Foodsday Tuesday: Auld Lang Syne

Bistro St. Tropez
I love Bistro St. Tropez. I love the food, I love the staff, and I love the atmosphere, which manages to be festive even when it's almost empty. You can probably expect a ton of the former without any of the latter if you end up looking down upon the Schuylkill River for New Year's Eve, dining on decadent French Food from Bistro St. Tropez's special New Year's menu. Make sure you save room for dessert: that frozen Grand Marnier souffle is nothing short of awesome. Bistro St. Tropez's special menu will cost $55 per person for the 6PM seating and $75 per person for the rest of the evening. Tax and gratuity are not included.

Chef Kitchen
Chef Joseph Poon (whose awesome video we embedded on Phillyist last month) closed up Chef Kitchen in July 2006 to take a much-deserved sabbatical. Starting this weekend, the restaurant will re-open for a limited time, serving nutritious yet tasty meals to celebrate both the Western New Year and the Chinese one. On the American New Year's Eve, you'll get to sample eleven dishes ranging from the traditional (Peking Duck) to the eclectic (a seafood and linguine casserole with Chinese greens). Already have New Year's Eve plans? Consider celebrating the Chinese New Year at Chef Kitchen instead. Chef Poon's Holiday Menu, available December 23-January 1, will cost $35 per person. His Chinese New Year Menu, available January 1-March 31, will cost $36.50 per person. Neither price includes tax or gratuity.

Cuba Libre
While not all fifteen of the Fifteen Tastes of Cuba were mind-blowing when we sampled them in October, the meal was, on the whole, good enough for a Phillyist endorsement. And so we can confidently endorse both of their New Year's Eve menus &ndash the three-course Twilight Dinner Prix Fixe (reservations from 5-8:30PM), and the Late Dinner Package (reservations at 9 and 9:30PM), which includes a four-course dinner, non-alcoholic beverages (access to the top-shelf open bar may be purchased for an extra $50), admission to the New Year's Eve party (with reserved seating all night!), a midnight champagne toast, and, of course, party favors. Of course, if you're only going to be in the mood to snack (visiting one of the above locations, perhaps?), you can go for the Late Night Package, which will offer an open bar and hors d'oeuvres from 10PM-2AM. The Twilight Dinner Prix Fixe at Cuba Libre will cost $32 per person plus tax and gratuity. The Late Dinner Package will cost $150 per person plus tax and gratuity. The Late Night Package will cost $85 per person, including tax and gratuity, but tickets need to be purchased in advance.

707's Cherry Bomb cocktail photographed by Michael Spain Smith for KB Consultants.