Fill Your Belly

After the presents have been ripped open, the stockings emptied, and the last exclamations of thanks to Jesus and/or Santa for your annual bounty of material blessings have been given, a realization slowly dawns upon you. “Damn,” you think. “I am hungry!” Even if you don’t celebrate Christmas, Hanukah, Kwanzaa, or Festivus like the rest of us, you’ll probably be looking to grub down today. We got your back on the best Christmas Day eats to be found around town.

“If you’re blue and you don’t know where to go to, why don’t you go…” We won’t finish the song, but needless to say that putting on the Ritz-Carlton is a guaranteed good hook for Christmas Day feasting. At the Ritz-Carlton Key Biscayne, there’ll be a lavish spread fit for a king, complete with chilled seafood, gnocchi, prime rib, roasted leg of lamb, and um, macaroni and cheese. Yum. From 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., this feast costs $75 for adults. From 6 to 10 p.m., it gets jacked up to $82. Call 305-365-4286 for reservations. Want something that offers more of an international flavor? Check out the Panorama Restaurant at the Sonesta (2889 McFarlane Rd., Coconut Grove) where a three-course Peruvian dinner will set you back $43. Call 305-447-8256. Anyone who has seen The Christmas Story knows — Chinese restaurants are a hungry family’s saving grace for the holidays. Before you beeline for P.F Chang’s, consider the places in your neighborhood that will be offering their regular menus of Asian delicacies. The insanely popular Tropical Chinese (7991 Bird Rd., Miami; 305-262-7576) is bound to be crowded, as is New Chinatown (5958 S Dixie Hwy., South Miami; 305-662-5649).
Tue., Dec. 25, 2007