Has it really been 10 years ago since Y2K? Remember how scared we were that computers everywhere would fail? The frantic stockpiling of provisions and ammunition in the face of the imminent collapse?
No? OK, maybe that was just us.
Anyhoo, what’s your plans for this New Year’s Eve, the end of the Aughts? Scribbling resolution lists on the back of a cocktail napkin? Drinking away the memory of the 9/11, the second Bush Adminstration, the resulting rollback of civil liberties, the Great Recession and the rise of Glenn Beck?
We’re sure bars around town are having New Year’s parties (Kate’s Pub? Al’s Tavern? Murphy’s? The Pacific Inn? Babalu?) and of course house parties will abound, but we think it best to start off with a good meal. We know most of the fine restaurants of Wallingford are having special, reservations required or suggested New Year’s Eve dinners, and here’s a sampling of their menus:
- Avila: 2 Free Drinks & Finger Food (Snow Creek and Kumamoto Oysters, Dungeness Crab, Roasted Suckling Pig, Fried Duck Wings with Habanero Sauce, Marsala Glazed Beef Bites, Chicharrones with Green Garlic Powder, Chinese Prawns, Tater Tots, Beignets), S’mores & Roasted Chestnuts, Champagne & Oyster Bar, 2 performances by Polly Wood, $50 advance reservation, $55 at the door. Call 206.545.7375 or email [email protected]
- Art of the Table: Champagne reception, Scallop Carpaccio with Black Truffle Mignonette, Salmon Gravlax with Potato Latke, Goat Cheese Mousse & Caviar, Black Cod with Brussels Sprouts, Parsnip Puree & Pancetta, Foie Gras Torchon with Cranberry Compote, Brioche Toasts & Duck Jelly, Veal Sweetbreads with, Pickled Shallots, Braised Endive, Capers, Vermouth Reduction, Rack of Lamb with Beluga Lentil Salad, Roasted Carrots, Pesto & Smoked Tomato Jam, Chocolate & Hazelnut Goodness, and something special to take home. $190 per person plus tax & gratuity. 206.282.0942
- Tilth: Four-course menu is available starting at 5 p.m. Razor Clam Chowder (cold-smoked clam, potato, celeriac), Oxbow Farm Heirloom Lettuce (“thousand island” dressing, crispy shallot, bacon bits), Rabbit Rillette (onion jam, crostini, frisée), Sylver Fishing Co. Spot Prawn (parsnip, blood orange, beet green), Braised Baby Octopus (fregola, caramelized cauliflower, charmoula), Buttercup Squash Agnolotti (brown butter, sage, onion confit), Smoked Heirloom Bean Cassoulet (wild mushroom, truffle, brioche crumb), Skagit River Ranch Goat Sugo (pappardelle pasta, pancetta, oven dried tomato), Sous Vide Venison Loin (sweet potato, collard green, cocoa nib demiglace), Cowgirl Creamery Mt. Tam Cow’s Milk Cheese (truffle salt, truffle honey), Blood Orange Crème Brulée (hazelnut, turbinado sugar, fresh breeze cream), Roasted Chestnut Sorbet (cranberry soup, chestnut honey, tuile cookie), Bouche de Nöel (pistachio, wolf berry, sabayon) $90 per person; $55 optional wine pairing excluding tax and gratuity. 206-633-0801.
- Joule: Smoked spot prawn, blood orange, crispy nori, radishes, sweet chili vinaigrette, Crispy sweetbread, black trumpet, mustard cream, fennel veloute, white fennel apple kimchi, Rice cake, leek, pickled celeriac, black truffle ragout, watercress, Bone marrow stuffed Kobe flat iron, braised short rib, sunchoke puree, smoked green tea salt, Black rice pudding, kumquat marmalade, toasted barley ice cream, sweet rice sip. $65 per person, with optional $28 for four- wine pairing, plus tax and gratuity. Reservations are available by calling Joule at 206.632.1913. Vegetarian option will be available upon request when making the reservation.
Sutra has something as well, they just haven’t posted their menu, and we’d be surprised if Cantinetta wasn’t up to something, although their web site is mum.
Be sure to check the details with restaurant, menus may have changed, etc.
Great suggestions! After dinner, if you’re not planning to party anywhere, you can swing by Kite Hill at Gasworks Park around midnight to watch the fireworks show at the Space Needle! (If you listen real hard, you might just hear me popping a champagne cork!)
It is a decade to recover from, isn’t it?
We’re just going to our son’s for a Beatles’ Rock Band New Year’s Eve Party… Pretty sedated otherwise. Let’s see how late the 2.5 year old granddaughter will stay awake! I don’t think she’ll sleep well with us all singing to “Helter Skelter”….
It’s crazy that it’s been 10 years since Y2K! I remember all that planning and panic so clearly. I wish I could forget a few things from this past decade, and particularly from this past year.