with chorizo and potatoes; and a chorizo quesadilla.
Dinner reservations from 5 to 7:30 for the à la carte menu, 8:30 to 10:30 for the prix-fixe dinner ($85 per person).
PS 7’s
777 I St., NW; 202-742-8550; ps7restaurant.com
Peter Smith’s Penn Quarter restaurant and lounge is hosting a New Year’s Eve party featuring two fixed-price menus with a choice of four or five courses plus a Champagne toast at midnight. On the menu are beef short ribs, cider-braised pork belly, and potato-crusted sea scallops.
Dinner reservations between 5:30 and 10; four-course menu $65 per person; five-course menu $75 per person. Both menus include a Champagne toast. An à la carte menu will also be available.
Rosa Mexicano
575 Seventh St., NW, 202-783-5522; 153 Waterfront St., 301-567-1005; rosamexicano.info
Say adios to 2008 at these Mexican restaurants’ Nuevo Año parties. Both locations will offer a choice of a four-course, fixed-price menu or the regular à la carte menu. Dishes include crab cakes with coconut-saffron rice and avocado-Serrano sauce; black-bean-and-pumpkin tamal with grilled asparagus and pistachio mole; and lobster enchiladas over grilled skirt steak. When the clock strikes midnight, expect party favors, music, and balloons.
New Year’s menu from 11 AM to 1 AM; fixed-price menu $45 per person.
Zaytinya
701 Ninth St., NW; 202-638-0800; zaytinya.com
The tapas-style menu at José Andrés’s Mediterranean spot includes braised short ribs with tomato-cinnamon stew; Turkish lamb shank with eggplant purée; and chicken with orzo and kefalograviera cheese. After a complimentary glass of sparkling wine at midnight, revelers can continue the party on the dance floor.
Dinner reservations at two seatings: 5:30 to 7:30 ($60 per person) and 8:30 to 10:30 ($100 per person).
Zengo
781 Seventh St., NW; 202-393-2929; modernmexican.com/zengodc.com
At this Latin-Asian fusion Penn Quarter restaurant, toast the new year with tequila and a four-course, family-style menu. Diners can choose three savory dishes and one dessert. The menu includes lobster ceviche, Japanese Kobe-beef carpaccio, wonton tacos with tuna, and wok-roasted scallops with fresh black truffle. The sweet options are a Mexican-chocolate tart or yuzu crème brûlée. Starting at 8 in the lounge, a DJ will spin Latin-Asian beats through the midnight tequila toast.
Reservations from 8 to 10:30; $99 per person.
ALL-OUT SPLURGES
Adour
Saint Regis Hotel, 923 16th St., NW; 202-509-8000; adour-washingtondc.com
The DC outpost of celebrity chef Alain Ducasse’s empire is offering two seatings: an early one with a five-course menu and a later one with a seven-course menu. Both dinners begin with an amuse-bouche followed by Russian Malossol Osetra millefeuille caviar with smoked salmon and buckwheat blinis celery salad with Périgord black truffle; baked striped bass with seared foie gras and black-truffle reduction; sautéed venison medallions with winter fruits and vegetables; and a hazelnut dacquoise with chocolate mousse.
The seven-course dinner also includes a dayboat-scallop tian with Champagne emulsion, and a Fourme d’Ambert napoleon. Guests at the second seating are guaranteed a table at midnight. In the lounge, DJ Dimitris George will spin, and diners who arrive between 9 and 11 will get a complimentary glass of Champagne.
Reservations for the first seating at 5:30, 6, and 6:30 ($125 per person for the five-course menu); reservations for the second seating at 8:30, 9, and 9:30 ($195 per person for the seven-course menu).
