Looking for Christmas dining options in Newport? It’s a little more challenging this year as many restaurants are offering take-out dinners only, although a handful are still serving on their patio. And if you want take-out for Christmas, make sure you order in advance.
Here are a few local restaurants offering Christmas menus. If your favorite is not listed check with them and see if they are offering some Christmas dining cheer.
The Winery Restaurant & Wine Bar / Newport Beach
The Winery is offering a traditional Christmas Turkey Dinner To-Go. Chef Yvon Goetz’s take-home dinner menu features a choice of Whole Roasted Prime Rib (4 lbs) with au jus and horseradish cream, or Whole Roasted Diestel Turkey Breast with Gravy, both served with Seasonal Vegetable Medley and Truffle Mashed Potatoes.
The meal begins with an Organic Mixed Greens Salad with strawberries, toasted almonds, tomatoes, blue cheese, and raspberry-balsamic vinaigrette; and Maine Lobster & Tarragon Bisque. The meal ends with Sticky Toffee Pudding with caramelized banana and eggnog crème anglaise.
Guests may also purchase wines by the bottle or craft cocktails to accompany their meals.
The Prime Rib Dinner is $199, and the Turkey Dinner is $179, and each dinner serves up to five guests. To learn more or to place your order, please call (949) 999-6622. Orders must be placed by 3 p.m. on Tuesday, December 22 for pick up between 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. on Thursday, December 24. Visit www.TheWineryRestaurants.com.
Fable & Spirit / Newport Beach
This Family-Style Christmas Eve Dinner to go is a four-course affair that begins with a Chef’s selection of Artisanal Cheese & Charcuterie, followed by Shrimp en Cassoulet with grilled country bread. For their entrée, guests will have choice of Pasturebird Chicken Confit with heirloom marble potatoes, roasted brussels sprouts, chorizo bilboa, and pearl onions in a roasted garlic chardonnay reduction; or Veal Osso Bucco with truffle parmesan polenta, roasted romanesco, tomato confit, Calabrian chili, and cabernet braising jus. The meal ends with Sticky Toffee Pudding with crème fraiche mousse, pecan brittle, brown butter snow, and salted caramel.
The restaurants’ Sommelier Ali Coyle has put together a few wine recommendations to accompany the meal, and Director of Spirits Drew Coyle has assembled a D4 Irish Coffee Kit that serves 2. The Christmas Eve Family Dinner is $130 and serves 2 guests ($260 for 4 guests, $380 for 6 guests). All dinners must be pre-ordered by 6 p.m. Monday, December 21 online at www.fableandspirit.com. Dinner can be picked up 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. on Thursday, December 24.
Farmhouse / Corona del Mar
Farmhouse Executive Chef Chef Rich Mead has created a festive Christmas Eve menu to make your holiday extra delicious.
Choose from:
- Roast Blue Crab Crusted Icelandic Cod ($75 per person) with asparagus, spinach and cipollini onion risotto, cherry tomato lobster sauce. Wine Bottle Pairing: Domaine Pastou Sauvignon Blanc, Sancerre France ($30).
- Grilled Autonomy Farms Grass Fed Beef Flat Iron Steak ($65) with goat cheese potato lasagna, sautéed spinach with shiitake mushrooms and caramelized onions, port wine sauce. Wine Bottle Pairing: Obsidian Ridge Cabernet Sauvignon, Lake County ($40).
- Braised Autonomy Farms Grass Fed Beef Brisket ($65) with sautéed escarole, brussels sprouts, roast carrots and cipollini onions, roast turnip and fennel puree, porcini cranberry jus. Wine Bottle Pairing: Raul Perez Red Blend, Bierzo Spain ($30).
- Holiday Roast Jidori Chicken ($52) with mushroom sage stuffing, mashed potatoes, broccolini, roast carrots, cipollini onions, old fashioned chicken gravy. Wine Bottle Pairing: Soliste Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast ($50).
Festive Sides ($16, serves 4): Goat Cheese Potato Lasagna, Farmhouse Mushroom Sage Holiday Stuffing, or Spaghetti Squash Gratin.
