We are a city that knows how to throw a party. If you haven’t made plans for New Year’s Eve, here are some places where you can dine. We’re giving you a curated list whose highlights include a few newcomers, special offerings from Japan and France (you’ll notice the trend), and then all that’s gold. (Plus–what else?–barbecue on New Year’s.)
Fauna
There is no way to predict what New Year’s Eve dinner will entail at this magical laboratory of wonders, one of the Best New Restaurants 2019, where tasting menus move through theatrical acts involving braziers and dry-ice mist, beautiful products, and both alcoholic and non-alcoholic pairings from Aaron Benson, one of the best sommeliers in town. Reservations required.
Bullion
Celebrate New Year’s Eve in a bar of gold. The menu includes:
“Le Crabe” (king crab, marinated cucumber, radish, sauce gribiche) or “La betterave” (beet, caviar cream, meyer lemon, dill); chef Bruno Davaillon’s stuffed cabbage with pheasant, foie gras, black truffle or a decadent Parmesan soup with roasted sunchoke and black truffle brioche; grilled wild striped bass or venison loin or beef filet with potato boulangére, bone marrow, and bordelaise. And for dessert, from pastry wizard Ricardo Sanchez, the “Golden Bullion” (chocolate and hazelnut ganache, salted caramel, raw milk vanilla ice cream) or the epic baked Alaska, with pineapple, coconut, lime and a rum flambee.
$225 per person + Optional Wine Pairing $85 per person
Paradiso
Prix-fixe four-course menu with champagne pairings, musical entertainment, and an afterparty at the moody cocktail bar Botanist. The menu includes Cape Hatteras oysters with a touch of lavender, seared salmon with vichyssoise, sunchokes, and leeks, or beef tenderloin with charred eggplant pureée, pasta with truffles, and foie gras torchon. And creme brulee or elderflower cheesecake for dessert.
First seating $75 (6 p.m.); second and third seatings $100 (from 8pm). Wine pairings for an additional charge.
Reservations here, with Resy, and at 214.944.5865.
Five Sixty by Wolfgang Puck
The nec plus ultra of glittery heights and fireworks-watching will have a tasting menu, naturally.
Six-Course New Year’s Eve Tasting Menu – $165, Optional Wine Pairing – $50
Caviar Bao – house made steamed bun, Golden Osetra caviar, truffle crème fraiche, tiny chives; Big Eye Tuna Tartare – avocado, togarashi gaufrettes, finger lime, barrel aged tosa soy; “Angry” Maine Lobster Robata – ginger, chili, basil, crispy garlic, jasmine rice; Seared Day-Boat Scallops – Hokkaido uni risotto, yuzu pearls, shaved white alba truffle; Grilled Wagyu x New York Strip – Japanese sweet potato puree, black trumpet mushrooms, red miso hollandaise, shaved perigord; Mango Vacherin – Thai basil mousse, coconut sable, crunchy meringue.
$165 per person, plus tax and gratuity. beverage pairing for an additional $50 per guest.
Nosh Bistro
Avner Samuel’s restaurant is getting into the fray with a menu rife with the celebratory heavy-hitters: osetra caviar; foie gras; Maine lobster; lamb loin tartare; roasted heirloom beets with pop rocks; chestnut and wild mushroom raviolini with white truffles; Miyazaki Wagyu tataki; Beef Wellington; Dover sole; diver scallop; truffle pomme purée; 24-karat gold dark chocolate dome and poached d’Anjou pear with triple cream cheese.
Gorji
The intimate spot never fails to bring a celebratory menu with a hint of Middle Eastern flair, created by one man. A New Year’s Eve four-course dinner includes pan seared scallops or venison loin in cognac sauce; salad (smoked salmon, mixed greens, or Caesar); Prime beef tenderloin with gnocchi gorgonzola, sea bass and chablis poached shrimp,Colorado lamb tenderloin, or a vegetarian 3-cheese spinach lasagna; and flourless chocolate cake or the housemade kefir cheese butterfly with Medjool date and pomegranate reduction.
$125 per person, plus tax, pre-payment required. Limited Seating – Call For Reservations 972-503-7080
Uchi and Uchiba
The sleek neo-Japanese spots with ring in New Year’s Eve with special Omakase menus, designed for two people. Guests dining at midnight will be treated to a complimentary glass of sparkling wine.
Uchi’s $225 menu for two (tax + gratuity not included):
· Amuse Bouche
· Oyster cape hatteras, yuzu dashi gelee, shiny sea, preserved peach sorbet
· Crepe dumpling confit egg yolk, caviar, parmigiano dashi
· Nigiri Chef’s choice
· King salmon endive, avocado, candied walnut
· Octopus green apple, smoked eggplant, urfa
· King crab sunchoke, uni, brown butter zabaione
· Madai Asian pear, myoga, sweet onion zu
· Venison miso, beet puree, liquorice
· Okashi
Uchibā’s $160 meu for two (tax + gratuity not included):
· Oysters pomegranate relish
· Baviche-masu seasonal offerings
· Duck Dumpling stout porcinis, Chinese mustard
· Nigiri Chef’s choice
· Surf & Turf Maki wagyu tartare, king crab
· Wagyu Beef yuzu kosho aioli, fingerling tostones
· Grilled Scallop soy butter, red kosho, sesame (in shell)
· Foie Candy Bar truffle caramel, hazelnut, black sesame
Reservations for Uchi and Uchibā can be made at 214.855.5454. A credit card will be required to reserve.
