NYE at Matador Room
Celebrate NYE 2016 in style at these Miami restaurants:
SEASPICE
This NYE, pop bottles at Seaspice {422 NW North River Drive, Miami; 305.440.4200}, where you can pair your haute meal, champagne, and A-list people watching with live entertainment, dancing, and of course, fireworks over the water. The music will be performed by Grammy Award Winner, Motiff & Friends, and dancers will strut their stuff to hits from the 70’s all the way to today. As for the food, guests will be able to order from both the a la carte menu and a special NYE menu. There is no entrance fee, but there is a required $250 spend per person starting at 8:30 p.m.
LT STEAK & SEAFOOD
Celebrate NYE 2016 with a delicious feast and a Laurent Perrier toast at midnight at Ocean Drive’s LT Steak & Seafood {1440 Ocean Drive, Miami Beach; 305.673.0044}. Start with an amuse bouche of Kumamoto Oyster and citrus rocoto granita, Fennel-Crusted Lamb Loin, and Pistachio Baklava, and move on to appetizers, where you’ll find options like Pan Roasted Scallops with piquillo pepper or Duck Breast Salad. For the main event, indulge in hearty plates like a 14-ounce Himalayan Salt Cured NY Strip Steak with chanterelle mushroom mojo, truffle poached eggs, charred corn, and more. Finally, end 2016 on a sweet note with Gingerbread Rum Cake, a Chocolate Tart, and if you’re still hungry, Petit Fours. This dinner costs $295 per person.
STRIPSTEAK BY MICHAEL MINA
The Fontainebleau always knows how to celebrate. This year, ring in the New Year at the hotel’s modern American steakhouse, StripSteak by Michael Mina {4441 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach; 877.326.7412}, and munch on a four-course, prix-fixe menu during one of two seatings. Reserve a table between 6 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., and enjoy a menu of succulent plates like Belgian Endive with green apple, fingerling potato, Parmesan crisp, walnuts, and lemon shallot vinaigrette; Pan Seared Scallops with kabocha squash gnocchi, parsnip, ginger, chive, and mimolette cappuccino; Wood-Grilled 6 oz. Filet Mignon with polenta, wild mushrooms, shishito pepper, and green peppercorn sauce; and Manjari Chocolate Mousse with rum-ginger cremeux and yuzu sorbet. Seatings between 8:30 p.m. and 10 p.m. will feature a slightly elevated menu, throwing in elements like foie gras, black truffle, and Maine lobster. The first seating is priced at $195 and the second seating is priced at $295. Vegetarian menus are available upon request for both seatings.
SCARPETTA
Another Fontainbleau spot, Scott Conant’s AAA Four Diamond Award-winning restaurant, Scarpetta {4441 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach; 305.674.4660}, will also have a special dinner to celebrate NYE 2016. With two seatings, one between 6 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. and the other between 8 p.m. and 10 p.m., this four-course prix-fixe menu will feature plates like Smoked Tuna Tartare, Duck and Foie Gras Ravioli, Olive Oil Poached Halibut, Filet of Beef, Chocolate Caramel Mousse, and Vanilla Panna Cotta with Meyer lemon confit. The latter of the two seatings has a slightly elevated menu, throwing in haute elements like Osetra caviar. The first seating is priced at $195 and the second seating is priced at $295. Vegetarian menus are available upon request for both seatings.
HAKKASAN
For the final Fontainebleau option, head to the hotel’s award-winning modern Chinese restaurant for a four-course prix-fixe menu. Like the other two hotel restaurants, Hakkasan {4441 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach; 877.326.7412} also has two seatings, between 6 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. and 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. Expect plates like Roasted Duck, Seared Scallops, family-style Dim Sum Platter, Charcoal Grill Honey Wine Chilean Sea Bass, Stir-Fry Waygu Beef, Stir-Fry Florida Lobster, Royal Fried Rice, Chocolate Coconut Mousse, and more. During the second seating, enjoy an elevated menu with add-ons like golden leaf, Peking Duck, and caviar. The first seating is priced at $195 and the second seating is priced at $295. Vegetarian menus are available upon request for both seatings.
