This Christmas, you've finally let go of the silver tongs, the last minute Bon Appetit recipe break-downs, and any aspirations of making your own buche de Noel. You're going out. Now, where can a Yuletide-loving fool snag a holiday feast in this town? Here are five tried-and-tested hotel restaurants serving a variety of holiday appetites, from voracious children to adults seeking a private meal under the mistletoe.
1) Americano's chef Kory Stewart is firing up the kitchen for a midday Christmas prixe fix feast (from 2 to 6:45 pm). Check out the full menu here. Spoiler alert: There are several black truffle appearances. $70/adult. $35/child. $32 optional wine pairings.
2) If you're looking for a five-course intricate tasting menu to celebrate, hit up Ame at the St. Regis. Chef Hiro Sone has put together this collection of dishes that walks the line between refinement and comfort. Think cheddar cauliflower soup with winter truffles, and roasted halibut on Dungeness crab risotto. $95/person. Add $68 for the wine pairing.
3) Brasserie S & P has two options. The Christmas Day brunch buffet takes the dining room from 10 am to 3 pm with a melting pot of options, spanning egg nog French toast to assorted dim sum and Dungeness crab lo mein. There are also kid options like mini pancakes with Nutella and a make-your-own-pasta bar. $65/adult. $35/children. $15 bottomless champagne mimosa bar option.
4) Perhaps a better choice for the grown-ups, S & P's chef Adam Mali creates a three-course prix-fixe, inspired by traditional holiday offerings. You can go the classic route with roasted celery root soup and German-style sauerbraten; take a San Francisco tack with whole roasted Dungeness crab, or eat homey fare like roasted Cornish game hen. Everything wraps up with plum pudding or buche de Noel for dessert. $75/person. Optional $45 wine pairing.
5) For Christmas at the InterContinental's Luce, chef Daniel Cory creates a high falutin' four-courser with an additional amuse bouche at the start and mignardises at the finish. Here's the full menu, which includes lightly cooked scallop with buckwheat, black truffle, and duck consomme. Oh yeah, and the egg nog cheesecake doesn't sound too bad either.
6) Top of the Mark at the InterContinental Mark Hopkins will be dishing out a lavish and festive buffet, set to live jazz piano, from 10 am to 7 pm. Everything at the eleven different buffet stations is listed here, and note that a pasta station replaces the breakfast station in the PM, naturally. Did we mention the views are absolutely killer up there? $105/adult. $59/child.
