The Week In Eats

by Amy Strauss

Marigold executive chef Michael Solomonov's masterful use of local organic ingredients jives with even the most conservative comfort food sensibilities. For his last meal of 2006, he's constructing a Mediterranean-influenced six-course bill of fare. The menu's set to include cured sturgeon and potato pancakes, capon with garlic consomme, ragout of lobster with trumpet mushrooms, filet of beef with tuna belly and pomegranate sauce and labneh ice cream atop cocoa walnut cake. Marigold Kitchen, 501 S. 45th St., 215-222-3699, www.marigoldkitchenbyob.com.

We're not living in the Flower Child era anymore. But we can sure as heck down some tripped-out screwdrivers while our hands and feet nab the red dots mid-Twister. Jones will bring out your closeted Brady Bunch obsession, as Marcia, Marcia, Marcia! reruns ease you into the new year. Enjoy comfort grub (something like Alice's home cooking), including meat loaf, fish and chips, crab cakes, fried chicken and corn on the cob. Jones Restaurant, 700 Chestnut St., 215-223-5663, www.jones-restaurant.com.

Perfect for scaring away those wintry doldrums, Jason Reilly's soups are an absolute must. At this course, you'll learn the creaming techniques essential to making puree of butternut squash; shortcuts to a fennel, oven-dried tomato and white bean stew; and the simple secrets behind delicate mussel bisque with Swiss chard and anise. Madsen Design Center, Springfield Rd., Broomall, 610-649-9290, www.albertsoncookingschool.com.

It's unavoidable: Once the clock strikes 12, your perfectly planned soiree starts looking pretty pathetic. Avoid the letdown and opt instead for an Old City passport. Tickets give you top-shelf access to plenty of pubs and a sparkling tumbler of champagne at midnight, no matter your locale. The Old City roster includes Lucy's, Drinker's Tavern and A Bar Named Sue. (A previously offered Rittenhouse Square pub pass is sold out.) Call 215-568-1616 or visit www.nye215.com for more info.

In 2004, Bistro St. Tropez's Patrice Rames opened Patou as a means of celebrating flavor-forward cooking and highlighting the sun-kissed tastes of Cote d'Azur, the region of France that sits on the Mediterranean. Now, he's hosting a Riviera-fied New Year's evening for two. Menu items include bluepoint oysters, littleneck clams and smokey salmon, a finely minced filet mignon, Cornish game hen and creamy duck liver mousse. Patou Restaurant, 312 Market St., 215-928-2987, www.patourestaurant.com.