Ah, New Year’s Eve. That magical night when Vegas is transformed into a volcano filled with drunks. But not for you. Oh, you’re over such trite
juvenilia, preferring instead to spend the evening among close friends and loved ones over a memorable meal. Hungry for a unique menu to ring in 2014? Look no further than our hand-culled list of some of the most exotic — and plain fun — New Year’s Eve dining options out there.
You want to ...
Splurge like foodie royalty on the Strip, far removed from the hoi polloi fighting it out on the streets for scraps of Slim Jim and Vitamin Water
Comme Ça
Random sampling from the menu: Live scallop cru with tangerine juice, fennel and harissa (Tunisian chili sauce); Maine lobster poached in vanilla with black truffle, sunchoke, petrified salsify (a root vegetable that tastes like artichoke heart); tournedos of beef ribeye roasted with oxtail bone marrow and chestnut agnolotti with sweet onion braised in red wine; roasted pigeon and white truffle, port wine, abalone mushroom tart
Tip: This was our 2012 Restaurant of the Year. Re-congratulations! (In The Cosmopolitan, starting at $75-$199, 698-7910)
Hakkasan
Random sampling from the menu: Pumpkin soup with shredded chicken and fresh bamboo shoot; wok-braised Australian lobster in buttermilk and almond; Mongolian grilled lamb chop; baked black cod with truffle and supreme soya sauce and egg white; black sesame chocolate cremeux, mint fondant, purple taro ice cream
Tip: It’s big — a 20,000-square-foot space that seats 250, to be exact — but also popular, so book early. Like, NOW! (Inside the MGM Grand, starting at $70-$500, 891-3838)
Have an intimate dinner with your siggie, engaging in rituals such as “googly eyes” and “lingering glances”
André’s
Random sampling from the menu: American caviar with champagne panna cotta; chicken and truffle galantine with carrot chips; duck foie gras mi-cuit (half-cooked); roasted mushroom soup with red wine creme and gremolata; braised veal cheek with spiced pork jus, carrot risotto and fennel salad; filet of beef in truffled Armagnac sauce
Tip: Wine is fine, but French brandy is dandy: André’s boasts a collection of 100 Cognacs and 50 Armagnacs. If you feel like spending $35,000, there’s a 1777 bottle available. (In the Monte Carlo, $185 per person, andrelv.com)
Alizé
Random sampling from the menu: Rabbit confit with tomato marmalade and prosciutto; gazpacho terrine with avocado mousse; Russian Osetra caviar with salmon gravlax; vegetarian caviar with marinated cucumbers, carrot ribbons and crème fraîche; spice-crusted venison carpaccio with a cider reduction, Fuji apples, candied walnuts and red endive; veal tenderloin with leek purée, crispy sweetbreads, baby carrots, herb mustard and Madeira veal jus; roasted mushroom toban yaki
Tip: There are few better places for a midnight smooch — amid a sweeping, 280-degree view of the Strip. (In the Palms, $175-$295, 951-7000)
Circus circus steakhouse
Random sampling from the menu: Black bean soup; French onion soup; bleu cheese wedge salad; Waldorf wedge salad; mesquite-broiled filet mignon; Australian lobster tail; garlic mashed potatoes
Tip: No, The Steakhouse at Circus Circus isn’t where Juggalos take Juggalettes for prom; it’s a surprisingly swank beef-and-wine spot that does dependable classics. (In Circus Circus, $79, 794-3767)
Party it up, bro, but, you know, like, also eat something decent, too
Rao’s
Random sampling from the menu: Fried artichoke hearts with marinara and garlic sauce; bacon-wrapped shrimp with fig and pear chutney; velvety pumpkin soup with caramelized apples; frutti di mare squid ink pasta; beef lasagna with ricotta, Parmesan, mozzarella; seared Chilean sea bass with smoked potato puree; roasted chicken over Israeli couscous; gingerbread tiramisu
Tip: Take advantage of its accessibility; the people eating at Rao’s New York on New Year’s Eve made their reservations in 1972. (In Caesars Palace, $175 per person, 877-346-4642)
Central Michel Richard
Random sampling from the menu: Chestnut soup with foie gras; sous vide-poached egg; lobster risotto with brown butter; seared halibut with a citrus emulsion; veal chop with morel sauce; New York strip steak with roasted shallot Bordelaise sauce
Tip: Think of it as good casino café food run through the mind of a culinary madman. (In Caesars Palace, $59 per person, centrallv.com)