It’s hard to believe that 2014 is already coming to a close. This time of year many chefs get a chance to flex their culinary muscles and prepare festive items that are not typically featured on their menu. It you’re like me, it’s also an opportunity to dress in something besides South Bay beach wear and celebrate the coming of the New Year. My wife and I usually take this opportunity to talk about what trips we want to take.

We have attempted to gather the various New Year’s Eve offerings in the South Bay in a single post. We hope you get an opportunity to enjoy! Finally, please note that many restaurants denoted that their menu was subject to change. If that matters to you, please contact the restaurant to confirm any of their stated offerings.

BALEENkitchen

5 Course Pre-fixe

Starter
Asparagus risotto with morel hollandaise
Tuna tartare with ginger dressing, avocado & spicy radish

Salad
Crunchy soft shell crab with mixed greens, avocado, haricot vert, snap pea dressing
Frisee and goat cheese salad, fresh peach & candied wasabi

 Entree
Rib Eye Tenderloin with gingered shiitake mushrooms, caramel soy infused sauce & house cut french fries
Grilled salmon with corn pudding & cherry tomato ceviche
Roasted pork chop with chocroute, bacon and potato hash & caramelized apple
Charred sunchoke ravioli with heirloom tomato & basil fondue

Dessert
Profiteroles: peanut brittle gelato & chocolate sauce
Key Lime & Meringue Tart with coconut gelato

 $85 per person, $110 per person with wine pairing

 Live Music from 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. to 1:30 a.m. in the BALEEN Lounge.

 BALEENkitchen at The Portofino Hotel and Marina
260 Portofino Way, Redondo Beach, CA 90277
Reservations/Info: 310.372.1202 

Dominique’s Kitchen

4 Course Surf & Turf 

First Course
Cream of artichoke soup with langoustines

Second Course
Belgian endives, arugula, pecans, smoked duck breast in a raspberry vinaigrette

Entree
Lobster tail & New York strip with farmers market vegetables, truffle mash, dill & champagne cream and port wine reduction.

Dessert
Red berries vol au vent with Grand Marnier custard

 $89.99 plus tax & tip

 Dominique’s Kitchen
522 Pacific Coast Highway, Redondo Beach, CA 90277
Reservations/Info: 424.247.9054

HT Grill

Four Course Pre-fixe

First Course (choice of one)
Rabbit Hole Salad: shaved strawberries & heirloom carrots, baby burrata, black ink, champagne mist
Ruffage of a Caesar: black kale, avocado caesar dressing, romaine, balsamic reduction
Mystical Mushroom Bisque: chanterelle mushrooms, shiitake mushrooms, truffle oil
Lobster “Bonkers” Bean Soup: white bean, jalapeno Tabasco oil, chives

Second Course (choice of one)
Tea Time Scallops (2): chamomile spiced scallops, burnt biscuit puree, shaved radishes, saffron tea jus
Queen Of Hearts Bruschetta (3): rustic bread, compressed grape tomatoes, shaved parmesan, fig balsamic reduction
Bloody Wonderland Cocktail (3): shrimp, oyster shooter, pepper dew puree, horseradish

Third Course (choice of one)
Fairy Tale Black Cod: lobster fennel risotto, meyer lemon vanilla naga
Cheshire The Chicken: chicken leg confit, thyme infused chicken breast, pepper dew smear, fried bacon brussel sprouts
Ace of Steak on The Frites: house A-9 sauce, flatiron, fingerling fries confit, crispy crab
Perplexed Double Boned Pork Chop: spiced blueberry beet splatter, broccoli mashed potatoes, fried zucchini ribbons, sriracha hot oil

Fourth Course (choice of one)
Hatters Pain Perdu: soaked rustic bread, brandy, crème anglaise, salted caramel ice cream
Green Tea Panna Cotta: lavender essences, ginger crystal, raspberry syrup
No Sense Apple Pie: burnt apple butter, wonton fried apple pie, Jameson creme, fried apple peels

