#5: The Feast of the Seven Fishes — The Daily Catch
It's a tradition in Italian families to eat at least seven different types of fish or seafood on Christmas Eve. And at The Daily Catch in Boston, the Freddura family offers three dishes that live up to the tradition and then some. The lobster fra diavolo includes crabs, clams, mussels, shrimp and calamari, and then there's the broiled haddock and the Monkfish Marsala — eight types of seafood in all. Today the family (made up of seven brothers, interestingly enough) keeps the Feast of the Seven Fishes alive all year round.
#4: Suckling Pig — Bacchanal Buffet at Caesar's Palace
Las Vegas is known for its all-hours gambling, unique attractions, and famous restaurants and overflowing buffets. Bacchanal, located in Caesar's Palace, goes above and beyond with its 600-item buffet selection. During the holidays, Chef Severin Nunn offers a roast suckling pig that's prepared Cantonese style. It's rubbed with five-spice powder on the outside and hoisin sauce on the inside before being roasted and then finished in a fire box, rotated by hand over a flame. The results are melt-in-your-mouth tender.
#3: Skirt Steak, Greeven and Schmaltz — Sammy's Roumanian Steakhouse
On New York's Lower East Side, you'll find Sammy's, an unassuming storefront from the outside. But once inside, you'll experience a bustling Jewish family restaurant run by David Zimmerman. The skirt steak is a must. Grilled and then schmeared with freshly ground garlic, it's served with mashed potatoes mixed with onions and greeven (aka grieven or gribenes), and then drizzled with schmaltz. The steak is perfect for sharing with family during any special celebration.
In Santa Fe, N.M., you'll find a pork tamale that's so popular it's enjoyed on Christmas Day, too. In Mexico it's common to have tamale parties during the holidays, and La Choza likes to keep that tradition alive. Chef Maricela Perez roasts the pork for four hours, then shreds it and mixes it with her unique pepper sauce, which simmers for three hours. The pork filling is stuffed into corn husks and steamed for one-and-a-half hours. For serving, the tamales are topped with red and green chile sauces, a combination known as Christmas sauce.
Originally opened 93 years ago by the founder of Lawry's Spices, The Tam O'Shanter in Atwater Village, Calif., is a legendary hot spot frequented by celebrities and regular folk alike. The prime rib is aged for 28 days, rubbed down in Lawry's Seasoned Salt, and then roasted for three-and-a-half hours until it's medium-rare. Served with Yorkshire pudding and creamed spinach, the prime rib dinner is a favorite with families during the holidays.
