South Florida Sun-Sentinel (Sunday)
South Florida restaurant specials, parties for New Year’s Eve
Party people will tell you: “New Year’s Eve is amateur night.”
That’s because lots of nightlife novices, who are homebodies the rest of the year, feel obligated to paint the town coral (this is SoFlo, bro) on Dec. 31.
No problem.
The more, the merrier. But along with sage advice about splurging for a shared ride, the classic clubber will also tell you to eat a good dinner before carousing until ... um ... brunch on Jan. 1. So here is a list of foodie-fabulous specials at Broward and Palm Beach county restaurants. Some even morph into a party as the night goes on. Keep in mind that the prices listed do not include taxes or tips.
Louie Bossi’s Ristorante, Bar & Pizzeria
louiebossi.com
1032 E. Las Olas Blvd., Fort Lauderdale; 954-3566699
100 E. Palmetto Park Road, Boca Raton;
561-336-6699
For New Year’s Eve, both locations will feature a
20-ounce Porterhouse ($85) with side dishes grilled asparagus and pan-roasted cauliflower with hazelnuts, raisins and capers. NYE hours are 11 a.m. to midnight; pizza-only after 11 p.m. The bar closes at 2 a.m.
The Casino @ Dania Beach
301 E. Dania Beach Blvd., Dania Beach; 954-920-1511, ext. 1268; casinodaniabeach.com
Luxe, the restaurant on the second level of the casino, will have a New Year’s Eve Luxe Buffet from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. for $49.99 per person.
The menu includes a seafood bar with tuna tataki and smoked salmon, a grilling station’s selections of roasted chicken and baby back ribs as well as a carving station with roast turkey. You can also join the party and countdown at the Sunrise Bar Stage from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m.
The Addison
2 E. Camino Real, Boca Raton; 561-372-0568; theaddisonofbocaraton. com and eventbrite.com
The Addison’s Gold Rush New Year’s Eve Party is set for 8 p.m. to 1 a.m. and costs
$495 per person. Expect a four-course seated dinner (served promptly at 8:30 p.m.), passed hors d’oeuvres, food displays, craft cocktails
and an open bar with unlimited champagne.
The Wick Theatre and Museum Club 7901 N. Federal Highway, Boca Raton; 561-9952333; thewick.org
The Wick will have an NYE celebration starting at 7:30 p.m. with a cocktail reception, four-course dinner, concert, balloon drop, champagne toast and after-party for $375 per person (for the concert and after-party only, tickets are $150 per person). Chef William Walden’s dinner will include Maine lobster bisque, petite salade hivernale, carved chateaubriand and butter poached lobster, and dark chocolate mousse royale. The concert will star Erich Bergen, who many may recognize from his role on CBS-TV’s “Madam Secretary” as well as turns on Broadway in “Waitress” and “Chicago.”
Steak 954
401 N. Fort Lauderdale Beach Blvd., Fort Lauderdale; 954-414-8333;
steak954.com
This waterfront restaurant at the W Fort Lauderdale will offer a five-course, pre-fixe tasting dinner menu for $190 per person from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. The menu features items such as horseradish panna cotta, beef carpaccio, berkshire pork belly, short rib agnolotti, rosini with a wagyu filet, and South African lobster tail. There will be a choice of champagne and raspberry mousse cake or chocolate pistachio torte.
B Ocean Resort
1140 Seabreeze Blvd., Fort Lauderdale; 954-2453852; boceanresort.com This Fort Lauderdale beach resort will have three New Year’s Eve offerings:
■ The ultimate package includes a buffet dinner at the Naked Crab Seafood Kitchen + Cocktail Bar, a reserved table, access to the open bars at The Florida Bar and The Wreck Bar, a midnight toast, party favors, the lobby dance party and admission into a special mermaid show. This package is $350 per person and runs from 7 p.m. to 1 a.m.
■ The celebration package offers the same buffet dinner, a reserved table, a midnight toast, party favors, the lobby dance party and admission into the special mermaid show. This package is $190 per person and
$60 for children younger than age 12 and runs from 7 p.m. to 1 a.m.
■ The dance package provides access to the open bar at The Florida Bar and Wreck Bar, a midnight toast, party favors and entry into the lobby dance party. This package is $150 per person and runs from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m.
Additionally, the Naked Crab’s gourmet buffet will have food stations including:
■ The Ice Bar — sushi and sashimi; ahi tuna tataki and flounder tiradito
■ Spanish Station — acorn ham and chorizo; pan con tomate (bread with tomato); marinated olives and gallego bread
■ Churrasqueria Station — picanha; skirt steak and chorizo; farofa; cheese bread and chimichurri
■c Salad Station — Kale Salad; Chicory with Fig; Roasted Honey Butternut Squash
■ Entrée Station — Merlot Braised Short Ribs; Roasted Chicken “Coq au Vin”; Florida Red Snapper and Grilled Japanese Eggplant Yakitori
■ Dessert — Assortment of winter cakes and tarts
Kapow Noodle Bar
402 Plaza Real, Boca Raton; 561-347-7322; kapownoodlebar.com
Kapow in Boca Raton will have the theme of Neo-Tokyo on New Year’s Eve with a four-course, prix-fixe menu ($250 per person) by chef Anthony Williams featuring dishes such as Pan-Seared Foie Gras, Wild Mushroom and Truffle Chow Fun, Pan Seared Black Cod, and Kalbi Marinated Ribeye. After dinner, enjoy a DJ set from Freak The Disco and a premium open bar. There is also an early-seating option at 6 p.m. for $125 per person (drinks will be a la carte). General admission at 10 p.m. is $125 per person.
