Thursday Sips &Nibbles

I am back again with a new edition of Thursday Sips & Nibbles, my regular column where I highlight some interesting wine and food items that are upcoming. **********************************************************
1) This New Year’s Eve guests can wine, dine and ring in 2015 at Pier 6, in Charlestown. On Wednesday, December 31, 5pm-1am, guests are invited to a special New Year’s Eve dinner celebration. This year Pier 6 is offering two special New Year’s Eve options that are sure to satisfy everyone.

From 5pm-10pm, guests can relax and enjoy a New Year’s Eve dinner. Pier 6’s Executive Chef Adriano Silva will be serving a special 3 course, prix fixe dinner, which will include dishes such as French onion soup with gruyere and croutons, swordfish with acorn squash, roasted cauliflower and apple puree, and rib-eye steak with rosemary fingerling potatoes, Swiss chard, and beer mushroom gravy. The prix fixe menu is available for $55 per person and will be served in addition to the regular menu. Reservations are strongly recommended and can be made by calling 617-337-0054.

Pier 6 is continuing the festivities with its “Finale New Year’s Eve Party.” Starting at 9pm, top 40 and hip-hop dance music from DJ Matty D will be playing all night long. Guests can take a break from partying to fuel up on delectable hors d'oeuvres and bar snacks served from 9PM to 11PM, and throughout the evening they can sip on draft beers, wine or signature cocktails as they countdown to the New Year. When the clock strikes midnight say goodbye to 2014 and ring in 2015 with a complimentary champagne toast and a spectacular view of the fireworks show over Boston Harbor. Fireworks begin at 12am and the bar is open until 1am. Early bird tickets are $40 for the first 50 attendees. Afterwards tickets are $50 per person and must be purchased in advance by visiting http://thefinale15.eventbrite.com.

2) When customers begin pounding on your front door weekend mornings, begging you to open up, you know that it’s time to offer brunch. Menotomy Grill & Tavern now offers a weekly-changing blackboard menu of brunch items, served every Saturday and Sunday from 11am-4pm. Proprietor Billy Lyons has lined up some cool live jazz to complement the Tavern's warm stone fireplace and coppery bar.

Executive Chef Mark Thomson (formerly of CHEZ HENRI) offers:
* The Monte Cristo: The ultimate hangover reliever. Challah French toast filled with smoked pork shoulder and ham, gruyere, apples and onions –
* Cream Cheese-Stuffed French Toast with Mixed Berry Compote –
* Southern Fried Chicken, Buttermilk Biscuit, Sausage Gravy –
* Seasonally-inspired Omelets and Quiches
* Classic Eggs Benedict
* Huevos Rancheros

Menotomy Grill also pours its “secret family recipe” Bloody Mary, along with hefty 20-ounce draught beers from its list of 40 varieties, including Battle Road 1776 Tavern Ale … Slumbrew Attic & Eaves … Wormtown Be Hoppy IPA … and Allagash White.

3) Tim Maslow of Ribelle & Strip T's and James Mark of North in Providence are teaming up once again to host a special New Year's Eve celebration in Washington Square, This year, join them for a French-inspired nine-course dinner prepared by the two Momofuku alums. Beverage pairings featuring fine & rare wines also available. Only 100 tickets will be offered for this dinner.

THE MENU (subject to change)
first
Canapes
second
Crudo
third
Caviar
fourth
Vegetable
fifth
Biqsue
sixth
Foie Gras
seventh
Lamb
eighth
Cheese
ninth
Dessert
take home
A special treat from Ribelle & North

Tickets are $175/person, $250/person with pairings (excludes tax & gratuity).
Tickets can be purchased only online — https://nyeribellenorth.eventbrite.com.

The fine print:
If you have friends with the same reservation time as you, give them a call, and they'll make sure you're seated together.
All beverages will be available ala carte and charged separately (unless a ticket is purchased for beverage pairing).
Due to the nature of this dinner, they are unable to accommodate fish, shellfish, and gluten allergies.
Please call Ribelle at 617-232-2322 for questions.

4) On Wednesday, December 31, from 10pm-1:30am, Legal Harborside will celebrate New Year’s Eve under the stars at Liberty Wharf this year. Hosted atop the roof in a glass-enclosed space, it is the closest one comes to being in a snow globe. At this celebration bidding adieu to 2014 and welcoming 2015, revelers will delight in the picturesque winter scene – complete with Legal Harborside’s cozy, copper-clad fireplace – and will eat, drink and be merry with a bird’s eye view of First Night’s midnight fireworks overlooking Boston Harbor.

In addition to being supplied with festive noisemakers and hats, tickets to this sky-high soiree include a live deejay and a midnight toast with Moët & Chandon "Imperial" Brut NV bubbly. Legal Harborside will also offer table reservations to this year-end celebration.

COST: General admission: $75 per person Reserved couch/table: $550 per group (up to six people)

Tickets and tables may be reserved online. Tickets purchased are non-refundable and have no cash value. Limited tickets and table reservations are available. Access to the event will only be granted to guests with a ticket receipt and 21+ ID. Guests may order select a la carte items from Legal Harborside’s rooftop menu up until 12am.

5) Pastoral owners George Lewis and Todd Winer invite guests to Pastoral for an afternoon of helping those in need during the holidays. Pastoral invites guests to celebrate the holidays while helping a worthy cause this Sunday, December 14, from 4pm until 6pm. With the donation of a new or slightly worn children’s coat, guests will be offered complimentary food and beverages. Coats will be donated to Cradles to Crayons in time for the holidays. Tickets to the Pastoral For Parkas holiday party are available by logging onto www.eventbrite.com “Pastoral for Parkas”.

For more information and reservations, please call (617) 345-0005 or visit www.eventbrite.com “Pastoral for Parkas”