KATHY MADER -- Dining Review

When it comes to Christmas, the first thing on my mind is food, after

goodwill toward men and peace on Earth, of course. But food is always

right up there in my major Christmastime concerns: Where will I go? What

will I order? Will there be enough? (Please note that “What will I make?”

is never one of these concerns.) Thankfully, there are many opportunities

to get these questions answered to my satisfaction.

I will begin with that nearest and dearest to my heart, Five Crowns on

East Coast Highway in Corona del Mar. My husband and I were engaged there

at Christmas five short years ago. Five Crowns is not actually open on

Christmas Day, but they are open on Christmas Eve until 10 p.m. Five

Crowns celebrates my favorite season, beginning Dec. 1 through Dec. 30,

with a special holiday menu that includes roast duck and roast goose,

their incredible prime rib, and salmon and swordfish specials. And while

the food has a reputation for always being wonderful, it is the holiday

atmosphere that really knocks you out. The restaurant’s halls are decked

with boughs of holly, the bells are jingling, the fire is roaring and

authentic carolers sing. This may be as cozy and warm as you feel all

Christmas. Reservations are mandatory, so call at once: (949) 760-0331.

Not to be outdone as far as carolers and coziness, is Muldoon’s Irish

Dickens Christmas at Muldoon’s Irish Pub, (949) 640-4110, on Newport

Center Drive, near Fashion Island. This celebration begins Dec. 15 and

runs through Christmas Eve. The staff dresses in authentic Dickens

costumes, and the restoration is filled with Old World decorations, which

only lend to the festivities. In case you are one of those nonbelievers,

Muldoon’s serves its famous Christmas wassail, a hot red wine drink that

puts you face to face with Santa Claus himself. In addition to the

regular menu, Mr. Bumble’s Best Chops -- center-loin cut lamp chops --

and Christmas Duck Grand Marnier -- slow-roasted Long Island duckling

served crisp and glazed with Grand Marnier and oranges -- are the

highlights of the holiday menu. Live entertainment on the weekends makes

it all feel like a real party. This is the 11th annual Irish Dickens’

Christmas, so something must be working well.

Very rich in tradition is The Ritz on Newport Center Drive in Newport

Beach. Beginning right after Thanksgiving and going on through the New

Year is its Christmas Goose spectacular. Lest you think I am overdoing

it, The Ritz will serve more than 6,000 orders of its Wynucke goose,

farm-raised to their particular specifications in Minnesota, before the

season is done. Chef Prager orders these geese in August to assure that

age and freshness coincide with the holidays. The goose is served in a

“German manner” with red cabbage, apples and prunes, with the famous

creamed corn and cucumber relish on the side. Add a star to your tree by

ordering the hazelnut souffle with Frangelico cream sauce. Merry

Christmas, baby! The lunch goose is $17.50, and the dinner goose is $26.

Definitely make reservations, and definitely go.

For those of you with out-of-town guests, give them a real Christmas

treat and have them stay at the Hyatt Newporter on Jamboree Road and

celebrate Christmas Day with the famous Christmas Day Buffet at $36.95

per person. I have always believed the Newporter’s Sunday brunch is one

of the very best in town, and its Christmas Day Buffet promises to be all

that times 10. They offer two seatings, the first from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

and the second from 2 until 5 p.m. The main attraction is the seafood:

mountains of crab legs and shrimp, smoked salmon, oysters, mussels, and

clams. But the main event on this day will be the roast holiday turkey.

As usual, there will be prime rib, an omelet station, a pasta station, an

acre set aside for desserts, and a host of many other tasties, all with a

Christmas flair. Again, reservations are necessary. Call (949) 675-5333.

Many people look to their old favorites to celebrate their favorite

season, which is why Yankee Tavern on the corner of East Coast Highway

and Bayside Drive is always popular. In addition to its spectacular view

of bay-side homes decorated for the holidays, the Yankee Tavern serves up

old-time favorites on Christmas Eve, such as salmon, pot roast, prime rib

and turkey, in a three-course, fixed price menu. The cost is $22.95 per

person and includes soup or salad (go for the lobster bisque!) and

dessert.

If none of these do it for you, try the elegant Pavilions restaurant

at the Four Seasons Hotel in Newport Beach at (949) 760-4920. Everyone

else does. There is only a waiting list available for either of these

dinners, as this is one of Newport’s finest. Pavilions is serving

fixed-price dinners on both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, as well as a

Christmas morning brunch. The dinner menu makes all the shopping worth

it. On Christmas Eve, a mesquite-grilled swordfish with fresh potatoes

and an orange sauce, pan-seared prime New York steak with mashed

potatoes, or the roasted, free-range turkey with chestnut stuffing and

traditional garnish are the highlights. Good luck choosing. For Christmas

day dinner, the traditional turkey is again available along with a

Pacific sea bass with artichokes and cilantro, and a pan-roasted veal

tenderloin in a chives sauce.

Ladies and gentlemen, Santa has come to town.

* KATHY MADER’s dining reviews appear every other Thursday.