Tis the season to be a glutton and pound some glorious gourmet grub for Christmas/Chanukah/Kwanzaa. Since most of us are transplants and will be” stuck” in gorgeous Miami instead of back home in the frozen tundra, I have compiled a comprehensive list of restaurants open on Christmas in Miami with special Christmas feasts. Wherever you end up have a warm, jolly, fattening and loving Holiday! We also have New Year’s Eve options here.
Red The Steakhouse
Red’s bar will open at 4 p.m. and dinner will be served from 5 p.m.-12 midnight on Christmas Day. Executive Chef Peter Vauthy will be offering RED’s full regular menu along with a variety of Christmas inspired specials including “Prime” Prime Rib (meaning it’s truly Certified Angus Beef Prime, the top 1.5 percent of all cuts of beef), fresh Free Range Organic Turkey, his Apple-Sausage Stuffing, Meyer Lemon-Cranberry Relish and Sweet Potato Fondue with House Made Marshmallow. The restaurant will also be decorated in the spirit of the season showcasing a RED-style Gingerbread house created by RED’s Pastry Chef.
Siena Tavern
Christmas Eve & Day Tasting Menu- December 24 & 25, 2014. Seated dinner: $85pp, $35 additional for wine pairing. Total is $120pp with wine pairing option.
StripSteak
On Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, StripSteak will offer a four-course holiday inspired prix-fixe menu, priced at $75 per person available from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. Guests will enjoy a first course of Lacinato Kale with marcona almonds, cranberries, sunchoke and ginger vinaigrette. Ricotta Cavatelli with duck confit, black trumpet mushrooms and butternut squash follows is offered as the next course. The main course features American Wagyu Flat Iron with parsnip purée, Granny Smith apple and fresh horseradish. Poached Bosc Pear with gingerbread, caramel and eggnog ice cream will finish off the decadent meal. The a la carte menu will also be available.
Scarpetta
Those seeking a rustic yet elegant holiday meal can indulge in Scarpetta’s four-course prix-fixe menu available on both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. Priced at $75 per person, indulge in Mediterranean Octopus with potatoes, capers and olives as an appetizer followed by Squash Raviolini with sage brown butter and amaretti as the pasta course. The main course is Local Snapper with fregola, shrimp, and a mushroom fennel brodetto followed by a Poached Pear ‘Carpaccio’ with white chocolate mousse, crystallized walnuts and holiday spice gelato for dessert. The restaurant’s a la carte menu will also be offered.
Michael Mina 74
On Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, guests can enjoy a four-course prix-fixe dinner at Michael Mina 74 priced at $75 per person and offered from 6 p.m. – 1 a.m in addition to the a la carte menu. Diners can feast upon Roasted Chestnut and Foie Gras Soup with vanilla brown-buttered parsnip and white chocolate followed by a luscious Lobster Salad with poached Maine lobster, hass avocado, pamplemousse rose and a truffle vinaigrette. The entrée will include duo of Roasted Christmas Birds featuring crispy pan-seared duck breast, goose leg confit croquette and braised cherry and port gastrique. For dessert, enjoy decadent Pofiteroles with milk chocolate, pecans and holiday spice ice cream.
Vida
On Christmas Eve and Christmas Day from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m., Vida will offer a holiday prix-fixe menu for $45 per person in addition to the a la carte menu. The menu will feature a choice of appetizer, entrée and dessert with highlights that include Lobster Bisque with sage Crème Fraîche; Grilled New York Strip Steak with roasted shallots, spinach and wild mushroom jus and Apple Tart Tartin with salted caramel ice cream.
The Dutch
The Dutch at W South Beach will offer Christmas Eve & Christmas Day specials. Crafted by Chef de Cuisine Conor Hanlon, festive dinner specials include Roast Pheasant Roulade ($42) – accompanied by spiced sweet potato, Brussels sprouts, bacon and pickled cranberries. Decadent dessert options are Warm Bourbon Bread Pudding ($12) – with English double cream and salted caramel sauce; or Chocolate Gingerbread Pie – with cranberry sauce and egg nog ice cream. Christmas Eve dinner service is from 6:30PM – 9PM. Christmas Day lunch service runs from noon – 4PM; dinner service from 6:30PM – 11:30PM. Regular dining menu also available.
