The bells will ring! The globe will fall! Horns will blow all over the world. The old year is ending. The New Year is here. Can it be? It seems that the millennium roared in only yesterday. Where have the years gone?
Some people never age past 39 but, in truth, time does pass. The challenge is to be aware of time and to enjoy it. And to be able to find pleasure with time passing, one must strive to stay healthy. Which brings us to the subject of eating.
We all must eat to live, but some people live to eat -- and literally eat themselves into the ground. So, many of us make resolutions as the clock turns to the new date to eat better, more carefully, perhaps less than usual or perhaps more than usual. After all, we are what we eat. A good way to gain better control of our eating is to focus carefully on the food we consume. By being more selective about where we eat, by savoring and enjoying every bite, by concentrating on food's flavors and textures, we can gain from our eating experiences and achieve better control. Which brings us to the subject of restaurants, particularly where to welcome in the New Year.
If one intends to go out to a fine restaurant and has not yet made reservations, it may be too late. Many excellent restaurants, like Le Fontainebleau at the Westgate Hotel, are fully booked. But many fine and fun places still have openings, particularly for earlier seatings.
On New Year's Eve, many restaurants go all out. Chefs work long and hard to create special dishes and special complete menus for the occasion. To accommodate diners, some restaurants sell seating in "blocks of time." For example, a seating may begin at 7 p.m. but diners have to be finished by 9:30 p.m. At some locations, featured bands don't start the entertainment until after 9 p.m. It is late in the game but, by hunting around, diners can still find many good restaurants with openings. Here are some ideas:
Dick's Last Resort in the Gaslamp, (619) 231-9100, will feature live music and a special three-course dinner menu for only $99 per couple. If it doesn't rain and the patio opens up, there may be "standing room only" for the entertainment for just $20 per person. Dick's is always a fun place to party, where people can be pretty uninhibited.
Rama Restaurant, also in the Gaslamp, (619) 501-8424, offers an exotic five-course dinner with a glass of Moet champagne for only $55 per person. The back room is outstanding, with a waterfall and diaphanous curtains that create a sense of intimacy at the tableside.
For a Polynesian twist, dine at Bali Hai on Shelter Island, with lots of free parking and incredible views of the downtown lights. There is a buffet menu, with lots of choices, including desserts. A Polynesian floorshow with dancers begins at 10:15 p.m.
Two fabulous restaurants in Old Town are still taking reservations. Zocalo Grill, (619) 298-9840, is offering a number of special holiday dishes, such as Braised Lamb, and a Crab & Shrimp Tamale, in addition to its regular menu. CafÈ Pacifica, (619) 291-6666, which serves amazing seafood, will offer a special menu of the three favorite entrees of the year.
For diners who live in North County, J. Taylor's Restaurant in the L'Auberge Resort, (858) 793-6460, still has some room in the early seating. The later seating is sold out. But, for only $75 per person, diners can feast on a five-course dinner prepared by its outstanding chef, Paul McCabe.
For people who want to greet the New Year with a great steak dinner, Greystone in the Gaslamp, (619) 232-0225, is offering two-hour blocks of time and two choices of prix fixe menu -- regular at $90 per person and a premium menu at $120 per person. Ruth's Chris -- downtown, (619) 233-1422; Del Mar, (858) 755-1454 -- is offering its regular menu at regular prices, with no uptick for the holiday.
For just a fun time in a neighborhood setting, it is hard to beat two fine restaurants in La Jolla. Beaumont's, (858) 459-0474, a new neighborhood eatery in Bird Rock, will offer an exceptional three-course dinner beginning at 9 p.m. for only $65 per person. Space is limited but still available. The Spot, which is in the Village (858) 459-0800, offers its regular menu and is sure to be full of "regulars" who will cheer in the New Year.
As the hands of the clock converge to meet at the 12, let me wish you all a very happy New Year. Let's all eat well, drink responsibly and have a safe holiday. All the best.
Rottenberg is editor of Dining San Diego Magazine and member of the California Restaurant Writers Association. Send comments to the editor@sddt.com. All letters are forwarded to the author and may be used as Letters to the Editor.
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