It Pays to Plan Ahead

By Chuck Sudo in Food on Dec 10, 2007 4:15PM

If you plan on braving the idiocy that is New Year's Eve on the town, you have made your dinner reservations already, haven't you? After all, if you plan on going out on New Year's Eve and aren't heading to a friend's or a family party, you're already committed to spending money. Why not go all out, dress to the nines, and try out some place you normally wouldn't think of dining?

Leave it to us to look out for you. Our inbox is full from restaurants letting us know what they have planned for New Year's Eve. It's always a busy night; restaurants throughout the city from Alinea to Zapatista are looking for customers to pay a premium just to be out on that evening.

This is the first of a series of installments where we'll highlight what some notable local restaurants are offering on New Year's Eve. Just don't wait until the last minute. You might be out of luck.

• Chalkboard in Lincoln Square is having a black tie dinner. Chef Gilbert Langlois is offering a three-course, $60 meal at 6 p.m. and a four-course, $100 meal at 8:30 p.m. The later seating also includes live music and a champagne toast at midnight. Seating will be limited and reservations are required by calling 773-477-7144.>/li>
• Café Matou's New Year's Eve Dinner is four courses (with a choice of entreé) for &70 per person. The regular menu will also be available. Reservations can be made at 773-384-8911
• Boka will have two seatings at 5:30 and 8:30 p.m. The early seating costs $65 for three courses; wine pairings are an extra $25. The later seating, a six-course dinner, will run $115, with wine pairings an extra $35. Call 312-337-6070 for reservations.
• People Lounge chef Baris Yuksel has two different packages for NYE available beginning at 9 p.m. Diners can choose from a four-course menu plus an open bar for $100, or a special four-course NYE menu and open bar for $130. Call 773-227-9339 for reservations.