December 30, 2004-January 5, 2005

food

off the menu

by Juliet Fletcher

Now that holiday presents have been well and truly unwrapped, everyone's attention turns to a different kind of package: the all-inclusive New Year's Eve dinner deal. Yep — specials and prix-fixe prices, with a split of champagne thrown in. If you haven't planned what to do this year, here are a few that caught our eyes.

Cibucan, Sansom Street's Latin fusion fixture, offers three ways to celebrate the passing of the year. You can order individual dishes as usual; take advantage of a prix-fixe menu of three courses for $40, sign up for their post-dinner party with dancing and cocktails all night long — or just show up for the yummy hors d'oeuvres, such as Albondigas, turkey, manchego cheese and chorizo meatballs served with mole rojo. 2025 Sansom St., 215-231-9895.

Farmicia also gives guests two ways to party: a sedate four-course prix fixe (7-10 p.m., $60), to include specials like wild salmon and tangerine salad or lamb chops with black-eyed pea vinaigrette; and a dim sum dance party (10 p.m.-2 a.m., $70), with lobster spring rolls and freshly shucked oysters served to the sounds of soul and '80s superpop. 15 S. Third St., 215-627-6274.

Le Castagne offers five courses of classic Italian cuisine for $75. Highlights include appetizers of fungi and prosciutto, and ravioli with swiss chard and brown butter. 1920 Chestnut St., 215-751-9913.

Many of the restaurants in Stephen Starr's local stable will be presenting four- or five-course special menus, ranging from Angelina's four courses for $65 to Striped Bass' lavish package for $150. Washington Square, newly Samuelsson-free, will offer its global prix-fixe menu in the warmth of a heated tent on the restaurant's patio, while Buddakan gives us an Asian-influenced multi-course prix fixe (they've left it to our imagination) for $145. Live music and champagne toasts appear as standard. Angelina, 706 Chestnut St., 215-925-6889; Buddakan, 325 Chestnut St., 215-574-9440; Striped Bass, 1500 Walnut St., 215-732-4444; Washington Square, 210 W. Washington Square, 215-592-7787.

Bistro Romano wants to feed you, then scare you or make you hum along. They're organizing a mystery theater performance alongside their candlelit dinner and have also arranged a City Rhythm Orchestra supper club performance at the Loews Hotel. 120 Lombard St., 215-925-8880.

And for those looking for spots outside Center City, check out Bourbon Blue in Manayunk, where an early-evening prix-fixe menu later gives way to drinks, dancing and a quesadilla station (2 Rector St., 215-508-3360). Further out, look for drinks and menu specials at three Main Line kitchens — Basil Bistro, Nectar and Tango. Basil Bistro, 522 King Rd., Paoli, 610-647-1500; Nectar, 1091 Lancaster Ave., Berwyn, 610-725-9000; Tango, 39 Morris Ave., Bryn Mawr, 610-526-9500.