Sunday, December 30, 2007
Food, "Dish"
Ring it on in
Feasts and festivities for NYE
CREDIT: Elena Talberg
By Kirsten Ott
ROUND AND ROUND
Get high on your last night in 2007 with Party in the Pods at the rotating Sun Dial Restaurant, Bar & View, which features live jazz music from the Mose Davis Trio, a buffet-style menu ($60 per person) or a prix fixe menu ($89 per person), a Champagne toast and a balloon drop. Come back for seconds the next day for a prix fixe brunch from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. for $35 per person. Just coming to party? Cover is $15. Tickets available at xorbia.com. 404-589-7506. sundialrestaurant.com.
IN GOOD TASTE
Rub elbows with the upper crust and celebrate NYE in style at Joël, where a five-course meal ($135 per person) with an optional wine pairing (additional $40) features mouthwatering dishes such as roast duck filet with brussel sprouts, poached red-wine pears, corn cake, aspicius sauce, turbot with shrimp ravioli, Honeshimeji mushrooms with Fenugreek sauce. Reservations are highly recommended. 404-233-3500. joelrestaurant.com.
JAZZ IT UP
Take a bite out of the Big Apple without leaving Atlanta, er, Roswell. Londzell’s Jazz and Blues Café has all the sultry appeal of a NYC jazz club with Southern comfort food. The hotspot presents jazz vocalist Toni Redd on NYE for a lovely dinner show. A three-course prix fixe dinner includes entrée choices from market-fresh herb-crusted salmon; chicken breast stuffed with cheese, spinach and mushrooms; and Angus beef rib eye with Burgundy mushroom sauce. Champagne toast at midnight. $85 per person. For an additional $65, the club offers a deluxe package setting you up with room and board at the Courtyard Marriott less than two miles away. Only want to groove and drink? Cover is $35 and includes Champagne. 678-795-9100. londzellsjazzandblues.com.
THE LAST SUPPER
You’ve got only one night left to live it up this year. Make the most of it with an indulgent four-course prix fixe dinner at Food Studio. Highlights of the culinary specialties include yellow fin tuna crudo, seared Maine scallops, roasted lamb sausange, grilled beef tenderloin, Long Island duck breast, Valrhona chocolate and red currant crunch cake, and Champagne poached-pear and almond tart with rosemary ice cream. $80 per person. 404-815-6677. fifthgroup.com.
KNOCK THREE TIMES
Oui, the French know how to party. Trois offers several special dinner options, DJ Rod spinning hot new French music, a cru bar, a Champagne toast and party favors at 7 p.m. for France and again at midnight for the United States, live entertainment by local musician Chris Burke and a late-night breakfast buffett. 404-815-3337, trois3.com.
LOCAL COLORS
Chefs Joe Treux and Mihoko Obunai of Repast Restaurant use local and regional ingredients to prepare a four-course meal for $75 per person or a six-course menu for $110 with a $30 wine pairing option.404-870-8707. repastrestaurant.com.
ASIAN PERSUASION
Silk restaurant in Midtown hosts an extravagant five-course NYE dinner with tempting dishes such as Fuyu persimmon cup stuffed with jumbo lump crabmeat, roasted pepers, Shimeji mushrooms and persimmon sauce; lobster bisque; papaya salad; steak and lobster or a deluxe sushi and sashimi plate; and a decadent chocolate buffet. Dancing and Champagne follows. Seatings begin at 9 p.m. Credit card required for reservations. 678-705-8888. silkrestaurant.com.
Steel Atlanta, the new Indochine restaurant in the Plaza Midtown Building, celebrates its first NYE with a bang. Three different seatings are offered for enjoying the Asian dishes. The 5 p.m. is a three-course menu for $45 per person, and the 7 and 9 p.m. seatings offer a five-course menu for $75 per person. Reservations are encouraged. 404-477-6111. steelatlanta.com.
RIDE THE WAVE
New-on-the-scene AquaKnox offers its standard global water cuisine in a five-course meal and Veuve Cliquot Champagne toast. Dine at 6 p.m. for $90 or 9 p.m. for $125. aquaknox.net.
PAIR FOR THE COURSE
Via Food Bar and Chef Richard Roettgen offer a four-course menu with a wine pairing option for $65 per person. Reservations are encouraged. Seating is limited. 404-214-5404. viarestaurant.com.
MANGIA
Midtown’s new Italian culinary destination, Allegro, is serving a special New Year’s Eve menu from Chef Jose Rego with prices ranging from $10 to $30, with complimentary Prosecco (Italys’ answer to Champagne). Reservations are available from 6 p.m. on, and the restaurant will remain open past midnight, so prepare for a festive evening. 404-888-1890. allegroatlanta.com.
AND ALL FOR ONE
Mosaic keeps it real knowing that you may want to ring in the new year with your kids. A family friendly dinner is offered, starting at 5:30 p.m., and includes a special kids menu, hats, party favors and kid-friendly cocktails. Two adult-only dinner seatings follow at 7:30 and 9:30 p.m. DJ Jukebox starts spinning at 11 p.m. 404-846-5722. mosaicatl.com.
THE MORNING AFTER
Dragging yourself out of bed on New Year’s Day is a feat in itself. Why bother with getting dressed? Comb your hair, brush your teeth, and make your way over to Java Jive in your jammies at the 14th Annual Pajama Brunch. From 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., the staff will be dressed in its nighttime best and encourage you to do the same. 404-876-6161.
BrickTop’s knows how to give it to you straight with a classic Americana brunch, including waffles, filet mignon Benedict, homemade donuts, shrimp and grits. 404-841-2212. bricktops.com.
Too much partying the night can cause severe indecisiveness the next day. Open up your dining options with the New Year’s Day Brunch Buffet at Lobby at Twelve Room or Room at Twelve Centennial Park. Both restaurants serve brunch from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. $34 for adults and $14 for children. lobbyattwelve.com. roomattwelve.com. SP
When she’s not checking out restaurants, interviewing chefs or nodding off after her fifth glass of wine, Life, Food & Style Editor Kirsten Ott dishes culinary and cocktail insights. E-mail her at kirstenott@sundaypaper.com.