For New Year’s, Bring Appetite, Credit Cards

If you’re staying in town for New Year’s Eve rather than yachting off to Bali, you might be feeling a little deprived. But don’t worry, there are plenty of local places that will let you drop a ridiculous sum of money for a once-in-a-thousand-year night of gastronomic fun. There are also slightly reasonable alternatives. We bring you both.

Some restaurant owners have decided to absorb the high price of labor for New Year’s Eve and keep their menu prices low. There are various reasons behind the philanthropy. The owners may want to catch the low-price crowd, reel in some new customers or give a little back to patrons who have been loyal throughout the year.

Andy Nakano, owner of Jozu, is serving a four-course meal for $75 (near rock-bottom for this New Year’s Eve) from 6 to 7:45 p.m. Then he’s throwing a cocktail party with hors d’oeuvres, a deejay, dancing and midnight toast from 10 p.m. until 2 a.m. If you had dinner in the restaurant beforehand, you get to keep your table and pay a discounted $100 fee for the party. If you’re going to the party only and want a table, it’s $125. If you don’t mind standing all night, the party is $75. Jozu, 8360 Melrose Ave., L.A.; (323) 655-5600.

Gioia Ristorante Italiano, which opened six months ago in the West Valley, is serving a six-course dinner accompanied by live Italian music. The restaurant came about because owner Donato Ciaraulo and his chef Giuseppe Scalia had been friends in Italy for years. Ciaraulo moved first to New York, then at his wife’s urging, to L.A. Once he got here, Ciaraulo lured Scalia out to open this restaurant together, something the two of them had been chatting about for quite a while. The result is a Tuscan eatery with handmade pastas, sauces and desserts. The name (pronounced “Joy-a”) means “happiness.” For New Year’s Eve, the prix-fixe dinner and music, $79 per person, begins at 9 p.m. Gioia Ristorante Italiano, 20969 Ventura Blvd., Woodland Hills; (818) 347-3413.

Samurai Japanese Restaurant and Sushi Bar, which opened in Beverly Hills in June, is low-balling its kaiseki dinner on Dec. 31. The seven-course traditional Japanese meal centers on filet mignon. It comes with your choice of sake, liqueur or fruit juice. The price is $65 per person. Seating begins at 7 p.m. Samurai Japanese Restaurant and Sushi Bar, 268 S. La Cienega Blvd., Beverly Hills; (310) 360-9688.

*

And then there are the restaurants that are pulling out all the stops. If you have the money, they have the menu to impress.

At Patina, Joachim Splichal has created a fantasy 10-course menu paired with 10 wines for $600 per diner--plus tax and 17% tip. For food only, it’s $300 (again plus tax and tip). That menu, however, is full of beluga caviar, Maine lobster, abalone, truffles, risotto decorated with gold leaf, foie gras, partridge and venison, not to mention cheese, fruit and cake. The actual dishes will be a surprise for guests that night. The second seating is at 8 p.m. Reservations must be made with a credit card. Patina, 5955 Melrose Ave., L.A.; (323) 467-1108.

La Cachette chef-owner Jean-Francois Meteigner has also come up with a 10-course menu of luxury ingredients. It includes eggs and caviar, hot foie gras wrapped in savoy cabbage, Maine lobster salad, filet of Dover sole with Champagne and caviar sauce, lemon sorbet and French vodka, filet of beef with black truffle sauce, pear tart with imported cheeses, fruit salad and ice cream, millefeuille cake, truffles and biscotti. The second seating is at 8 p.m. The price, merely $350 plus tax and tip, includes a Champagne cocktail in a commemorative flute. There will also be party favors and dancing. La Cachette, 10506 Little Santa Monica Blvd., Century City; (310) 470-4992.

Michael Chow has set up a tent behind Mr. Chow in Beverly Hills to celebrate the year of the dragon. It seems the band and the dance floor wouldn’t fit inside the restaurant. He is also giving a commemorative bottle of Moet & Chandon to guests at the second seating (9 p.m.), along with party favors and a disposable camera for the table. Entertainment is live Latin, salsa and R&B; music. Dinner is a four-course meal that starts with a cold platter of abalone, langoustine and filet mignon. Other choices include scallops on the shell, Peking duck and truffles. The $300 tab does not include tax or the 20% service charge. Mr. Chow, 344 N. Camden Drive, Beverly Hills; (310) 278-9911.

At Hollywood’s recently opened Sunset Room, Claude Segal is serving two four-course meals (both centered on beef) that include a glass of Champagne. One meal will be served in the restaurant from 9-10 p.m. to the accompaniment of live swing and boogie-woogie music. The price for that one is $275 per person. The other meal will be served in an outside tent with a rockabilly and blues band. The price for that one is $225. After the shows, you can hit the ballroom for dancing. The Sunset Room, 1430 N. Cahuenga Blvd., Hollywood; (323) 463-0004.

Angela Pettera can be reached by voicemail at (213) 237-3153 or by e-mail at pettera@prodigy.net.