Carlyle Club
411 John Carlyle St., Alexandria; 703-548-5953; thecarlyleclub.com
This old-school supper club is ringing in the new year in high style. Tickets to get into the lounge cost $75, and a five-course dinner is $150 extra. The dining package includes the dinner, a Champagne toast, party favors, and a balloon drop. The menu features beef carpaccio; chicken consommé with roasted guinea hen and morels; a salad of field greens, bleu cheese, pistachios, and slow-simmered black-eyed peas; a strawberry-and-Champagne granité intermezzo; and a choice among three entrées: rainbow trout with sturgeon caviar and chives; lamb Delmonico and jumbo prawns; or a petit filet and lobster tail with mashed potatoes. Dessert is a fruit tartlet with orange custard and mixed berries.
Charlie Palmer Steak
101 Constitution Ave., NW; 202-547-8100; charliepalmersteak.com
This streamlined steakhouse is offering a five-course tasting menu. The dinner features a Kumomoto oyster with California Osetra caviar; pan-roasted striped bass with cauliflower and pickled herbs; butter-poached Maine lobster with seared foie gras and Périgord truffles; Muscovy duck two ways with juniper-and-orange essence, lardon, and Savoy cabbage; braised short rib and grilled strip steak with boulanger potatoes and braised Asian greens; and peanut-butter-mousse terrine with sweet cream and candied nuts. The regular dinner menu will also be available.
Seatings from 5 to 10:30; tasting menu $100 per person, with an optional wine pairing for $45 more.
Citronelle
Latham Hotel, 3000 M St., NW; 202-625-2150; citronelledc.com
An expensive and lavish New Year’s Eve celebration is on offer at Michel Richard’s famed Georgetown restaurant. The evening begins at 7:30 in the lounge with hors d’oeuvres and drinks. A six- or seven-course dinner is the main event, and around 10 the lounge will be turned into a dance floor with a DJ. A vintage Champagne toast and party favors are included.
Only one seating with an opening reception beginning at 7:30; $300 per person; optional wine pairing $150 extra.
CityZen
Mandarin Oriental Hotel, 1330 Maryland Ave., SW; 202-787-6868; cityzenrestaurant.com
A luxurious celebration is planned at CityZen, where chef Eric Ziebold will present a special six-course menu. It includes brandade soup with brioche croutons; soft-boiled pheasant egg with vanilla-roasted abalone mushrooms and Russian Osetra caviar; warm carpaccio of New Zealand sea trout with preserved Meyer lemon, pomegranate seeds, and gingersnap salt; butter-poached lobster with roasted sunchokes, Honeycrisp apple, and creamy lobster broth; potato dauphinoise with heirloom-potato salad and shaved Périgord truffles; and a warm pavé of raclette cheese with celery-root confit and prune gastrique. Dessert is a festive baked Alaska, with Valrhona-chocolate fudge cake, chestnut ice cream, Italian meringue, and spiced-caramel sauce.
Reservations from 5:30 to 10:30; $225 per person.
Fyve Restaurant Lounge
Ritz-Carlton Pentagon City;1250 S. Hayes St., Arlington; 703-415-5000; fyverestaurant.com
This Italian dining room’s celebration includes live music and a dance floor. A four-course, fixed-price menu includes choices such as bay scallops in grapefruit-caviar sauce; house-made taglierini pasta in a quail-and-rosemary ragu; pancetta-wrapped veal with braised root vegetables; butter-poached lobster; and Champagne crème brûlée.
Dinner reservations from 7 to 9:30; $125 per person.
Granville Moore’s
1238 H St., NE; 202-399-2546; granvillemoores.com
This New Year’s Eve party starts early with a cocktail hour from 7 to 8:30, complete with hors d’oeuvres such as cheese croquettes, lamb-sausage skewers, and miniature crab cakes. Then from 8:30 to 10:30, a dinner buffet will include a lobster bisque, blueberry-arugula salad, braised bison short ribs, wild-mushroom pasta with artisanal-cheese sauce, steamed mussels, sautéed Brussels sprouts, Southern collard greens, crispy fingerling potatoes, and roasted root vegetables. There’ll also be a dessert station for brownies, beignets, Belgian chocolate, and fruit. The bar will include all draft beers, all wines, and a selection of Belgian bottles and fine spirits. The attire is as dressed up or casual as guests wish, and there will be a Chimay toast at midnight.