Namo
More Japanese-style omakase during lunch and dinner service. This is part of Namo’s recently launched Edomae-style (fully Japanese-sourced) omakase, everything served is from Japan.
Lunch
$65 per person
14 course Omakase
6 people per seating
3 Seatings – 12 p.m., 1 p.m. & 2 p.m.
Dinner
$150 per person
21 course Omakase
Champagne included
12 people per seating
3 Seatings – 5 p.m., 7 p.m. & 9 p.m.
Nobu
Did we mention that New Year’s is a big occasion for seafood in Japan? (Eating soba noodles is for New Year’s.) Nobu is offering an omakase menu and entertainment from Japanese drummers. Signature dishes on the menu include toro tartare and nori uni taco; a selection of sushi; sashimi; Chilean sea bass with wasabi miso; Japanese A5 Wagyu sukiyaki; soba with duck breast and duck meatball; and a peach bellini mousse.
$195 (per guest) and includes one glass of Nobu Grand Cru Champagne.
Mot Hai Ba
Peja Krstic is offering a four-course pairing menu. As with Fauna, the menu is undisclosed, but those in the know will know to expect something extraordinary from an extremely talented chef, in his usual new-Vietnamese/all-his-own vein. Seats are extremely limited in this intimate venue.Call the restaurant at 972-638-7468 to make a reservation or email [email protected]. $150 per person includes dinner, drinks, and tip.
The French Room
With its new chef at the helm, The French Room is offering two options: A more traditional celebration will begin at 5:30 p.m. and includes a five-course tasting menu accompanied by music from a live violinist for $125 per person, with wine pairings available for $75. The second seating, beginning at 8:30 p.m., is an up-beat Monte Carlo style celebration with a seven-course tasting menu, live jazz band and celebratory champagne toast for $200 per person, with wine pairings for an additional $125 per person. To make a reservation call The French Room directly at 214.651.3615.
Think sea urchin risotto with passion fruit and espelette pepper; scallops; heritage chicken or A Bar N Ranch Wagyu short ribs au poivre; and fancy desserts.
Le Bilboquet
We’ve got more Frenchies weighing into the mix. (Yes, New Year’s is a huge deal in France, and yes, oysters are front and center.)
Le Bilboquet promises pre-fixe, three-course menu with a seating at 6:30pm. You’ll have choices that include mushroom soup with black Périgord truffle; escargot with garlic herb butter; petit filet with pommes puree; lobster risotto with tarragon butter and hackleback caviar or pan seared halibut with Dungeness crab and champagne beurre blanc. For dessert, chocolate mousse or caramel fried bread pudding.
Call the restaurant to make a reservation at 469-730-2937.
Up on Knox
Another bistro doing things French-style, with salmon tartare, Cornish hens and filet mignon, and chocolate fondant cake with crème anglaise or a Grand Marnier soufflé. Lots of seafood à la carte, and caviar and blinis for those who want to indulge.
Georgie by Curtis Stone
One of the latest openings, Georgie is celebrating New Year’s Eve with a three-course menu for $115 per person. You’re looking at pâté en croute, king crab givré, and sherry mushroom velouté for starters, and saffron linguini, filet, and celeriac steak for entrées, with supplements of caviar and truffles (yep, including the Petrossian at $310), and desserts like hazelnut chocolate mousse and panna cotta. Reservations here.
Jasper’s Uptown
Abacus is gone, but there’s a three-course tasting menu at the Jasper’s Uptown that replaced it. Expect signature items like Hamachi and Ikura Temaki, Jumbo Lump Crabcakes, Wood Fired Grilled Hyplains Filet Mignon and a sharable dessert trio of Pecan Tartlet, Mano Pana Cotta and Dulce de Lece Churros with Cinnamon Ice Cream. At midnight, guests will receive a complimentary champagne toast, and can watch the ball drop in the Jasper’s Uptown bar. Guests are encouraged to make a reservation in advance – the last seating is at 10:00pm. To make a reservation call (214) 559-3111 or here.
Terry Black’s Barbecue
And here we have the New Year’s Day option, from another high-profile newcomer, the Austin barbecue staple. Yes, barbecue. Consider it.
A note from the crew: After a night of celebrating, start New Year’s Day off with a hearty plate of smoked meats and a little bit of the “hair of the dog” at Deep Ellum’s newest BBQ joint. Terry Black’s Barbecue is the perfect spot to gather with friends and family to reminisce on 2019, and kick of 2020. On New Year’s Day, Terry Black’s will be offering $3.00 Bloody Marys and Mimosas.
No reservations are necessary. View the menu here.
