IN THE MOOD

These celebratory cocktails are a festive way to ring in the New Year.

Cinnabar: The Elysian Nymphs is Grand Marnier, Cognac and champagne with a slice of orange. If you feel like a nosh, try a half-dozen oysters with pickled ginger sake granita or the pan-smoked lobster salad. (Elysian Nymphs, $8; oysters, $9.50; lobster salad, $12.) Cinnabar, 933 S. Brand Blvd., Glendale, (818) 551-1155.

Oysters: Cham Cham is champagne and Chambord, garnished with raspberries. It goes beautifully with--what else?--oysters. (Cham Cham, $7; oysters, $2 apiece, 8 for $15.) Oysters, 2515 E. Pacific Coast Highway, Corona del Mar, (949) 675-7411.

Lola: Here’s a dreamy, slightly tart cocktail of strawberry puree, strawberry Stoli and champagne, finished off with a strawberry. To go with it, try seared ahi on shredded jicama with ponzu sauce or fried calamari with garlic aioli. (Strawberry fields, $7.50; seared ahi tuna, $10.50; fried calamari, $8.50.) Lola, 945 N. Fairfax Ave., West Hollywood, (213) 736-5652.

Regent Beverly Wilshire Hotel: Step into the bar and have a classic Kir Royale (champagne and creme de cassis) or a Pretty Woman (champagne, Grand Marnier and a splash of cranberry juice). While you sip, share an order of crab cakes or an ahi tuna tartare. (Champagne cocktails, $10.50; crab cakes, $10; ahi tuna tartare, $17.) Regent Beverly Wilshire Hotel, 9500 Wilshire Blvd., Beverly Hills, (310) 275-5200.

Shutters on the Beach: This kir is hibiscus water and champagne, garnished with lemon peel. Snack on salmon tartare cocktail sandwiches on dark rye with creme fraiche or fried oysters with cucumber chipotle aioli. (Hibiscus Kir, $10.50; salmon cocktail sandwiches, $11; fried oysters, $13.) Shutters on the Beach, 1 Pico Blvd., Santa Monica, (310) 458-0030.

Queen Mary: Sit on an ocean liner and wet your whistle with a Holiday Fizz--rose liqueur, Chambord and Domaine Ste. Michelle champagne, with raspberries, a melon ball and a caramel baton stirrer. With it, have warm goat cheese in a potato basket with pistachios and red pepper coulis, or lobster claws served with duck- and wild mushroom-stuffed zucchini blossoms. (Holiday Fizz, $6.50; warm goat cheese, $7.50; lobster claws, $14.50.) Sir Winston’s Restaurant, Queen Mary, 1126 Queen’s Highway, Long Beach, (562) 435-3511.

Jessica Strand