There are likely to be a dozen or more nights in the coming weeks–say, now through New Years–where you'll be surrounded by friends and/or family for a delicious, expansive meal. And if you're hosting said meal(s)… well, you know how exhausting (but fun! but exhausting) that can be. Which is why I like to take at least one of the big get-together nights off (for me, that's Christmas Eve or Christmas night) and let someone else do the cooking, and the cleaning, and go out to eat at a favorite restaurant. We usually go to a familiar spot–it's not the sort of meal, with its special menus and such, that's well suited to checking out somewhere new–but in case you want to be a little more adventurous, here are a suggested few of the many restaurants that are doing something festive for the holidays. 

Lincoln Ristorante

There are several first-rate restaurants around town doing a Feast of Seven Fishes menu on (and leading up to) Christmas Eve, but if I were to have to choose one, it would Jonathan Benno's acclaimed, Michelin-starred Lincoln Ristorante. For one thing, it's such a lovely room, one that always manages to feel special and fancy without being stuffy. And for two… just look at this menu! Seven courses for only $95, featuring Osetra Caviar, Tuna Belly, Monkfish (with black truffle), Nantucket Bay Scallops and, for (your second) dessert, a Torata di Gianduja. With a kitchen as accomplished as Benno's, this is pretty much guaranteed to be good. Served nightly from December 18 to 24.  

Back Forty West

For a cozy (and cheeky) downtown party vibe, here's hoping Peter Hoffman and crew are serving up their Jewish Chinese Christmas Eve menu again this year at Back Forty West. Hoffman is a warm and welcoming host, Back Forty West is one of Soho's prettier spots (definitely sit upstairs if possible), and the food is always satisfying. Last year they did a family-style buffet with such delights as Tea Smoked Duck, Crispy Suckling Pig, Manilla Clam Hot Pot, Apricot Rugelach, and Chocolate Babka. Plenty of drinks, too, including fun stuff like Pomegranate Mai Tais. Here's the complete menu from last year; keep your eyes peeled for this year's announcement, which should go up any day now.      

BB King Blues Club and Grill

Ok, so this one likely appeals mostly to the tourist trade… but if you can deal with the Times Square scene (every once in a while it can be goof), it also sounds like kind of a blast? There are holiday-themed gigs all month, but the big ones are a pair of rousing Christmas Eve shows featuring the incomparable Harlem Gospel Choir; the Maccabeats–Yeshiva University's lively and witty a cappella group–performing their now-annual Hanukkah concert on, of course, Christmas Day; and the amazing Darlene Love keeps the Christmas spirit going with what's sure to be a hit-packed, on-your-feet spectacular on the 26th. BB King is set up like a supper club, with a long bar in the back, and it's the sort of place that, the more fun you are willing to have, to more fun you will actually have. Check out the webiste for tickets and full calendar.  

Hearth

Providing a homey, East Village counterpoint to Lincoln's UWS elegance, Marco Canora's excellent Tuscan spot Hearth is also throwing their annual Feast of Seven Fishes party on Christmas Eve. Here you'll get seven rustic courses for $94–a buck less than Lincoln!–featuring hearty fare like Linguini con Vongole, the classic fish stew Cacciucco (with Calamari, Bass, Prawns, Mussels), and an amazing-sounding Gingerbread Cake with Roasted Apples and Egg Nog Gelato. Hearth also has one of the most interesting wine lists in town, so that part of your night should be exceedingly pleasant as well. The complete menu looks like this; make reservations now.    

Red Rooster

Have you been up to Red Rooster yet, Marcus Samuelsson's high-class joint in Harlem? This place ALWAYS feels like party–in a grown-up, convivial sort of way–and around Christmas its all even more so. Sammuelsson hasn't posted his full holiday menus yet, but we do know that all month long Red Rooster will be serving a Scandavian Christmas Julboard, three courses for $55, a banquet which traditionally includes a variety of pickled herring and cured salmon to start; then bread, ham, liver pâté, red beet salad, and cheese; and a final course of warm dishes like the creamy casserole Janssons frestelse, the fondue-like Dopp i Grytan, or Dip in the Pot, as well as an array of sausages, pork ribs, and, of course, meatballs. And on Christmas Day Red Rooster's supper club Ginny's is throwing a Jazz Buffet, which you know will be swinging. Here's some bare-bones info; more will likely soon be posted on Red Rooster website.  

