Welcome 2010! Joining a long list of fellow revelers, you might be staring at this column through blurry eyes and dull head pain. Pull yourself together and get thee to one of my picks below to turn that frown upside down. And best wishes for this new year.
1) Portland’s St. Honoré Boulangerie. Celebrating the French Epiphany, the Stumptown bakery is offering a traditional la Galette des Rois, or the Kings’ Cake, a delicious puff pastry is filled with frangipane, a blend of almond and custard cream. The pastry is only available now through the end of the month, so get your order in!
2) New York’s Oak Room. With a gorgeous dining room in the heart of the illustrious Plaza Hotel, The Oak Room may be more than you can handle for New Year’s Day if you’ve had more than you can handle on New Year’s Eve, but the menu is sure to please, from tuna melt sliders and Belize shrimp ceviche to lobster eggs benedict and griddle cakes. Make sure you call ahead to check availability.
3) Linda’s Tavern in Seattle. A little kitchy, a little divey – just what you’d need to kick off the New Year. Well-known for its great drinks, Linda’s is one of the few joints open on New Year’s Day – and you’ll also be able to score a little breakfast with your Bloody Mary.
4) Ba Shan in London. For some reason, great Chinese food always seems to go hand-in-hand with my holidays. If you’re in the area, stop by this British neighborhood eatery for highly-rated Asian bites, including dumplings and noodles.
5) Your own kitchen (if you just don’t want to leave your pajamas). Celebrate in your robe with a sparkly Frozen Kir Royale, fill your fridge with a few of Epicurious‘s lucky foods devoured around the world, or make a beeline for your favorite food cart (especially since 2009 seemed to be the year of the cart!).
Enjoy!
~Jennifer Heigl
Oh yes!! Shout-outs to things I love (Linda’s and the Galette des rois): a winning collection of ideas!