Brentwood's Best Bets for New Year's Eve

On Jan. 1 many of us will declare our New Year's resolutions: securing better jobs, eating less, exercising more and giving our livers a break. Sound familiar?

But on the eve of Dec. 31, why not indulge some of our vices before hitting the gym and breaking out the diet diary?

Several Brentwood restaurants, including 14-year-old Italian eatery Vincenti Ristorante, are offering special tasting menus, champagne toasts, winter wonderland fetes and live jazz.

Restaurant owner and Brentwood resident Maureen Vincenti is "feeling blessed" and excited for New Year's Eve, a night when she can welcome in regulars and those new to the area who are making the trek from all over the city for authentic Italian eats.

"A lot of people come here because they know us," she said. "They really appreciate the food Nicola [chef Nicola Mastronardi] cooks." Mastronardi changes the menu nearly every three months, based on what's in season and what customers want. Before the chef, who comes from Bari, Italy, joined Vincenti 14 years ago, he was in charge of running operations at Louise's, an Italian restaurant chain. He's part owner of Vincenti and plans to open a pizzeria of his own in the near future.

Vincenti customers often rent out rooms in the restaurant or reserve the 90-seat space for private parties. 

In addition to a regular menu of risotto with beets and lobster, roasted filet of fish and New York steak, Vincenti is serving customers a special tasting menu, lacing dishes with high-end ingredients such as white truffles. The fixed price tasting menu will run about $110 per person.

Vincenti: 11930 San Vicente Blvd., L.A., CA 90049;  310-207-0127.

In honor of Hanukkah, Italian restaurant Divino, reminiscent of a Tuscan home with wine bottles lining the walls, creates a themed menu featuring fried chicken and latkes, stuffed cabbage and Hanukkah spongecake with walnuts and apricot jam. The menu, which is $37 for adults and $27 for children, offers an affordable and festive option on Barrington Court.

Divino: 11714 Barrington Court, L.A., CA 90049; 310-472-0886.

With two seatings, the first at 6:30 p.m. for $75, and the second at 9:30 p.m. for $95 (which includes a midnight champagne toast), Tavern's owners, Caroline Styne and Suzanne Goin, offer a gourmet menu of Venetian snapper, Parisian gnocchi, and Viennese-style beef short ribs. For dessert, there's Turkish mille-feuille made with layers of phyllo dough, chocolate and pistachio ice cream.

Tavern: 11648 San Vicente Blvd., L.A., CA 90049; 310-806-6464.

Included while dining at On Sunset, inside the Luxe hotel, will be a complimentary midnight champagne toast. In addition to the standard menu, specials include lobster medallions with Maine scallops, black truffle orzo and porterhouse prime rib, all ranging from $15-$38. The lobby bar will be open till about 1:30 a.m., allowing ample time to imbibe cocktails you may not remember the names of in 2011.

On Sunset: 11461 Sunset Blvd., L.A., CA 90049; 310-476-6571.

West, located on the penthouse floor of the Hotel Angeleno, a former Holiday Inn, features live jazz from 6-10 p.m., DJ thereafter, and a three-course prix fixe menu for $49. Highlighted food items include vegetable soup, mushroom risotto, lobster, apple tart, molten chocolate cake and an apple-fennel oyster shooter. You'll find sweeping city views and a fashionable dinner crowd.

West: 170 North Church Lane. L.A., 90049; 310-476-6411.

The high-end Japanese restaurant and posh bar Katsuya will be operating per usual, with sushi chefs finely slicing yellowtail sashimi, and delicately placing spicy tuna over crispy rice. A $100 entrance fee will admit you into the winter wonderland themed party, beginning at 10 p.m., and includes a full bar and buffet. For those already dining in the restaurant, you'll still need to purchase a ticket to participate in the after-hours festivities.

Katsuya: 11777 San Vicente Blvd., L.A., CA 90049; 310-207-8744.