Menu subject to change

$70.00 plus tax & tip

HT Grill
1701 South Catalina Avenue, Redondo Beach, CA 90277
Reservations/Info: 310.791.4849

Jackson’s Food + Drink

4 Course Pre-fixe

First course (choice of one)
Roasted beet & goat cheese salad, oranges, glazed walnuts, frisee, citrus vinaigrette
Nash’s Tomato Bisque with fresh basil and sourdough croutons
Charred broccoli salad, grilled red onions, heirloom tomatoes, ricotta salata
Burrata salad, marinated heirloom mushrooms, artesian bread 

Second course (choice of one)
Filet mignon risotto with oyster mushrooms, chianti au jus, white truffle oil
Browned cauliflower, olive oil, garlic, lemon, toasted pine nuts, chile, mint
Baby crab cake po ’boys, remoulade sauce, micro basil, chopped tomatoes

Third course (three tiers)
Tier 1 $65 per person (choice of one of the following)
Boneless chicken thighs braised in red wine with baby onions, fresh peas and wide egg noodles
Tagliatelle pasta, cremini and shiitake mushrooms, white wine, goat cheese and asparagus.

Tier 2 $75 per person (choice of one of the following)
Braised short ribs, port wine au jus, roasted vegetables, parsnip mashed potatoes
Pan-seared duck breast, dried cherry sauce, brussel sprouts, roasted pecorino potatoes

Tier 3 $85 per person (choice of one of the following)
Frenched bone-in Ribeye or Filet Mignon, stout cream sauce, brussell sprouts, garlic mashed potatoes

Dinner includes sparkling wine or classic “French 75” cocktail toast before dinner or with dessert (your choice)

Jackson’s Food + Drink
2401 Rosecrans Avenue, El Segundo, CA 90245
Reservations/Info: 310.606.5500

Lido di Manhattan

3 Course Pre-fixe

 Lido Holiday Salad
Shrimp, organic mixed greens, pomegranate seeds, candied walnuts, feta cheese and pomegranate vinaigrette 

Main Course (choice of one entree)
Mushroom Pappardelle with porcini butter sauce, black truffle oil, basil, shaved parmesan
Mary’s Free Range Chicken Marsala with mushrooms, marsala wine, served with gorgonzola mashed potatoes & green beans
Wild Salmon stuffed with shrimp & spinach, finished with a citrus puree bland sauce & served with steamed asparagus & mashed potatoes
Substitute Prime New York Steak for $8 served with Scalloped potato & broccolini

Dessert
Homemade Strawberry Tiramisu 

$65 per person includes DJ, dancing and champagne toast! 

Lido di Manhattan
1550 Rosecrans Ave., Manhattan Beach, CA 90266
Reservations/Info: 310.536.0730

The Melting Pot of Torrance

5 Course Fondue Dinner

First Course
Spinach and Artichoke Dip

Second Course
Select one of the following fondues (comes with artisan breads and vegetables for dipping)
Creamy Tomato & Green Goddess Cheese Fondue
Italian Cheese Fondue

Third Course
Caesar Salad or California Salad

 Fourth Course
One of the following main entrées with fresh vegetables and a house-made dipping sauce
The “Whole Shebang” : Diablo Lobster Tail, Basil Chicken, Kiwi Lime Shrimp, Jalapeno Filet Mignon, Whiskey BBQ Pork Medallion & Wild Mushroom Sachetti. $69 per person
“Sea”-Sons Greetings: Kiwi Lime Shrimp, Sesame Crusted Ahi Tuna, Atlantic Salmon & Wild Mushroom Sachetti. $59 per person
Basil Chicken, Jalapeno Filet, Teriyaki Marinated Sirloin, Angus Beef & Wild Mushroom Sachetti, $59 per person
Vegetarian Option $55 per person
Children’s Three Course Dinner with special dessert dipper just for them $35 per child

Fifth Course
Chocolate Fondue served with delicious treats for dipping!
Rocky Road  with dark chocolate with marshmallow fluff and candied pecans
Bananas Foster with Bananas and cinnamon in white chocolate
Pure Chocolate Fondue – Milk chocolate, white chocolate, dark chocolate

The Melting Pot
21525 Hawthorne Blvd., Torrance, CA 90503
Reservations/Info: 310.316.7500

Ocean Bar and Abigaile

Abigaile has various New Years Eve offerings starting from General Admission all the way to their famous Le Grand Buffet, a massive spread featuring many of their favorites and special dishes from Chef Tin. They also have an option for a full open bar or the premium open bar with access to their New Year’s Eve celebration.