Dinner and party from 7:30 to 2 AM; $110 per person.
IndeBleu
707 G St., NW; 202-333-2538; indebleu.net
Dinner and dancing are on the menu at this trendy downtown spot. The $150 package includes a six-course feast of twice-baked potatoes Lorraine with domestic caviar, miso-glazed black cod with charred scallions and rice fritters in a ginger sauce, Kobe-beef prime rib, filet of sole, pineapple upside-down cheesecake with a run-and-caramel glaze, and more.
Dinner reservations at 8; $150. Additional bar packages are $45 for wine pairing, $75 for all-night open bar.
Locanda
633 Pennsylvania Ave., SE; 202-547-0002; locandadc.com
This quaint Capitol Hill eatery invites guests to ring in the New Year in the traditional Italian manner—by wishing fellow diners a happy and healthy 2009 while enjoying a hearty feast. A four-course menu is available at 6, with a five-course dinner following at the 8:30 seating, which also includes a glass of Prosecco. Dishes include foie gras on brioche with a sour-cherry chutney, lobster ravioli in chive-spiced butter, and grilled venison loin with cipollini onions.
Dinner reservations at two seatings: 6 ($85 per person) and 8:30 ($120 per person).
Vermilion
1120 King St., Alexandria; 703-684-9669
Vermilion is offering a three-course and a five-course tasting menu. Both meals start with a chef's selection of seasonal canapés. Diners who choose the three-course menu will begin their meal with a dish of lobster raviolini with winter citrus and fennel froth, followed by beef tenderloin served with mitake mushrooms, creamed baby spinach, and bordelaise sauce. To finish, there'll be a crispy vanilla cheesecake with stone-fruit compote and honey ice cream. The five-course menu starts with stone-crab claws, celery-heart salad, cider gastrique, and Apples Three Ways. Next comes caramelized ricotta gnocchi made with trumpet mushrooms, mascarpone cream, and garlic bread crumbs. The third course is a Virginia rockfish alongside leeks, gold potato, and Périgord truffle. A dish of domestic lamb chops will be accompanied with merguez-and-cornbread pudding, black cabbage, and two mustards. Dessert is an assortment of Chocolate Four Ways.
Reservations from 5:30 to 9:45; $65 for the three-course menu, $80 with selected wines; $80 for the five-course menu, $110 with selected wines.
Volt
228 N. Market St., Frederick; 301-696-8658; voltrestaurant.com
Located in a historic mansion in chef Bryan Voltaggio’s hometown of Frederick, this restaurant is celebrating New Year’s with a lavish dinner and a party with an open bar. The nine-course, prix-fixe tasting menu includes dishes such as turbot with braised fennel and saffron in a shellfish broth, blue-foot chicken stuffed with truffles and served with orzo risotto, and a special cranberry dish—with the fruit prepared five different ways in varying textures and temperatures—served with Hanger One vodka to suggest a vodka cranberry cocktail.
Dinner reservations at two seatings: 5:30 ($69 per person for five courses or $109 per person for nine) and 8:30 ($109 per person for nine courses). Wine pairings available for each menu for an additional $35 and $50. Admission to the lounge celebration is an additional $25 (or $75 in advance, $85 at the door without dinner) and begins at 9.
Willard Room
Willard InterContinental, 1401 Pennsylvania Ave., NW; 202-637-7440; washington.intercontinental.com
For $300 per person, guests can enjoy a seven-course dinner, live music by jazz singer Sara Jones, a dance floor, and Krug Grande Cuvée Champagne. Perks such as complimentary valet parking and gratuity are also included. Chef Nicholas Legret’s extensive menu has dishes such as jumbo lump crab and crustacean gelée with curried cauliflower and royal sturgeon caviar, poached lobster with mushroom ravioli, veal loin with herb-crusted roasted winter root vegetables, and Brie and truffles with a balsamic vinaigrette.
