Where to order a memorable dinner and dessert for New Year’s Eve at home
A raucous celebration with friends at the bar comes highly un-recommended this year.
The lack of reservations, many prepaid and handsomely so, will hurt restaurants already bleeding from nine months-going-on-12 of quiet dining rooms. According to restaurant technology company Toast, nearly 9 in 10 restaurants welcomed guests on Dec. 31, 2019, raking in 20 percent more revenue that day than others in a typical December — already the industry’s most lucrative month.
Without those sales, New Year’s Eve 2020 will be quieter in more ways than one.
In light of the risks involved with inebriation and lackadaisical mask-wearing, we suggest picking up a special takeout meal, replete with bottles of wine, bubbly and cocktails to-go.
You might also consider nibbling the night away with hors d’oeuvres and dessert.
Whatever you do, do it safely and kindly.
Servers and bartenders especially anticipate the celebratory tips. Toss in a little extra. Buy your booze from the restaurant, if available, to send a little more money their way so they can be there to ring in 2022.
Many restaurants remain open for standard takeout on Thursday night. These neighborhood takeout guides are ready for you: North End, West End, South Tacoma, Dome/McKinley/Museum District, Hilltop, Lincoln District and Downtown, plus more on the way.
Here are some of our favorite meal kits, family style dinners and miscellaneous foodstuffs from restaurants in and around Tacoma to kick 2020 out of sight.
MULTI-COURSE NEW YEAR’S EVE TAKEOUT IN TACOMA
Spice Lab at Harmon
▪ 1938 Pacific Ave., Tacoma, 253-383-2739, spicelabtacoma.com
▪ Details: Middle Eastern inspired dinner package for two, $70; order online or by phone
Chef Blake Lord-Wittig returned to Tacoma in October as the executive chef for Harmon Brewing Co. His first play: a pop-up brimming with North African and Middle Eastern flavors. The New Year’s Eve Dinner for 2 shows off a whole roasted, date-glazed chicken, spatchcocked for quick carving at home, accompanied by housemade pita with herb labneh and crispy potatoes dusted with ras el hanout. Start with a seasonal endive salad and end with a spiced chocolate honey custard. Indulge in a few cocktails here, too, and both the Austrian Meinklang Burgenland red and white.
Toscano’s Puyallup
▪ 437 29th St. NE, Puyallup, 253-864-8600, toscanospuyallup.com
▪ Details: filet mignon dinner package for two, $200; call to order
When the coronavirus struck, Toscano’s gracefully pivoted to takeout, offering family meals equipped to feed at least four people. For New Year’s, set the table, light some candles and pretend it’s an Italian steakhouse. The Celebration Package for 2 ($200), including a bottle of sparkling wine, starts with a chilled seafood salad and ends with a homemade chocolate torte. The main event: filet mignon served with balsamic mushrooms, garlic truffle mashed potatoes and grilled asparagus.
Over the Moon Cafe
▪ 709 Opera Alley, Tacoma, 253-284-3722, overthemooncafe.net
▪ Details: à la carte ($5-$38), wine ($20-$48), cocktails ($12); order online or by phone
For two decades, Over the Moon has provided Tacoma a date-night destination in Opera Alley. Owner Deanna Bender-Hicks this week said on social media that sales this month have been so low that she will pause service after Dec. 31, returning when further relief or indoor dining returns. Honor the restaurant with one last order for the foreseeable future. From a classic wedge salad and crab bisque, to a ribeye or brandy butter chicken, the menu is built for special occasions. Add dessert, a couple of cocktails, a bottle of red and of prosecco. [Sold Out]
Citron European Bistro
▪ 10716 A St. S, Tacoma, 253-212-1153, citroneuropeanbistro.com
▪ Details: four course holiday prix-fixe, $50; call to order
Romantic restaurants like Citron would see an influx of dates on New Year’s Eve. Bring the French ambiance home with a four-course prix fixe, available in addition to chef Christophe Durliat’s à la carte menu. Each order begins with a petite salade and one of three soups, then choose between a lamb shank cassoulet and filet de boeuf Wellington. For dessert, fight with seven choices — be it crepes, chocolate mousse or tarte aux fruits. Remember a bottle of Bordeaux and Crémant Brut.