Event details and tickets on Eventbrite. First seating is at 5pm.

Abigaile
1301 Manhattan Ave, Hermosa Beach, CA 90254
Reservations/Info: 310.798.8227

The Portofino Hotel & Marina

For a night of style and elegance. NYE Gala 2015 brings the party flavors of Las Vegas and Hollywood straight to The Portofino Hotel & Marina. Countdown 2015 on multiple dance floors featuring a host of beats from top DJs like Quasar, Adam Nello, Eric B and Severin. The night beams away into visual bliss as laser shows, special lighting effects, and visuals entertain party-goers throughout the evening. The party begins at 9:00 p.m. and lasts through 2:00 a.m..

Event details and pre-sale tickets are available here.

The Portofino Hotel & Marina
260 Portofino Way, Redondo Beach, CA 90277
Reservations/Info: 310.379.8481

Shade Hotel

The Shade Hotel will channel the Roaring Twenties at a Great Gatsby-inspired New Year’s Eve bash on December 31, beginning at 8 p.m. Tickets for this event are available online for $75 per person. The event will feature a live DJ, burlesque dancers, gaming tables for craps, roulette, black jack and poker, tray-passed hors d’oeuvres created by Executive Chef Chris Garasic, a full dessert bar with candies, cupcakes and other sweets, a raffle, and a champagne toast at the stroke of midnight. Guests can also take the party to Shade Hotel’s Skydeck to enjoy a warming fire pit, a tarot card reader and bottle service tables available in an exclusive VIP area.

A percentage of proceeds from the event’s raffle will benefit GrowingGreat, a nonprofit education organization that empowers children to adopt healthy eating behaviors today and inspires the farmers and scientists of tomorrow. Proceeds will go to support the organization’s Adopt-A-School scholarship program.

The Shade Hotel
1221 N Valley Dr, Manhattan Beach, CA 90266
Reservations/Info: 310.546.4995

Saint Rocke

Tickets to the upcoming New Year’s Eve Show at Saint Rocke with The Expendables will be packed with upbeat vibrations and positive energy for a laid back start to New Year’s Eve in the South Bay. The dance floor opens wide when the vibrant sound of The Expendables ring in 2015 with a style of music that takes influence from a surf, punk-rock cuture rooted in their hometown of Santa Cruz, California. The New Year’s Eve concert is for the 21-and-older crowd and will include songs from the band’s upcoming album “Sand in the Sky,” which is set for release Jan. 13.

General admission tickets are $50 and VIP tickets cost $65. All details are available at Saint Rocke’s website as well as advance tickets and VIP seating information.

Saint Rocke
142 Pacific Coast Highway, Hermosa Beach, CA 90254
Reservations/Info: 310.372.0035

Terranea Resort

Countdown to 2015 in Los Angeles at Terranea’s annual Countdown Celebration. This year’s party includes a celebrity DJ, an open bar, and a late night buffet from 10:30pm-12:30am featuring a taco station, pasta station, slider station with vegetarian options, dim sum station and a dessert station with krispy treats, brownies, mini doughnuts, and more. VIP tables are available, advance reservations are required. Guests must be 21 years or older for this event. Tickets are available online.

Adult Tickets are $239.85 each which includes a service fee and gratuity. They may be purchased online here.

Terranea Resort
100 Terranea Way, Rancho Palos Verdes, CA 90275
Reservations/Info: 310.265.2800