Devon Seafood + Steak
Devon Seafood + Steak, Kendall’s go-to for premium quality steaks and seafood, will offer a prix fixe menu nightly beginning on Christmas Eve through New Year’s Eve (closed Christmas Day). With two options, each priced at $58 per person (excluding tax and gratuity), diners can select between a One Pound Lobster Tail – rich and buttery, steamed and finished with lemon butter or a 14 oz. Bone-In Filet – tender and juicy bone-in filet mignon sprinkled with steak seasoning, mesquite grilled to your specifications and finished with a rosemary demi-glace. Both entrées will be served with choice of vegetable and one of Devon’s popular shareable sides, which include Lobster Mac N’ Cheese, Crab Hush Puppies or Roasted Mushrooms with Truffle Butter. The restaurant will be open on Christmas Eve from 2PM – 10PM; New Year’s Eve hours are 4PM – 11PM. Devon Seafood + Steak is located at 11715 Sherri Lane in Kendall. For reservations, please call (305) 275-0226 or book online at www.devonseafood.com.
BLT Prime
BLT Prime at Trump National Doral Miami® will offer a special Christmas Eve & Day blackboard menu beginning with first course options of Butternut Squash Bisque with spiced cream and pumpkin seeds; or Hamachi Crudo with blood orange, celery and yuzu. Next, diners can indulge in Roasted Striped Bass with cauliflower and a truffle vinaigrette; or Delmonico with bone marrow chimichurri and smoked sea salt. Savory sides feature a Sweet Potato Allumette finished with a maple aioli; or Glazed Rainbow Carrots with pearl onions; while desserts features are a traditional Buche de Noel with eggnog ice cream and pistachio; and Caramel Pecan Tart with brown butter ice cream and bourbon sauce. BLT Prime’s Christmas Eve blackboard specials will be available from 5:30PM – 10:30PM. Christmas Day hours are 3PM – 10:30PM. An à la carte menu will also be available. BLT Prime is located at Trump National Doral Miami, 4400 NW 87th Avenue. For reservations, please call (305) 591-6606; www.bltprimemiami.com.
PUBBELLY
From December 1-24 guests wishing to celebrate the holidays as Chef Jose Mendin would in Puerto Rico can pre-order a whole roasted 6lb. suckling pig with mofongo, tostones, arroz mamposteao and a 6 pack of Medalla with Pubbelly sauces. Each pig will serve 5-7 people. Pigs can be ordered for $250 + tax & service (available to go) at [email protected] and 48 hour pre-order is required.
SUGARCANE Raw Bar Grill
Chef Timon Balloo and Jason Morale have created an a la carte menu with seasonal offerings to get you in the spirit. Menu will be offered on December 24 & 25 and will include dishes like: Duck leg confit & foie gras pot pie $18, Pomegranate glazed lamb chops, baby root vegetable cous cous $25, Chocolate & chestnut cream yule log, eggnog ice cream $10.
BOCCE
Chef Daniel Tackett and Chef Nunzio are sticking to the restaurant’s traditional Italian roots and offering “La Vigilia di Natale” menu – A Feast of Seven Fishes on December 24 for $75 per adult (tax and gratuity additional).
BARCELONETA
On Christmas Eve, Chef Juliana Gonzales will be giving guests the opportunity to select 6 dishes from the a la carte menu for $55 person, with special Christmas-inspired dishes.
3030 Ocean
3030 Ocean, one of Fort Lauderdale’s most elegant hot spots frequented by locals and visitors alike, will offer diners a special three-course Christmas Eve & Christmas Day menu. Priced at $56 per person (excluding beverages, tax and gratuity) with additional wine pairings for $11 per person, the holiday meal will begin with a Creamy Roasted Chestnut Soup topped with chive cream, followed by Chef Paula DaSilva’s Roasted Prime Rib served with mashed potatoes, greens, roasted vegetables and peppercorn jus. Diners can end the night on a sweet note with a Peppermint Brownie Ice Cream Cake drizzled with hot fudge sauce. An à la carte menu will also be available and will include the featured dishes. Christmas Eve & Day dinner will be served from 6PM – 10PM.
Cecconi’s
Christmas Day Feast on Dec 25th, 1pm-5pm: Tis the season for long, decadent family meals, and Cecconi’s is no exception. Join us for a holiday spread like none you have seen before. For reservations, please contact Cecconi’s directly at 786-507-7902 or [email protected]. $45 per person.
DB BISTRO MODERNE
Join us for a special holiday evening at db Bistro Moderne this Christmas Eve. Executive Chef Jason Pringle offers an a la carte menu with seasonal specials from Nantucket Bay Scallops fregola, chanterelles, and hazelnuts to Festive Salt Roasted Prime Rib pomme, creamed spinach, popover. If it’s sweets you’re dreaming of; Pastry Chef Jerome Maure will be offering up variations of the Classic Bûche de Noël, a Christmas Eve French tradition, in addition to other holiday treats. On Wednesday, December 24 the lounge will open at 5:00pm and dinner service starts at 6:00pm with the last seating at 10:00pm. For reservations call 305-421-8800 or visit their website www.dbbistro.com.
