Celebrating New Year’s Eve with fantastic fare

Kathy Mader

I don’t know about you, but New Year’s Eve is my time to let

somebody else do the work. All that cooking, cleaning ... my mom is

laughing pretty hard right now, but you know what I mean.

I have also found that New Year’s Eve can be a bit, shall we say,

overrated. The expectations are high, reality can be a little hard

hitting. Thankfully, there are quite a few restaurants in town that

would love to help you out, whatever your plans might be.

For those of you who still love to put bells on and hit the town,

the restaurants on the bay offer serious atmosphere, as well as

serious partying. There’s Villa Nova on West Coast Highway ([949]

642-7880), where New Year’s has always been their busiest night of

the year. If you are interested, the earliest reservations for the

fixed holiday four course menu and live music are for 9:45 p.m. and

the cost is $60 per person.

The new Harborside Restaurant ([949] 673-4633), formerly the Tale

of the Whale in the historic Balboa Pavilion, is putting on a major

buffet, with some of the highlights being crab legs and shrimp

cocktail for appetizers, prime rib, mahi mahi and bananas foster. I

understand that is just the tip of the ice sculpture. They are also

featuring dancing to the big band sound of Jumpin’ Joz, and the

midnight toast is included, otherwise you are on your own at the no

host bar. This package is $65 per person.

The Rusty Pelican ([949] 642-3431), also on West Coast Highway, is

celebrating with live entertainment, party hats and favors and that

champagne toast. Rusty Pelican will be serving off the regular menu,

and even though it has the most amazing garlic bread in the history

of the world, I don’t recommend it for this night of nights if you

want that kissing at midnight to actually happen.

For a pretty chic night out, try the Hyatt Newporter’s 2002

celebration ([949] 729-1234). They will be partying in the ballroom,

dancing to the Bel Airs. Your reservation includes two drink coupons,

light hors d’oeuvres, a dessert and coffee station, and champagne

toast for $75. If you prefer a full dinner, the Jamboree, the Hyatt’s

main restaurant, is offering a three-course dinner with your choice

of lamb chops, duckling, blue cheese-bacon tenderloin or seafood

pasta as an entree, plus a bottle of champagne for the especially

nice price of $100 per couple.

For the ultimate package, hit the Jamboree for dinner, the

ballroom for dancing and drinks, and just walk over to your hotel

room when you’re ready to call it a night for $349 a couple.

For those of you who’d like to take it a little easier, I should

mention that the Costa Mesa Senior Center ([949] 645-2356) is putting

on a big New Year’s Eve dinner/dance for $25 a person.

The Yankee Tavern ([949] 675-5333) will offer its regular menu,

with the famous pot roast, but mostly just a nice mellow place to

view the bay, eat good food and ring in the new year.

And for those of you who like to be in bed by 10 p.m., go eat food

to put you in that early coma. Nick’s Pizza ([949] 722-7566) on

Harbor Boulevard would happily oblige with its menu of Italian

favorites -- homemade gnocchi, eggplant parmesan and some pretty

excellent (and big!) chicken dishes. If you are hesitant to even

leave your house, Doria’s Haus of Pizza ([714] 751-8777), also on Harbor Boulevard could supply you with the mother of all pizzas to

ensure that you could make it through the first two football games

the next day without having to ever leave the house.

And nothing like Mi Casa’s Mexican food ([949] 645-7626),

especially the chile verde burrito with cheese and sauce and a side

of sour cream, to really let you settle in for the winter.

While there are never any guarantees on New Year’s Eve, one thing

the restaurants in this town can assure you is a full belly. And

that’s good enough for me.

Happy New Year!

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