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Jingle Bells, Jiggly Bellies

Who wants to cook on Jesus’s birthday?

A A A Comments By Patrice Elizabeth Grell Yursik Thursday, Dec 25 2008

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Your tree is beautifully decorated; the stockings have been hung with care. And it’s finally here — Christmas Day — the moment you’ve been cleaning and wrapping and shop-shop-shopping in preparation for. After the presents have been opened and you’ve thrown away the wrapping paper, what’s your reward? Oh joy — you get to cook a feast for all the relatives and friends who show up at the dinner table. This year, we say no thanks. Add one more gift to our list to Santa: a reservation for Christmas Day dinner, so we can get our grub on without being expected to make it ourselves. We have a few suggestions, in case you’re on our wavelength.

The venerable Christy’s (3101 Ponce de Leon Blvd., Coral Gables) is always a classy place to be, and you can celebrate Christmases of yore with the steak house’s traditional à la carte menu. That includes offerings such as rib eye, porterhouse, and the ever-sold-out prime rib of beef. Stick around for the baked Alaska — not many places offer that decadent dessert anymore. Reservations are suggested. Call 305-446-1400, or visit www.christysrestaurant.com. If you want a little surf with your turf, call Smith & Wollensky (1 Washington Ave., Miami Beach) to reserve a table for a $49 four-course prix fixe meal. From noon to 11 p.m., the southernmost restaurant in South Beach will serve up signature items such as pan-seared diver scallops, salmon, halibut, and its famous surf and turf. We’ll have the pumpkin cheesecake for dessert, thanks. Call 305-673-2800. Note to all hungry gourmands on the holidays: The fancy hotels in your neck of the woods are guaranteed to offer a spectacular spread. We love the look of Cioppino at the Ritz-Carlton Key Biscayne (455 Grand Bay Dr., Key Biscayne). Its Christmas Day buffet includes dim sum, sushi, truffle mac and cheese, gnocchi, and much more. You might want to clear a path — we’re making a beeline for the roast leg of lamb. Seatings are at 11 a.m., 1 p.m., 3 p.m., 6:30 p.m., and 8:30 p.m., and the menu costs $82 for adults, $40 for kiddies. Call 305-365-4500.
Thu., Dec. 25, 2008

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