If visions of sugarplums still aren’t dancing in your
head, grab the kids or your significant other and hurry on down to the lobby of
the Omni Hotel, 700 San Jacinto. Chef John Lucas and his ACF apprentices Ellen
Williamson, David Spooner, Kim Ruiz, and Lauren Campbell have created a
confectionery masterpiece in the form of a gingerbread village in the hotel’s
dramatic atrium lobby. The gingerbread village is an annual tradition dating
back to the late Eighties. After you’ve marveled at the 180 hours’ worth of
workmanship, you can make your reservations to spend New Year’s at the Omni;
dining on an elegant buffet, sipping the bubbly, listening to music, and then
watching a sparkling ball drop from the top of the atrium at midnight. $259
gets you all that and a room for the night.
New Year’s Eve has become big business for local hotels and there are deals
just about everywhere. If you are so inclined, you can dine, drink, dance, and
then sleep all in the same place. The reservations may look pricey, but just
think of all the money you’ll save on those pesky DWI’s. Many of your favorite
restaurants would love to be your host to ring in the New Year and numerous
festivities are planned. Coyote Cafe will serve a four-course prix fixe menu from 6pm until 11pm. Those fun Sfuzzi folks will offer early seatings with
a fixed price menu of $32.50 for three courses until 10pm, then the Gala
seating will offer a $45 prix fixe menu which will include dancing,
deejay entertainment, a champagne toast, and party favors. Out in Westlake, The
Belgian Restaurant is taking reservations for their four-course prix
fixe menus. If you find yourself downtown, the Bitter End will be pairing
such items as oyster bisque, smoked salmon, and buffalo with carefully chosen
beers and champagnes. New Year’s is one of the few evenings when the kitchen at
Chez Nous departs form their regular menu — they plan to serve such delicacies
as sweet potato bisque, duck liver mousse, fresh asparagus salads, escargot and
glasses of champagne all around. Feeling stout of heart? The Shoreline will let
you test the health of your arteries with duck confit enchiladas topped with
beefsteak. Devoted customers at Granite Cafe can choose from two four-course
prix fixe menus which both come with a split of champagne. Some of the
choices were lobster salad, veal osso bucco and a chocolate covered pear with
Mascarpone ice cream. In the historic atmosphere at Bertram’s, new chef Peter
O’Brien will be serving a special New Year’s menu which features appetizers
such as potato nests with Cr�me Fra�che and Lone Star
Caviar, entr�e choices such as vegetable white bean cassoulet or Buffalo
prime rib on cowboy beans. Jean-Luc’s French Bistro kicks off their first year
of business with a $50-per-person prix fixe menu that includes a glass
of champagne. Seatings will be at 6pm and 9pm. Dinner will begin with choices
such as French Goose Liver P�t�, Pernod-marinated Salmon Gravlax
or Beluga Caviar. Then there is a stunning list of entrees and Omelette
Norvegienne (Baked Alaska) to top it all off. Brio! will extend their Sunday
serving hours until midnight and manager Tom Rose assures there will be plenty
of champagne. Suppose you just want to stay home and snuggle with your sweetie
on the sofa. Fill out a holiday take-out order form available from your friends
at Chez Zee and you can enjoy many of their finest menu items right under your
own roof throughout the holiday season. Want to impress your Sugar Bowl date?
Jeffrey’s chef David Garrido can help you out. Place an order before Dec. 27
for one of his two New Year’s Eve dinner baskets that offer a sumptuous feast
for two people in the $75 to $85 range. Baskets must be picked up before
kick-off. A well-deserved week of vacation is on tap for the folks at the
1995 Reader’s Poll Favorite Restaurant; Castle Hill Cafe and Gumbo’s
will be closed from Dec. 24 through Jan. 2 while owners Michael and Yoli Amr
travel and dine in South America.
On the off-chance you still need a present for the food-o-file in your life,
here are some gift combo ideas just can’t miss. Fine aged tequilas are
currently all the rage, so get your local liquor expert to help you choose one
and then get a copy of Lucinda Hutson’s �Tequila-Cooking With the
Spirit of Mexico! (Ten Speed Press, $16.95, cloth), the definitive text on
the subject of tequila. For your favorite Franc-o-file, Breed & Co. or
Cornerstone of Williams-Sonoma has madeleine pans to give with the charming
Texas International Cookery (self-published, $14.95) by Marie
O’Shaughnessy. And who could resist a copy of Robb Walsh and Jay McCarthy’s
Traveling Jamaica With Knife, Fork and Spoon (Crossing Press, $16.95,
cloth) with two tickets to Montego Bay or Ocho Rios tucked inside?
This article appears in December 22 • 1995 and December 22 • 1995 (Cover).