Christmas Eve at BIG CITY TAVERN
- House cured “Culatella alla bruschetta” aged 8 months gorgonzola DOP roasted pear agrodolce aged balsamic -$15
- Wood grilled “Lobster Fra Diablo” Calabrian chili, San Marzano sauce, butter poached fingerlings -$38
- “Acquerello” Wild mushroom risotto pecorino DOP shaved white truffles -$32
- Oven roasted palmetto Creek Farm “Porchetta” Anson mills polenta, natural jus – $28
- “Tre dessert Italiani” house made cannoli’s with Calabro ricotta, tiramisu with espresso streusel, stachatella gelato – $12
609 E. Las Olas Blvd., Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301 954.727.0307 | www.BigCityLasOlas.com
STEAK 954
This Christmas, come into Steak 954 for a special holiday meal with your loved ones for breakfast, brunch or dinner. With savory brunch dishes such as the Crab and Avocado Benedict with tomato hollandaise, the Short Rib Benedict on potato pancake, Cuban Style Egg Sandwich with a fried egg, pulled pork and Swiss cheese and the Vanilla French Toast with dulce de leche, it is sure to be a memorable experience. Steak 954 will also be offering a Lamb Sausage Falafel Benedict and Crispy Caved Aged Goat Cheese with poached pears, Lola rosa and pine nut vinaigrette, as Christmas specials. Those looking for dinner plans can choose a variety of delicious options from their extensive steak menu, including a special 8 oz. grass-fed filet mignon. Lighter fare options include Miso Black Cod, Wahoo and Organic Salmon. For reservations or more information, please call 954.414.8333 or visit www.Steak954.com. Wednesday, December 25 Breakfast – 7am-11am Brunch – 11:30am-4pm Dinner – 5:30pm
Christmas Eve at CASA D’ANGELO FEAST OF THE SEVEN FISHES
Fort Lauderdale | Boca Raton
The long-standing tradition of eating seafood on Christmas Eve dates back centuries in the Italian culture, so this year Casa D’Angelo invites guests to enjoy their take on the holiday feast. In many Italian American families, Christmas Eve dinner consists of seven courses of fish, but a more manageable option is Chef Angelo Elia’s Seven Fishes entrée that includes pan fried Baccala (cod) with a seafood salad of Seppia, Octopus, Shrimp, Scallops and Mussels server along with marinated Anchovies. All seven fishes are featured harmoniously in one delicious dish.
On Christmas Eve guests can also order off of the a la carte menu with stand out dishes such as the: Burrata, San Daniele prosciutto Di Parma with fresh tomato and basil; Linguine Positano, Linguine with shrimp sautéed with white wine, garlic, fresh tomato and arugula; Risotto con Porcini, Risotto with porcini mushrooms, white truffle oil and the Bistecca alla Fiorentina, Oak grilled, dry-aged 12 oz. New York strip steak, marinated in olive oil, rosemary and garlic served with sweet Vidalia onion and wild mushrooms
The Casa D’Angelo wine menu is arguably one of the finest collections of Italian and American wines of any restaurant in South Florida, with several hundred labels hand-selected by Chef Angelo and head sommelier Koen Kersemans, guests will surely discover a special bottle or a familiar favorite to complement their holiday dining experience. Reservations are recommended. www.casa-d-angelo.com
CHRISTMAS EVE AT PORFIRIO’S RESTAURANT
Porfirio’s Restaurant is serving a prix fixe traditional Mexican menu on Christmas Eve with a choice of one appetizer, a first course, a main course and dessert for $65. Appetizers include Yucatan-style Pulled Beef with Pumpkin Seed Oil and Jalapeños Stuffed with Mustard Lobster. For the first course, guests can enjoy Spinach Mille-feuille with Goat Cheese and Tamarind or Cream of Roasted Artichoke and Zapadilla Soup. The main course dishes to choose from are Grilled Tenderloin Steak with Mushrooms, Huitlacoche and Asparagus Au Gratin or Fish Filet Stuffed with Poblano Pepper Strips, hazelnuts and Asadero Cheese and a few more delicious options. Save room for dessert and indulge in sweet treats such as Mexican Bread Pudding with Macadamia and Goat Cheese Sherbet or Crispy Napoleon with Mascarpone and Cocoa. For reservations or more information, call 786.216.7675 or visit www.PorfiriosRestaurant.com.