Christmas eve dinner

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Patina Group It’s a holiday treat indeed when you can eschew cooking on Christmas eve in favor of having someone else do the prep for you. Dare we say that it’s even…a luxury? We think so, which is why we’ve curated a careful list of the top eateries to enjoy a Christmas eve dinner in Los Angeles. How’s that for a present?

Photo Credit: Four Seasons

1. CULINA, MODERN ITALIAN Culina, Modern Italian Executive Chef Mette Williams has crafted a luxurious prix-fixe menu for families and friends joining the esteemed Italian restaurant at the Four Seasons Los Angeles in Beverly Hills on Christmas Eve.  The menu will feature seasonal favorites such as chestnut soup with cardamom cream, handmade gnudi ricotta dumplings, and a choice of wild-caught John Dory in a pureed white truffle foam or free-range venison loin with rosemary smoked yams. To end the night with sugar plum dreams, dinners can select from Panettone pudding or speculoos mascarpone cannoli from Pastry Chef Federico Fernandez. Price is $85 per person.

2. LITTLE SISTER Chef Tin Vuong’s Little Sister is serving up seasonal treats in the South Bay. This non-traditional take on the Christmas eve dinner includes whole crispy chicken for two with house scallion pancakes, chili kumquat and tangerine pickles, ginger-plum preserve, mala sprouts and Asian herbs, master stock jasmine rice and beverages such as the house spiced citrus bubbles, made with candied blood orange rim and five simple syrup.

3. TAVERN Suzanne Goin and Caroline Styne’s popular neighborhood restaurant in Brentwood presents a Christmas Eve dinner in the spacious Atrium and cozy Blue Room. The three course dinner designed by Goin and Chef de Cuisine Amy Deaderick includes fried Brussels sprouts with red mustard, Pecorino genepro, soft egg, anchovy and preserved Meyer lemon. Guests may choose a fish course of seared sea bass with fregola, wild mushrooms, Russian kale and agrodolce or Suzanne’s braised beef shank bourguignon. Finishing the evening is an apple and cranberry crumble tart with walnut streusel and vanilla ice cream by Pastry Chef Christina Olufson. Pricing is $48 per guest; menu only. Wines curated by Caroline Styne will be available by the glass or bottle.

4. PROVIDENCE On Christmas Eve from 4:00 – 8:00 pm, Chef Michael Cimarusti reimagines the southern Italian tradition, Feast of the Seven Fishes, with dishes inspired by his grandmother Josephine and great grandmother Domenica. The feast will include squid carbonara, pancetta, pepe nero, lobster raviolo, pennacchio di verdure, risottino All’onda, vongole, gamberetti, lemon, celery and struffoli (a traditional Neapolitan dessert made of small, deep-fried balls of dough).

5. HAMPTON’S AT THE FOUR SEASONS WESTLAKE VILLAGE Christmas Eve dinner in Hampton’s dining room overlooking the waterfall lawn includes a buffet of traditional holiday dishes with other winter favorites. The dining experience starts with a variety of salads such as the heirloom beef terrine with quatreespice bread, candied chestnut and cilantro. A selection of fresh raw bar options are also available as well as housemade pastas, winter vegetable soups, roasted turkey carved to order, assorted sushi, kids’ buffet and dessert spread.

6. MELISSE Chef/Owner Josiah Citrin is offering guests a five course prix-fixe menu and amuse, with dishes including hokkaido scallop with cauliflower mousse, parsley and black truffle, Maine lobster with artichoke, black olives, almond and yogurt and “Bouche de Noel Glacée” with pineapple, passion fruit, coconut and lime.

Photo Credit: Andrea Bricco

7. SPAGO Master Chef Wolfgang Puck and Executive Chef Lee Hefter are offering guests a three course prix-fixe menu. Dishes include celery root and apple soup with black truffles, Emmental cheese soufflé, truffle coulis, chestnut agnolotti with mascarpone, French black truffles, parmigiano reggiano, slow-roasted rack of veal with roasted brussels sprouts, pearl onions, garlic and yellow turnip purée. Dinner also includes a live choir singing holiday carols.

8. PATINA Guests looking to indulge in an extravagant night out this holiday season may opt for the high-end downtown eatery Patina. The night before Christmas highlights Yuletide-inspired dishes such as venison saddle with quince, cranberry compote, and fig sauce chartreuse; apple glazed monkfish with red cabbage, rutabaga, and a potato-juniper emulsion; and traditional desserts like sticky toffee pudding with candied chestnuts and flor di latte, as well as Bûche de Noël with pistachio praline and orange confit.