The last meal you have this year should be a good one. Here are a few suggestions for making your last dinner of 2003 a feast to remember. (All events take place on Wednesday, Dec. 31.)
Place Pigalle is doing its damnedest to produce the most exquisite fish and fowl you’ve ever laid eyes on. Sautéed geoduck with black beans, scallions, and potato gaufrettes or marinated duck with Chinese mustard greens for openers, entrée options to include spot prawns in shellfish broth, venison medallions with porcini demiglace, and Hawaiian opah with pomegranate vinaigrette. $65. Reservations from 5:30 p.m. Place Pigalle, 81 Pike St., 206-624-1756. PIKE PLACE MARKET
Rover’s is keeping it simple, which means strong, clean flavors: sea bass with parsnip salad, smoked duck soup, lobster with celery-root purée, pomegranate-apple sorbet as a palate-cleanser, and Scottish pheasant with foie gras in the entrée role. As if that weren’t enough, added coursesscrambled eggs with lime crème fraîche and Iranian caviar, for exampleare also available. As they say: If you had a good year, eat here. $95 for a five-course menu, with seating from 5:30-6:30 p.m.; $130 for a six-course menu (and midnight celebration), with seating from 8:30-10 p.m. Rover’s, 2808 E. Madison St., 206-325-7442. MADISON VALLEY
At Cafe Juanita‘s celebration, you’ll swear you’re dining amidst the fashionistas of Milan or the art connoisseurs of Florence; the five-course culinary choose-your-own-adventure begins with special aperitifs (quince bellini, anyone?), then moves into serious epicurean territory with seared foie gras, butter-poached Maine lobster, and squab with sweetbread salad, among other options. Is that a gondola we spy? $95. 5-10 p.m. Cafe Juanita, 9702 N.E. 120th Pl., 206-823-1505. KIRKLAND
Chef John Howie’s holiday menu at Seastar should usher you into 2004 with luxurious flair. Featured eats to include butter-poached Maine lobster over cipollini onion gratin and herbed, plank-roasted Kurobuta pork with russet hash, not to mention flaming bananas Foster cheesecake! Menu prices vary. 5-10 p.m. Seastar, 205 108th Ave. N.E., 425-456-0010. BELLEVUE
BluWater Bistro plays the lobster angle for all it’s worth, offering lobster bisque and lobster tail in the same four-course prix fixe. Also worthy of mention: filet mignon with mushroom ragout and twin chocolate mousseswhite and darkalong with champagne and chocolate-covered strawberries at midnight. And did we mention live jazz? $33.50. 5 p.m.-2 a.m. 1001 Fairview Ave., 206-447-0769. SOUTH LAKE UNION; 7900 E. Greenlake Dr. N., 206-524-3985. GREEN LAKE
