New Year's Eve 2012 

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Find a special dining spot for New Year's Eve

By Dan Nailen

New Year’s Eve isn’t only a night for super-size revelry with thousands of your closest friends. It’s also popular for chilling with a special someone away from those madding crowds. Here are a few Utah restaurants doing something special for New Year’s Eve. Be sure to make a reservation early at these dozen places, or your own favorite restaurant, if you want to ring in 2012 in style.

Pago
The dining gem of the 9th and 9th neighborhood is hosting a special New Year’s Eve dinner consisting of four courses for $55, with four options for each course save dessert, which is two options. As part of Pago’s commitment to the “farm-to-table” concept, the dishes will be full of produce and meats locally grown and raised. Each course also has a recommended wine or beer pairing suggested by savvy restauranteur Scott Evans and his team. Reservations recommended. 878 S. 900 East, Salt Lake City, 801-532-0777, PagoSLC.com

Tin Angel Cafe
The Tin Angel is offering one of its special Black-Out Menu events on New Year’s Eve, which includes a four-course dinner for $40 ($66.60 with wine pairings). You choose a tapa and dessert, the entree is prix fixe and the second course is a surprise you’ll eat while blindfolded. There are vegetarian options available for both the entree and “mystery” courses. Reservations recommended. 65 W. 400 South, Salt Lake City, 801-328-4155, TheTinAngel.com

Frida Bistro
On a normal day, Frida Bistro is a million miles from the beans-and-burritos style of Mexican fare, dealing complex flavors and palate-thrilling spices. On New Year’s Eve, the charming cafe in industrial SLC is hosting a five-course dinner of special dishes not on the normal Frida menu for $50, or $75 with optional wine pairings. There will be three seatings, at 5 p.m., 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. Reservations recommended. 545 W. 700 South, Salt Lake City, 801-983-6692, FridaBistro.com

Bambara
The Daniel Day Trio will provide the tunes at the restaurant inside the Hotel Monaco, and chef Nathan Powers will be serving up selections of his favorite holiday cuisine starting at 5:30 p.m. Bambara is also open for breakfast on New Year’s Day. Reservations recommended. 202 S. Main, Salt Lake City, 801-363-5454, Bambara-SLC.com

Franck’s
This little gem of a joint in Holladay is hosting a five-course menu for $60 per person, with wine pairings available for each, starting at 5 p.m. on New Year’s Eve. You can find the menu on Franck’s Website in the next few days. Seating starts at 5 p.m., and reservations are recommended. 6263 S. Holladay Blvd., Holladay, 801-274-6264, FrancksFood.com

Log Haven
The charming log cabin up Millcreek is offering dancing to live music beginning at 7 p.m. and is taking reservations for special New Year’s Eve dining specials designed for two, starting at 5:30 p.m. 6451 E. Millcreek Canyon Road, Salt Lake City, 801-272-8255, Log-Haven.com

Oasis Cafe
Chef Billy Sotelo has created two prix fixe menus for New Year’s Eve, one $25 and one $35. Both choices are full of the locally grown organic vegetables and sustainably ranched meats Oasis is known for. Oasis will also be open for brunch on New Year’s Day. Reservations recommended. 151 S. 500 East, Salt Lake City, 801-322-0404, OasisCafeSLC.com

Lugano Restaurant
Greg Neville’s place is always popular with Italian food lovers, and on New Year’s Eve, he’ll offer a five-course semi-prix fixe menu offering diners four options for each course, as well as a wine pairing for each. Dinner is $59, and the wine pairing is $39. Reservations recommended. 3364 S. 2200 East, Salt Lake City, 801-412-9994, LuganoRestaurant.com

Fresco Italian Cafe
The romantic spot tucked into the 15th and 15th neighborhood is doing a special New Year’s Eve menu featuring plenty of its signature housemade pastas and cheeses, as well as appetizers like chilled Washington oysters, entrees that include a duo of Utah-raised pork, and desserts like a date tiramisu or the infamous mascarpone cheesecake. Reservations recommended. 1513 S. 1500 East, Salt Lake City, 801-486-1300, FrescoItalianCafe.com

Tuscany
Former Jazz man Mark Eaton owns and operates this swanky joint that specializes in Italian-American cuisine, and on New Year’s Eve, Tuscany will host a four-course dinner for $50 per person. The menu will be posted on the Tuscany Website in the coming days. Seating starts at 5 p.m., and reservations are recommended. 2832 E. 6200 South, Salt Lake City, 801-277-9919, TuscanySLC.com

Faustina
Faustina has a $50 prix fixe menu for New Year’s Eve that includes everything from seared foie gras to black-truffle gnocchi, roasted lamb to a blueberry souffle—with choices of appetizers, soup or salad, entree and dessert, you won’t go home hungry. Reservations recommended. 454 E. 300 South, Salt Lake City, 801-746-4441, FaustinaSLC.com