Mai-Kai Restaurant
3599 N. Federal Highway, Fort Lauderdale;
954-646-8975; maikai.com Don’t count the Mai-Kai out of your holiday plans just because the iconic tiki-licious icon is still closed for a major renovation. You can order tropical cocktails-to-go with pickup From 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Dec.
22 or noon to 3 p.m. Dec.
23. Special arrangements may also be made for other pickup times.
Mai-Kai mixologists suggest you serve most of the drinks shaken over ice. Their list includes:
■ Barrel O’Rum is a cocktail favorite of tiki enthusiasts;
$95 per gallon or $30 per quart.
■ The Christmas Barrel features Lemon Hart Blackpool Spiced Rum; $95 per gallon or $30 per quart.
■ The Real McCoy is made with 12-year “Distiller’s Proof ” Mai-Kai Blend 92 proof, a single-blended Barbados rum. These bottles are from the third and final batch produced for the Mai-Kai, so there is a very limited supply; $85.60 per bottle.
■ Jet Pilot blends
heavy-bodied rums and juices; $156 per gallon or $44 per quart.
■ The Mai Tai is a classic tropical cocktail, made with Appleton 12 year-old Jamaican Rum; $142 per gallon or $40 per quart.
■ Black Magic blends dark rums, tropical juices and a subtle lacing of coffee; $95 per gallon or $30 per quart.
Seminole Casino Coconut Creek
5550 NW 40th St., Coconut Creek; CasinoCoCo. com
The food and beverage venues at this casino all have holiday specials:
■ NYY Steak — News Year’s Eve menu specials include starters Champagne Oysters ($42) or Baked Escargot
($30); entrée options Maker’s Mark-Aged Ribeye ($70), Stuffed Whole Lobster ($160) or Surf and Turf ($85). A side option of Bacon Cheddar Potato Gratin is $20, and dessert will be Chocolate Bread Pudding with a Bourbon Anglaise for $12. For reservations, visit sevenrooms. com/reservations/nyysteakhousecoconutcreek or call 954-935-6699.
■ 1st Street Deli — Specials, available from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., include Black Eyed Peas Soup ($7), Champagne Salad ($9), Pan-Seared Halibut ($29), 14-ounce Roasted Prime Rib ($33), Champagne Sponge Cake
($9) and two Chocolate Covered Strawberries ($9).
■ Sorrisi — Specials from 11 a.m. to midnight include Lentil and Escarole Soup ($9), Burrata and Tomato ($18), Lobster Scampi ($38), Osso Buco ($32), and Double Chocolate Espresso Cheesecake ($9).
GEORGE/COURTESY
Akira Back
233 NE Second Ave., Delray Beach (inside The Ray Hotel); 561-739-1708; akirabackdelray.com
Chef Akira Back is crafting a special six-course Omakase prix-fixe menu with ingredients including
Oscietra Caviar, White Alba Truffles and Japanese A5 Wagyu. Omakase is a Japanese service that is a curated chef ’s choice rather than the more familiar a la carte way of ordering sushi. The phrase can be interpreted as “I trust and leave it up to you,” and means that the chef prepares a guided multi-course meal of different sushi that has some sort of progression of flavors, with an emphasis on artistic presentation and seasonality. The first seating is set for 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. and costs $300 per person. The second seating from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. costs $375 per person and includes entry to the Rosewater Rooftop NYE celebration.
Matchbox
221 SW First Ave., Fort Lauderdale; 954-751-5959; matchboxrestaurants. com/las-olas
1860 Sawgrass Mills Circle No. 5100, Sunrise;
754-701-3731; matchboxrestaurants.com/ sawgrass-mills
New Year’s Eve at this restaurant — which has locations in downtown Fort Lauderdale’s Riverfront area and at Sawgrass Mills mall in Sunrise — means a prix fixe dinner that includes a
$125 three-course meal for two where you choose from an a la carte menu. You also get a wine bottle of choice, including Cavit Pinot Grigio, Eos Pinot Noir, Trinity Oaks Chardonnay or Sycamore Lane Merlot.
