ON THE PLATE
Party hats! Champagne! Fine eats! Reduced chances of lampshade-wearing incidents or being stranded at a boring party with no cabs in sight! Here are some details on a few of the many special New Year’s Eve menus at local eateries (unless specified, prices do not include tax, gratuity, or bubbly or other beverages).
Avenue One Chef Charles Walpole’s three- and five-courses menus offer choice at every stage: We like the look of the seared scallops with braised oxtail and tarragon, the celeriac soup with smoked trout and walnuts, the roast sea bass with white asparagus, and the Meyer lemon Napoleon with blood orange jus. Two seatings, 5 and 9 p.m. Three-course meal $49 (before 7 p.m. only), five-course $79. 1921 First, 441-6139.
Brasa Special one-night-only ࠬa carte menu features caviar and foie gras appetizers, a lobster risotto, and main dishes including lobster, rack of lamb, pheasant, arctic char, and beef tenderloin. Surprise special events throughout the evening, and party hats and a midnight toast for the 10 p.m. seating. 2107 Third, 728-4220.
Caf頊uanita Chef Holly Smith’s North Italian-inspired six-course prix fixe banquet features oyster broth with caviar, carpaccio drizzled with truffle oil, squab and foie gras, and much more. Meal only, $80; with selected wines to accompany each course, $125. Seatings from 5-10 p.m. 9702 N.E. 120th Place, Kirkland, 425-823-1505.
Earth & Ocean More than a dozen special items to choose from, with starters like sugar pumpkin soup or venison carpaccio in a juniper gel饮 Main dishes include wild boar ravioli; big-eye tuna over an artichoke, cockle, and white bean ragout; and chestnut-honey-glazed duck breast. With a Sue McCown dessert still to come! Seatings 6-11 p.m. $44-$60, depending on choice of main dish. 1112 Fourth (in the W Hotel), 264-6060.
Flying Fish There’ll be custom-made party hats and a midnight toast, but the main attraction is Christine Keff’s special prix fixe menu, featuring items such as lobster bisque; fennel-cured steelhead; John Dory in a ragout of baby artichokes, leeks, and truffles; and pan-roasted monkfish saltimbocca in a brown-butter caper sauce. Three seatings, 5:30-6:15 p.m., 7:30-8:15 p.m., and 10-10:45 p.m. $85. 2234 First, 728-8595.
Nell’s Seven sumptuous courses including a cauliflower flan, chimney-smoked lobster, truffled leek risotto, choice of veal loin with spaetzle and hedgehog mushrooms or muscovy duck breast with turnip gratin, plus pineapple soup with mango sorbet and dessert to follow. $95. Seatings 5:30-7 p.m. and 8-10 p.m. 6804 E. Green Lake Way N., 534-4044.
Ponti A five-course banquet featuring a wide choice of seafood and other items, including oysters on the half-shell, foie gras with grilled corn cake, a mixed fresh seafood entr饠dressed in the house’s famed Thai curry sauce, beef tenderloin with pancetta hash, and more. $65. Seatings 5-10:30 p.m. 3014 Third N., 284-3000.
Rover’s Dine early on Thierry Rautureau’s five- course banquet featuring a crab, baby white asparagus, and sturgeon caviar appetizer; quail and foie gras; poached sole with lobster-truffle trimmings; and more. Or go wild at the late seating with its exotic extra course and glass of champagne included. First seating $95, 5:30-6:30 p.m.; second seating $130, 8:30-10 p.m. 2808 E. Madison, 325-7442.
