Dine Into ‘09

by Carly Milne

Tired of the club scene on New Year’s Eve? Why not try grabbing a bite instead? We’re rounded up several ways to dine your way into ’09, enjoying one last caloric blowout before the year is through. (We won’t tell anyone if you opt for elastic waistbands on Jan. 1.)

The Burlesque Way: Ivan Kane’s Cafe Wa s in Hollywood is gearing up for a special New Year’s Eve treat. Patrons will enjoy a one-time-only Forty Deuce burlesque performance, complete with a champagne toast. The cost? $55 to hang at the bar, $100-150 for the first seating (depending on where you sit) and $150-200 for the second seating.

The Italian Way: WeHo hotspot Murano Restaurant & Lounge is serving up a five-course, prix-fixe Italian feast. The early seating at 7 p.m. is $85 without wine and $115 with, while the late seating at 10 p.m. will set you back $100 or $130 depending on pairings, but both feature a complimentary champagne toast at midnight.

The Vino Way: Crustacean has put together a tour-de-force dining experience in their private wine cellar. For $1,000 for four, diners will be able to enjoy a four-course meal from the secret kitchen of Executive Chef Helene An. Each course will be paired with a special wine, all carefully chosen by the award-winning Crustacean sommelier.

The Jazz Way: The Foundry on Melrose features entertainment from jazz trio the Foundry 3 and a DJ. Food-wise, you can opt for hors d’oeuvres in the lounge with champagne at $30 a head, or spring for the early and late dinner seatings. Meals are $130, or $200 if paired.

The Bubbly Way: Santa Monica’s Locanda del Lago is “Bursting with Bubbles,” starting at 9 p.m. with a five-course menu, DJ music, dancing and festivities through midnight. $89 gets you fed with one glass of bubbly for toasting, while a mere $129 makes the bubbly bottomless.

The Speakeasy Way: Viceroy Santa Monica is pairing with Om Records for a shindig under the stars. DJs Jason Bentley, King Britt, J-Boogie and Garth Trinidad get the party going at 8 p.m., while guests can enjoy unlimited beverages, gourmet hors d’oeuvres and dancing all evening, capped off by a midnight toast. Presale tickets go for $175, or you can pay $195 at the door.

The Celestial Way: Gingergrass has a one-seating, set menu deal for $55 per person, or $70 with wine and champagne pairings. Starting with a cocktail party at 8 p.m., guests will be treated to yummies like seared diver scallops with black eyed peas and coriander salad and oven-roasted, five-spiced lamb loin chop with sautéed pea greens and minted lamb jus.

The Details

Cafe Wa s
1521 North Vine St.
Hollywood
cafewas.com

Murano
9010 Melrose Ave.
West Hollywood
murano9010.com

Crustacean
9646 Santa Monica Blvd.
Beverly Hills
anfamily.com

The Foundry on Melrose
7465 Melrose Ave.
Los Angeles
thefoundryonmelrose.com

Locanda del Lago
231 Arizona Ave.
Santa Monica
lagosantamonica.com

Viceroy Santa Monica
1819 Ocean Ave.
Santa Monica
viceroysantamonica.com

Gingergrass
2396 Glendale Blvd.
Silver Lake
gingergrass.com