Amar Mediterranean Bistro
522 E. Atlantic Ave., Delray Beach; 561-8655653; amardelray.com Amar will have a prix-fixe holiday dinner featuring Mediterranean cuisine. The special NYE menu includes Mediterranean Shrimp Skillet, Fried Kibbeh, Lamb Shank, and vegan and vegetarian selections such as Classic Hummus, Baba Ghanouj, Roasted Brussel Sprouts and Lebanese Moussaka. Early seating starting at 5 p.m. will be $75 per person and $45 for children younger than age 12. The late seating starting at
7:30 p.m. will be $115 per person and $55 for children under 12.
Tropical Smokehouse
3815 S. Dixie Highway, West Palm Beach; 561-3232573; eattropical.com Starting at 5 p.m., chef Rick Mace is offering a special New Year’s Eve Whole Hog Dinner for $66 per person with the main dish from HertaBerkSchwein Farms. Sides include Squash and Root Vegetable Slaw, Luck and Money Potlikker Collards and Hoppin’ John Yeast Rolls. The dessert is a Coconut Tres Leches Cake. The restaurant will be open until 10 p.m.
Conrad Fort Lauderdale Beach
551 N. Fort Lauderdale Beach Blvd., Fort Lauderdale; 954-414-5100; conrad-fort-lauderdalebeach.ticketleap.com
Conrad’s oceanfront Sky Deck will have a New Year’s Eve experience from 8 p.m. Saturday to 1:30 a.m. Sunday with premium open bar, bubbly, butler-passed hors d’oeuvres, gourmet food stations (carving stations, sushi and a raw bar), and entertainment from a DJ and a violinist. Tickets are
$561.25 for adults age 21 and older, $311.25 for young adults age 13-20, and $161.25 for children age 12 and younger.
The stations include:
■ The Ultimate Raw Bar “Ice Lab Sculpture” — Chilled Jumbo Shrimp, Snow Crab Claws, Fresh Shucked Oysters
■ Local Greens and Salads — Tomato and Burrata, Local Greens and Vegetables, Roasted Beet Salad, Baby Iceberg Salad
■ Sliced and Roll Sushi — Spicy Tuna, Salmon Avocado, Tempura Shrimp, Vegetable Roll, Assorted Nigiri Sushi
■ Jamón Ibérico de Bellota Action Station — 2-year Cured Ham with Grated Heirloom Tomatoes, Roasted Garlic Aioli
■ Charcuterie — Imported and Domestic Cheese, Preserved Vegetables, Housemade Jams and Preserves, Zack the Baker Bread, Marinated Olives, Spiced Nuts
■ Yakitori Action Station — Charcoal Grilled Chicken Satay, BBQ Chicken, Teriyaki Beef, Sweet Chili Shrimp, Kimchi
■ Carving Action Station — Premium Black Angus Prime Rib, Florida Whole Red Snapper
■ Land and Sea — Grilled Chicken, Lobster Medallions
■ Dessert Station — Galaxy Dome, Strawberry Rose Cheesecake, Golden Corn, Assorted Truffles and Macarons
■ Nitrogen Action Station — Frozen Yogurt and Fruit Caviar
■ Late Night Bites — Mac and Cheese Bites, Ham Croquettes, Conch Fritters, Chicken and Beef Empanadas
HONORABLE MENTIONS
The next offerings are not for New Year’s Eve, but rather for New Year’s Day. We’re talking brunch to start off the first day of 2023.
Lona Cocina & Tequileria
321 N. Fort Lauderdale Beach Blvd., Fort Lauderdale; 954-245-3069; lonarestaurant.com
Located at The Westin Fort Lauderdale Beach Resort, Lona will have a New Year’s Hangover Brunch for $60 per person from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Jan. 1. Aside from the usual brunch service with a Guacamole Bar, Tacos Station, Ceviche Station and Omelet/ Waffle Stations, New Year’s Day will feature a Carving Station, Tamales Station and Churro Bar. The brunch includes bottomless beverages from the build-yourown Bloody Mary Station, passed Champagne, and unlimited margaritas and mimosas.
Prezzo Italian Restaurant & Bar
5560 N. Military Trail, Suite 100, Boca Raton;
561-314-6840; EatPrezzo. com/boca-raton-location
4520 PGA Blvd., Suite
100, Palm Beach Gardens;
561-429-6938; EatPrezzo. com/palm-beach-location
Both Prezzo locations will see the launch of a new Sunday brunch starting on New Year’s Day. The Bottomless Brunch is $39 per person for a two-hour service.
Starting Jan. 1, brunch will run Sundays from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., with the last seating at 2 p.m.
The 18-small-plate menu will include dishes such as Crème Brûlée French Toast Bake, Butternut Squash Quinoa Stack, Bacon-EggCheese Slider, Caprese Avocado Toast, Candied Nueske Bacon, Potato Hash, Roasted Garlic Italian Fries, Meatball Slider and Sausage and Peppers Skillet.
You can add bottomless drinks for an additional
$20 per person during your two-hour brunch service, including Prosecco Zero, Mimosas, Bellinis, Aperol Spritz and Bloody Marys (made Prezzo’s signature bloody mix). You can switch back and forth between those choices. There is a second option of bottomless Veuve Clicquot for $50 per person.