The Breslin

Finally, if you're looking for an outstanding (and meaty!) meal in one the most festively-decorated rooms in town, make a reservation now for Ken Friedman and April Bloomfield's The Breslin. I've been here several times over the years–once on the day after Christmas, when the holiday vibe was still very much in evidence–and Bloomfield's rich, explosive flavors always make me happy. Make sure you save room for the entire Evening Puddings menu. Or really throw a memorable holiday party and get one of The Breslin's jaw-dropping "Large Format" meals, which feeds eight to twelve revelers and is centered on such things as Rib of Beef, Balsamic Roasted Duck, or, most amazing, a Whole Roasted Suckling Pig.

The post The Best NYC Restaurants for Holiday Dining 2014 appeared first on NYC Luxury Apartments for Rent | Glenwood Management.

One of NYC's great holiday season traditions is to spend Christmas night eating Chinese food and going to a movie. Sure, keepers of the Chinese-and-a-movie flame tend to be those for whom December 25th is just another day, but trust me, even if you do celebrate Christmas proper, this can be wonderfully low-maintenance, even family-friendly option after so many days and nights of parties and presents. There are also several other very appealing (and fancy!) NYC restaurants serving Christmas Eve/Day menus. In the last year there have been a handful of new and delicious eateries that have opened in Manhattan – and we've updated our guide with a fresh batch in our Best NYC Restaurants for Holiday Dining 2014. 

Here, then, are a few suggestions….

NYC Restaurants Open and Serving Christmas Dinner

For those of you who want to eat something more Christmas-y and festive, so that you don't have to cook or clean up, well, there are plenty of first-rate NYC restaurants serving special dinner menus, including:

• Balthazar, which always feels like a party so I imagine Christmas dinner will be especially warm and convivial at Keith McNally's iconic Soho bistro. The menu is the same as any other day (which is good news), but with one key Christmas addition: Prime Rib au jus served with truffle mashed potatoes, roasted Brussels sprouts and baby carrots.
• Also downtown, at the great Mas (Farmhouse) Chef Galen Zamarra is preparing a pair of spectacular-sounding prix-fixe dinners on both Christmas Eve and Christmas day.     
• The acclaimed Spanish Bistro Manzanilla on Park Avenue South. Their meal starts with tapas for the table, then on to seafood, then meat, then sweets like Leche Frita.
• Another great option would be Jean George's Upper East Side hotel spot The Mark, serving four courses for $108- featuring lobster AND beef tenderloin! 
• Michael White (chef of recently opened The Butterfly) will be serving up an Italian Christmas feast at Ai Fiori, highlighted by his famous pasta dishes. 
• Anthony Bourdain's always-a-blast Les Halles has several Christmas specials, including Pheasant Confit and a massive Buffalo Ribeye;
• If it's comfort food you crave, the super-popular The Smith at Lincoln Center (which we thoroughly enjoyed on our visit back when it first opened) will be open for Christmas and likely packed with revelers.          

Chinese Food on Christmas in NYC

As far as NYC Chinese food on Christmas goes, most everywhere you enjoy all throughout the year stays open right through the holiday. The venerable Shun Lee West, for example, said that they served more than 1,500 people last Christmas, and are certainly hoping to match that this year. Even some non-Chinese places are jumping on the bandwagon, such as personal favorite Fatty Crab on Hudson Street, which will 86 its usual Malaysian fare for the night and bring its rich flavor and rowdy spirit to an all-Chinese menu. And the great Mile End Deli in Brooklyn is hosting its fourth annual "Traditional Jewish Christmas" feast, starring the likes of Smoked Whitefish Rangoon and BBQ Smoked Duck with schmaltzed fried rice. 

The post 10 Best NYC Restaurants for Christmas Dinner 2013 appeared first on NYC Luxury Apartments for Rent | Glenwood Management.