Holiday Desserts: Chocolate Truffle Cake (10 inch, 14 pieces) with sweet vanilla cream, red wine sauce ($60); Key Lime White Chocolate Cheesecake (10 inch, 16 pieces) with pomegranate sauce ($60); Fair Hills Apple Crisp (serves 8) with sweet vanilla cream, caramel sauce ($40); Bourbon Persimmon Cake (9 inch cake) with bourbon caramel sauce, sweet vanilla cream ($40).
To order call (949) 640-1415. Christmas Eve orders must be placed by Tuesday, December 22. https://farmhouse.rogersgardens.com.
Las Brisas / Laguna Beach
Las Brisas is offering two different to-go dinner options, both available on December 24 and 25 and served ready-to-eat.
For $79 per person, enjoy a three-course Christmas Dinner To-Go with Green Salad with fine herbs and champagne vinaigrette, Slow-Roasted 10z Prime Rib with au jus, creamed horseradish, potato puree, glazed carrots, and parker house rolls, and New York Chocolate Swirl Cheesecake.
For $299, get a Christmas Dinner In a Box (serves 6-8) including two bottles of Las Brisas Brut, Green Salad with fine herbs and champagne vinaigrette, 5 lb Whole Slow-Roasted Prme Rib with au jus, creamed horseradish, potato puree, glazed carrots, parker house rolls, and New York Chocolate Swirl Cheesecake.
Visit https://www.lasbrisaslagunabeach.com/christmas-dinner/ to order.
The Bungalow / Corona del Mar
The Bungalow is open Christmas Eve for patio dining with a special menu that features three different dining tiers.
The $79 tier offers choice of bone-in short ribs, blackened wild king salmon, California chicken breast or grilled vegetable tart.
The $89 tier offers a choice of prime rib, sea bass, filet mignon or New York strip.
The $99 tier features prime bone-in ribeye or northern Australia lobster tail.
All dinners include a choice of soup or salad or butternut squash ravioli, plus a choice of four desserts.
Visit https://www.thebungalowrestaurant.com/special-menus for details.
Tavern House / Newport Beach
Tavern House has special Christmas Eve menu options available to enjoy “at our house or your house.”
Entrees include:
- Crispy Christmas Duck ($38) with Cornbread & Pine Nut Stuffing, Butternut Squash, Brussels Sprouts, Michigan Sour Cherry & Port Sauce;
- Maine Lobster, Scallop & Shrimp Shepherd’s Pie ($52) baked in Sherry scented Lobster Sauce topped with Chive Whipped Potatoes;
- D’s Honey-Buttermilk Fried Chicken ($24) with Mashed Potatoes, Brussels Sprouts, Thyme Gravy;
- Skillet Roasted John Dory ($44) served with Mashed Potatoes, Baby Spinach, Casteltrevano Olives, Capers;
- Buddha Bowl ($18) with Sriracha Spiced Basmati Rice, Seasonal Vegetable Medley, Heirloom Tomatoes, Avocado, Laura Chenel Goat Cheese;
- Christmas Prime Rib ($48) with Rosemary, Garlic and Black Pepper Crust served with Mashed Potatoes, Creamed White Corn, Garlicky Spinach, Au Jus, Creamed Horseradish;
- Pork Schnitzel ($28) with Crispy crusted Pork Tenderloin with Mashed Red Bliss Potatoes, Cabbage braised with Bacon and Apples, Caper Sauce;
- ‘French Onion’ Filet Mignon ($50) with Onion Soup, Gruyere Cheese, French Fries, Maple Glazed Brussels Sprouts;
- Short Rib Stroganoff ($30) with Mushrooms, Pearl Onions, Mustard Sauce, Penne Pasta;
- BBQ Spiced Grilled Lochlander Salmon ($34) with Creamed Corn, Spinach, Paprika Infusion, Bacon Dust.
A variety of starters and sides are available, as well as three desserts. My suggestion: the Bananarama ($14) with Butter Pecan Ice Cream, Candied Pecans, Banana Pastry Cream, Fresh Bananas, Toffee Crumbles, Salty Caramel Sauce. Serves 2 or more.
Visit https://www.tavernhousekb.com/menus for details.