The Table Tacoma
▪ 2715 6th Ave., Tacoma, 253-327-1862, thetabletacoma.com
▪ Details: six-course meal with finishing and plating instructions, $225 per person; order online
If New Year’s Eve is usually your very, very special night on the town, then chef Derek Bray’s prix-fixe wins. Kick things off with a platter of cheese and foie gras while you unpack the rest of the meal, which includes brown butter crab cakes with seared mustard greens, braised bison short rib and lemon mascarpone cake. The package includes cooking instructions where applicable, as well as how to plate like a pro. Pair with a bottle of bubbly and wine selected by sommelier Trevor Hamilton.
Bar Bistro
▪ 1718 99th St. E, Tacoma, 253-537-3655, barbistrotacoma.com
▪ Details: three-course meal, $60; order online or by phone
This Parkland gem always delivers when it comes to date-night. Chef Eric Poulin and Nathan Hawes’ special three-course menu starts with your choice of soup (crab bisque!) or salad and continues to a 14-ounce ribeye cooked to your liking, topped for the occasion with freshly shaved Burgundy truffles. Add wild prawns or crab to get really decadent. Finish with a housemade dessert of carrot cake, goat cheesecake, crème brûlée. The regular menu offers something for the whole family, too — just be sure to include a few excellent cocktails to-go.
FAMILY-FRIENDLY NEW YEAR’S EVE TAKEOUT IN TACOMA
Jack’s BBQ Algona
▪ 35731 W Valley Hwy S, Algona, 253-249-7728, jacksbbq.com/algona
▪ Details: holiday market specials and all the barbecue; order online or by phone
Jack’s BBQ in October opened a vast new space in Algona, just 15 minutes from downtown Tacoma. Though all that Texas hospitality happens only outside right now, you can bring it home in the form of platters of meat from the restaurant’s massive smokers. Take your pick of sausage, beef bacon, ribs and more by the pound. Add quarts of chili, potato salad, collards and sauce, and heck, a whole pecan pie. Order a growler or two and a smoked old fashioned kit for a true Southern feast right here in the PNW.
Cuerno Bravo Steakhouse
▪ 616 St. Helens Ave., Tacoma, 253-328-6688, cuernobravo.com
▪ Details: family-style steak meals ($100-$200) and taco kits ($28-$49); order packages online, drinks à la carte by phone
Its first few weeks stymied by the second ban on indoor dining, chef David Orozco has adjusted his Mexican steakhouse for takeout with family meals. A $100 steak dinner boasts two 16-ounce cuts and an 8 ounces of tenderloin medallions, fire-roasted vegetables, salad, grilled bread and a bottle of red wine; upgrade to one of two Wagyu options for an all-out feast. Tack on a do-it-yourself taco kit for the kids, salsas included, and don’t forget the mezcal margaritas.
Steamer’s Seafood Cafe
▪ 8802 6th Ave., Tacoma, 253-565-4532, steamersseafoodcafe.com
▪ Details: holiday meals, $35 per person; order by phone or email, clarsen@e3restaurantgroup.com
Steamer’s was scheduled to close Jan. 1 but recently announced it will likely remain open through March. Keep things simple and everyone happy with an “oven-ready” family meal from Tacoma’s longstanding waterfront restaurant. Each order comes with a mixed green salad with rosemary vinaigrette, clam chowder, crab cakes or baked salon, and dessert of marionberry cobbler with vanilla ice cream.
NEW YEAR’S EVE DESSERT FROM TACOMA RESTAURANTS
Sig Brewing Company
▪ 2534 Tacoma Ave. S, Tacoma, 253-503-6446, sigbrewingco.com
▪ Details: flavor-filled cheesecakes, $55; order online
Give into temptation in the final minutes of 2020 with a full cheesecake from the creative team at Sig Brewing, led by chef Hailey Hernandez. Nine flavors range from simple Vanilla Bean and Lemon Curd to outside-the-box Animal Circus Cookie, Cotton Candy and Bubble Gum, Root Beer Float and Strawberry Shortcake Pop-Tart. Order and pay online, then the restaurant will call to arrange a pickup time. Make your night (or the day-after) golden with Crowlers of equally creative brews and limited four-packs.
Bliss Creamery
▪ Details: ice cream pies, $20; order online or by phone
One of our favorite bites of this year was a pint of ice cream from the sisters at Bliss. In addition to ice cream cakes, they recently started whipping up two varieties of ice cream pie, which somehow seems superior to the cake combo. With up to eight slices each, choose between a Turtle Pie with butter pecan ice cream and pecans in a graham cracker crust and Grasshopper Pie with mint chip ice cream and cookies on top in a chocolate cookie crust. Add some ice cream sandwiches for Day 1 of 2021.
This story was originally published December 30, 2020 at 6:00 AM.