Fete-a-fete

EVERY dinner party has its potholes. Souffles topple, wine runs dry, a guest turns out to be all sharp elbows. Jeffrey Best and Bryan Rabin have seen it all -- and then some. They are two of L.A.’s top party planners, each with a distinctive style. Best, who specializes in Hollywood fetes, finessed the recent black-tie Art of Elysium event and this year’s high-octane Oscar party thrown by Madonna and Demi Moore. Rabin, who recently went solo with a new production company, puts on wilder shindigs, including recent parties for Stella McCartney and Teen Vogue. The challenge? Face-off on dilemmas that could dent a dinner party for eight. With some luck, they won’t all happen on the same night.

No one is mingling. Name a CD guaranteed to raise spirits.

Bryan Rabin: Burt Bacharach’s box set, “The Look of Love.” It’s elegant and chic and very Hollywood. Makes the mood light and works for all ages.

Jeffrey Best: Pink Martini’s “Sympathique.” You have samba and torch songs and cocktail tunes, so it works for any crowd and makes everyone feel sophisticated.

If you serve Prosecco, will guests think you’re too cheap to buy Champagne?

Bryan Rabin: Go for the bubbly, because it means going the distance. Veuve Clicquot Brut Yellow Label (about $38) is great, and the rule of thumb is that you get six glasses to a bottle. Get four bottles to be safe.

Jeffrey Best:There’s a saying: I’d rather be clever than rich. I like Zardetto Prosecco that sells for about $15, and you can get a nice bottle of cava for $10.

Someone brings flowers that clash with the centerpiece; must you put them out anyway?

Bryan Rabin: Just find a vase and put them in the living room. You don’t want to offend.

Jeffrey Best:You don’t have to put the flowers on the table. Put them on a buffet or a sideboard or in the bathroom. If you hide anything someone brings you, it’s wrong.

Do you need to consult your guests about food allergies and finicky tendencies?

Bryan Rabin: It’s so L.A. You should ask around and see if anyone is a vegetarian or has food allergies. But don’t plan the menu around someone who has allergies. Just prepare a special dish for that person.

Jeffrey Best:I’m finicky, and I have allergies. What I do is ask them in advance what they like to eat. That way, you focus on their positives instead of their negatives. Right now, no one wants dairy. Everyone wants spelt-something.

How do you seat eight people at a table for six?

Bryan Rabin: That’s tricky. If it’s a rectangular table, you can add one extra person on each end.

Jeffrey Best:You can’t. Make it family style and turn the table into a buffet. Have people eat with their plates perched on their knees in the living room next to a roaring fire.

The asparagus ravioli are overcooked. Serve them or skip the course?

Bryan Rabin: Serve them anyway. I don’t think it’s smart to skip a course, and no one is there to judge you. People might not even notice, so don’t say anything. Tell a great story instead.

Jeffrey Best:Skip it. Just say, “Look. I overcooked the pasta. Let’s drink more wine for this course instead.” No one will hold it against you. You don’t want your guests to feel like they have to compliment you on a dish that doesn’t taste good.

Blame the Prosecco -- one guest suddenly has an insult for everyone. What to do?

Bryan Rabin: You have to stop it from becoming a huge disaster. Lure the person to the door and have his coat all ready. Always call a taxi first and make sure that it is waiting. Say, “You had so much fun tonight, and I made arrangements for your ride home.”

Jeffrey Best:Say, “There’s something outside that I want to show you,” and then gently try to understand why it’s happening. Be polite. But if someone is being very rude, you can ask him to leave.

It’s 2 a.m., and one couple wants to open another bottle -- help!

Bryan Rabin: When you have exhausted all of the clues, such as cleaning up and putting out the candles, nothing works like: “Thank you so much for coming tonight. I am exhausted and must turn in.”

Jeffrey Best: It’s fine to retire. You say, “Here’s a blanket and there’s the sofa. Enjoy yourself.”