MATADOR ROOM
Toast to the New Year at Jean-Georges’ iconic Matador Room {2901 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach; 786.257.4600}, where guests can enjoy a five-star feast created by Top Chef winner and Executive Chef, Jeremy Ford, and Michelin star chef, Jean-Georges Vongerichten. This NYE, choose one of four seatings and enjoy a hors d’oeuvres (like Roasted Main Lobster with black truffle and garlic-ginger butter and caviar, perhaps?) and a customized five-course dinner menu. During this elegant feast, enjoy haute dishes like Spanish Olives, Fall Spiced Squash Soup, Florida Stone Crab, Foie Gras Mousse, Roasted Main Lobster, Herb Ravioli, Seared Wagyu Beef, and more.
Reservations are required, and five-course seatings are available on Saturday, December 31, 2016, at 7:30 p.m., 8:30 p.m., 9:30 p.m., and 10:30 p.m. Vegetarian and children’s course offerings and seatings are available, and must be requested with reservation. A series of prix-fixe champagne and wine packages can be purchased through Eventbrite. There are various pricing models for this dinner: Four-course dinners at 6 p.m. or 6:30 p.m. only are priced at $115 per person and do not include drinks. Five-course dinner menus without drinks are priced at $295 per person. Five-course dinner menus with one bottle or champagne or wine per couple are priced at $395 per person. Finally, five-course dinner menus with one bottle of Dom Perignon 2006 or special wines are priced at $495 per person. For the last two options, a minimum purchase of two tickets is required.
BULLA GASTROBAR
Ring in the new year with a Spanish Flair at Bulla Gastrobar {2500 Ponce de Leon Boulevard, Coral Gables; 305.441.0107}: where you’ll find tempting tapas, savory Spanish cuisine, and of course, a champagne toast.
VAGABOND KITCHEN AND BAR
On December 31, Vagabond Kitchen and Bar {7301 Biscayne Boulevard, Miami; 786.409.5635} is hosting a masquerade-themed event with two dinner seatings: a three-course meal between 5:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. and a four-course meal between 9 p.m. and 11 p.m. When the seatings are finished, the restaurant and bar will open up to the public, where there will be a standing open bar a midnight champagne toast as guests listen to good music and watch the ball drop. The three-course menu and the standing open bar are both priced at $75 per person. The four-course menu is priced at either $115 per person, which includes a champagne toast, or $165 per person, which includes a champagne bottle per couple.
BILTMORE HOTEL
Ring in 2017 at the legendary Biltmore Hotel {1200 Anastasia Avenue, Coral Gables; 305.913.3246}, in Coral Gables, which will host a grand New Year’s Eve Gala with a “Roaring Twenties” theme; paying homage to the hotel’s 90th Anniversary this year. During this event, gala-goers will be able to enjoy a four-course dinner, a premium open bar, a lavish dessert buffet, live music from local bands and a hot DJ, cigar-rolling, champagne, fireworks, and more. This elegant event will start at 8:30 p.m. on December 31. For information about the event and pricing, or to buy a ticket for yourself, call 305.913.3246.
QUATTRO GASTRONOMIA ITALIANA
At Quattro Gastronomia Italiana {1014 Lincoln Road, Miami Beach; 305.531.4833}, diners can indulge in both the original menu and a range of NYE specials. Munch on antipasti like Antipasto Misto Di Pesce con Salsa Rosa or Tartare Di Filetto All’Albese Al Tartufo Bianco, and move on to primi piatti plates like Tagliolini Delle Langhe Al Burro Montato con Tartufo Bianco, Risotto con Toma Ossolana con Tartufo Bianco, or Gnochetti con Astice e Caviale. Mains like Robespierre Di Filetto con Porcini con Tartufo Bianco and Filetto di Rombo con Carciofi e Patate are sure to get you celebrating, and the Cotechino con Lenticchie, a traditional NYE Italian sausage with lentils, will start your 2017 off right. The New Year’s Eve menu is available from Noon to 11:45 p.m. on December 31. Reservations are required, and dishes are priced individually.
Happy dining!
By Jennifer Agress | Miami Editor