Dinner reservations at 8; $300 per person.
Westend Bistro by Eric Ripert
Ritz-Carlton, Washington, D.C., 1190 22nd St., NW; 202-835-0500; westendbistrodc.com
This classy downtown spot will serve a four-course dinner inspired by the foods of chef Eric Ripert’s acclaimed New York City restaurant, Le Bernardin. The tasting menu includes dishes such as a lobster bisque, jumbo crab cake with a sweet-corn purée, and pork tenderloin with a bourbon-and-maple glaze.
Dinner reservations at 6, 6:30, 9, and 9:30; $150 per person.
RELAXED CELEBRATIONS
Addie’s
11120 Rockville Pike, Rockville; 301-881-0081; addiesrestaurant.com
This colorful Rockville dining room will have a prix fixe, three-course menu for two seatings at 5:30 and 7:30, with complimentary bubbly and party favors of various truffle treats. Dinner highlights include an flame-roasted-chestnut bisque with bone-marrow flan and radish sprouts, black-walnut-crusted pheasant, and Norwegian halibut with duck confit and Yukon hash.
Dinner reservations at 5:30 and 7:30; $85 per person.
Art and Soul
415 New Jersey Ave., NW; 202-393-7777; artandsouldc.com
This Capitol Hill comfort-food escape will offer two prix-fixe menus from two-time James Beard Award-winning chef Art Smith. The first dinner is a four-course meal served from 5:30 to 8:30, with choices such as a trio of duck with pomegranate red cabbage and smothered rib eye with grits, caramelized onions, and bourbon cream. The second round of seatings, from 9 to midnight, will include a five-course menu (the details of which have not yet been released) and a glass of Champagne at midnight.
Dinner reservations from 5:30 to 8:30 for $75, 9 to midnight $115.
Dante Ristorante
1148 Walker Rd., Great Falls; 703-759-3131; danterestaurant.com
At this cozy, cottagelike Italian restaurant, chef Giuseppe Di Benigno and his partner, Elio Domestici, have put together a New Year’s Eve menu in the traditions of their respective home regions, Tuscany and Abruzzi. The menu includes hearty plates reminiscent of their childhoods such as a classic caprese salad, served with Buffalo mozzarella drizzled with a tomato-and-basil sauce ($16), house-made ravioli stuffed with veal and spinach in a creamy tomato sauce ($19), baked lasagna of crepes and bolognese sauce ($19), veal scaloppine with asparagus, crab meat, and provolone ($32), and a salmon filet with black truffles wrapped in a puff pastry drizzled with lobster sauce ($30).
Dinner seatings at 6:30 and 9.
Firefly
1310 New Hampshire Ave., NW; 202-861-1310; firefly-dc.com
The cozy atmosphere at Firefly is perfect for those looking to celebrate a laid-back or romantic New Year’s Eve. The Dupont Circle restaurant will keep it simple by offering its regular dinner menu as well as two indulgent dinner specials. The first special is a miniature meatloaf stuffed with foie gras and braised short ribs with potatoes and house-made steak sauce ($45). The other is an Alaskan king-crab cake with salsify purée, Brussels-sprout petals, black-truffle hollandaise sauce, and American caviar ($45). New dessert items will also be available, including molasses cookies with mulled cider and a Seckel-pear-and-ginger crisp served with black-sesame ice cream. At midnight there will be a Champagne toast.
Dinner reservations from 5:30 on; starters $5 to $10, entrées $17 to $45.
Fontaine Caffe & Crêperie
119 South Royal St., Alexandria; 703-535-8151; fontainecaffe.com
This sleek French creperie in Old Town is offering a New Year’s Eve prix-fixe menu. Each course will be a different crepe dish, ranging from savory to sweet, and a glass of French sparkling cider will be served with the final dessert crepe. A Champagne toast will be offered at midnight.
