We’ve already started the Christmas countdown, and instead of worrying about a fancy menu leaving you a less-than-fancy mess in the kitchen, have one of L.A.’s finest chefs whip you up something for the holidays.
Here are six restaurants in the City of Angels hosting an epic feast for Christmas Eve.
Openaire
“Showcasing a pitched glass roof, thicket of plants and plush seating, this room has retained its conservatory feel, but it's unquestionably an urban jungle, thanks to buzzy diners debating what to pick from the delightfully tempting menu,” state MICHELIN inspectors of Josiah Citrin’s eatery inside the Line Hotel. For Christmas, Citrin and executive chef Richard Archuleta are offering up a three-course menu for the tune of $79 per person ($35 for kids). Guests will kick off the meal with dishes like sweet onion soup with whipped Parmesan and seared scallops with spiced cranberries, salsify and kale before moving on to mains like roasted Sonoma duck with chestnut mole and gingered cabbage and dumpling squash stuffed with pumpkin risotto and crunchy almond dukka. A bûche de Noël, chestnut cheesecake and cranberry and roasted pear pie grace the dessert menu.Trois Mec
Running now through January 2, a special holiday tasting menu is up for grabs at Ludo Lebfebvre, Jon Shook and Vinny Dotolo’s one-MICHELIN-starred hot spot in Hollywood where it is “fun, creative and consistently delicious,” inspectors state. Dishes include oyster in sea water jelly and watercress; uni créme brûlée with coffee beans and dates; duck breast with citrus, endive and Argan oil; and Champagne baba cake with caramelized pear and goat cheese cream.Gwen
“Named for their beloved grandmother, this collaboration between Chef Curtis Stone and his brother, Luke, conjures art deco glamour by way of crystal chandeliers and a roaring fireplace,” say inspectors of this MICHELIN-recommended restaurant on Sunset Boulevard. For $95 per person, diners will partake in a four-course menu featuring winter root vegetable salad with date vinaigrette; black truffle risotto with créme fraîche and Parmigiano-Reggiano; Jack’s Creek New York strip with cauliflower bagna cauda and maitake mushrooms; and cranberry crémeux with red walnuts and pickled cranberry for dessert.Kali
Chef Kevin Meehan is pulling out all the stops for Christmas Eve at his one-MICHELIN-starred haven in Hollywood, offering up a family-style spread for $75 per person. Starters include yellowtail with lemon confit and radish, wild mushroom risotto with sheep’s milk cheese, and charred avocado with pistachio, garden greens, shaved vegetables and black garlic ash, while spice-rubbed holiday ham and local branzino with fennel kraut serve as the main attraction. Nibble on crispy fingerling potatoes, roasted squash with fried barley and creamed broccoli before ending the meal with chocolate crémeux with candy cane crumble.Marino
At the family-run Marino on Melrose, a Feast of the Seven Fishes menu is available for $100 per person. Diners will move through a menu of snapper crudo, baccala with wild arugula, Nantucket Bay scallops with celery root and shaved black Périgord truffles, housemade tagliolini with Maine lobster, and Branzino alla Livornese. An additional wine pairing is also available for $45 per person.The Arthur J
Enjoy the fruits of chef David LeFebre’s labor by getting your Christmas dinner to go and dining in the comfort of your own home. Dishes include jumbo shrimp dressed with olive oil, dill and salt with housemade cocktail sauce; Angus Prime rib roasts with parsley-rosemary salt rub and au jus (both full and half racks are available); ready-to-grill Tomahawk steaks; lobster mac and cheese; and cinnamon coffee cake with pecan streusel.Image courtesy of Gwen/Facebook.