Dinner reservations at three seatings: 5:30, 7:30, and 9:30; $39.95 per person.
Poste
555 Eighth St., NW; 202-783-6060; postebrasserie.com
Poste is the 2008 RammyAward winner for best upscale casual restaurant. It’s offering two seatings. The first is a three-course, and the second is a five-course dinner; diners may add wine pairings to their meal. Chef Robert Weland will serve dishes such as a slow-cooked local farm egg with haricots verts, guanciale, tarragon, and pistachios; and Columbia River wild sturgeon with pierogis, local beets, dill, and American caviar. There are multiple special options for dessert, such as a gingerbread cake served with poached Seckel pears and eggnog ice cream. A Champagne toast will be available at midnight. Guests looking for something more casual can order from a limited menu at the bar that will still include favorites such as truffle fries and foie gras.
Dinner reservations at two seatings: 5:30 ($65 per person) and 8 ($85 per person); wine pairings an additional $35 per person.
Taberna del Alabardero
1776 I St., NW (entrance on 18th St.); 202-429-2200; alabardero.com
Celebrating a traditional Nochevieja, this gilded Spanish restaurant is ringing in the new year with a prix fixe dinner and the ceremony of the 12 grapes as midnight approaches. Meal highlights include a foie gras terrine with caramelized bananas, sautéed scallops in an almond-caper sauce, stuffed squid with cauliflower and truffle emulsion, and roast suckling pig.
Dinner reservations from 7:30 to 9; $98 per person.
The Grille at Morrison House
116 S Alfred St., Alexandria; 703-838-8000; morrisonhouse.com
At the Grille at Morrison House, chef Dennis Marron will serve a seven-course dinner featuring “lucky” foods from around the world. Enjoy a feast of good fortune starting with an amuse-bouche of lobster carpaccio followed by herring three ways. Then comes cornbread soufflé with seared foie gras and lentils, broiled cod with black-eyed peas and braised turnip greens, and wood-smoked and grilled pork tenderloin, kimchee, and sweet soy. The entrée is braised beef cheek with udon noodles, baby purple turnips, and red miso broth. To top it all off, enjoy a trio of sweets including vasilopita (a New Year’s cake with a chocolate coin), an oliebollen (fruit-studded doughnut), and vanilla fortune cookies.
Dinner reservations from 6 to 10; $90 per person.
Urbana
2121 P St., NW; 202-956-6650; urbanadc.com
At his sleek restaurant and wine bar, the Mediterranean-inspired cuisine and extensive wine list are sure to make for a classy evening. To begin, chef Alex Bollinger will present an amuse-bouche and a variety of first-course options, including lobster bisque with spiced-crab dumplings and seared foie gras with apple-cinnamon crepes. Entrée options include prosciutto-wrapped sturgeon with sautéed spinach and caviar cream; osso bucco with saffron risotto and caramelized cipollini onions, roasted garlic, and parsley pesto; and a house-made pasta carbonara with fresh winter truffles and a poached egg. For dessert, there’s maple cheesecake with an almond crumble and cranberry gastrique; chocolate-peanut-butter mousse with hazelnut crunch and caramel sauce; or pistachio semifreddo with balsamic-glazed strawberries. Dinner guests in the restaurant at midnight will receive complimentary Champagne and party favors.
Dinner reservations from 5 to 10:30; $65, or $50 if you dine before 6:30.
Want to ring in 2009 in a big way? We’ve got the goods. From restaurant dinners to parties to the best ways to cure those inevitable hangovers, here’s our guide to New Year’s Eve in Washington.
–New Year’s Parties, Galas and More
–Guide to Eating Out on New Year’s Eve
–What’s Your Best Hangover Cure?
–A New Year’s Eve-Worthy Outfit—for $100
