Ringing in 2019 in Laguna Beach

New Year’s Eve options in Laguna Beach include gourmet dining, DJ’d parties, champagne toasts and plenty of merry making.

The Ranch at Laguna Beach, 31106 S. Coast Highway, will host a New Year’s Eve party with dancing, live music, a photo booth, a champagne toast and confetti drop at midnight. Tickets for the 21+ event are $125 and are available by calling 949-715-1376. The Shawn Jones Band will start the evening with soulful blues and slowly wind up to a rocking finish at midnight. To keep the energy up, a late-night snacks station will roll out before midnight with sliders, truffle popcorn, charcuterie and mini pastries. Additional information is available at: www.theranchlb.com/ranch/calendar/new-years-eve-2019

At Ocean and Main, 222 Ocean Avenue, dinner service on Monday, Dec. 31, will start at 5 p.m. with the last seating at 9 p.m. The six-course meal, $250 per person plus tax and gratuity, starts with Bester Osetra caviar and includes sautéed foie gras,lobster fettuccini and Japanese Wagyu beef strip. The cheese plate features lavender caramel and red endive salad. Dessert is Tainori chocolate torte. On the patio, alive DJ starts spinning at 10 p.m.For $750 plus tax and gratuity per table, guests can enjoy two bottles of Veuve Clicquot or one bottle of vodka with mixers.Reservations, required for dinner and/or patio lounge soirée, are available by calling 949-715-3870 or visiting oceanatmain.com.

The first seating on New Year’s Eve at Selanne Steak Tavern, 1464 S. Coast Highway, takes place from 5-6:30 p.m.; the second seating is from 8-9:30 p.m. A six-course menu, $195 excluding tax and gratuity, starts with goat cheese panna cotta, followed by a first course choice of Maine Lobster or White Port Poached Pear Salad, theneither Guinea Hen Boudin blanc with foie gras or Mano de Leon scallops. Entrée options are Wagyu beef tenderloinor black bass.Dessert will be a surprise. A six-course vegetarian menu is available upon request. Reservations required; call 949-715-9881 or visit selannesteaktavern.com.

New Year’s Eve at The Loft at Montage Resort, 30801 Coast Highway, offers a four-course tasting menufrom 5-10 p.m.with a first course of oysters, foie gras torchon or Maryland crab cake. Second, guests may select lobster dumplings, Rooibos tea-scented Kampachi crudo or truffle risotto. The entrée course options are New York steak, Striped Bass or pork tenderloin. The dessert menu consists of blonde chocolate and champagne – lemon and whipped chocolate with iced Veuve Clicquot or a cosmopolitan dessert with Grey Goose jelly, orange zest foam and cranberry crème fraiche ice cream. Dinner includes a bottle of Veuve Clicquot for every two adult guests. The cost is $185 per adult, $50 for children ages four to 12 years, plus tax and gratuity. Children under four will have á la carte menu option.

New Year’s evening at Studio at Montage Resort starts with a reception offering oysters on the half shell at 8 p.m. followed by dinner at 9 p.m. featuring a five-course tasting menu and live music by Chris Jagich and band, dancing and party favors, as well as a midnight Dom Perignon Champagne toast. The dinner menu includes seared tuna, foie gras torchon, roasted Morro Bay sablefish, smoked ribeye with roasted mushroom and swiss chard. Dessert is a choice of Dominican chocolate and Madagascan vanilla ice cream and fleur de sel or ivory chocolate champagne sphere with lemon marmalade, vodka granité and caviar. The tab is$575 per guest and includes cocktails at the reception and wine pairings with dinner or non-alcoholic beverages, and a Dom Perignon champagne toast. Tax and gratuity are not included.

New Year’s Eve at Mozambique Restaurant, 1740 S. Coast Highway, offers two seatings for dinner and three live artists—Louis B. Middelton in the lounge at 6 p.m., Andrew Bloom in the Shebeen Bar at 9 p.m. and DJ Blunk also at 9 p.m. in the lounge. The dinner menu offers appetizers and entrees, including steak and lobster, grilled prawns, New York steak and rack of lamb, among other choices. Desserts will include macadamia nut bread pudding, chocolate cake and sorbets. Visit Mozambique.com or call 949-715-7777 for prices and reservations.

The Wine Gallery, 1833 S. Coast Hwy. will offer a New Year’s Eve four-course prix fixe dinner featuring pozole verde and a glass of champagne to start, winter salad and lobster ravioli or prime rib with a chocolate torte for dessert. The first seating will be between 5:30 and 6 p.m. , the second seating from 8:45 to 9:30 p.m. The cost is $65 per person excluding tax and gratuity. For an additional $35 the Wine Gallery’s owner, Chris Olsen will hand pick four wines to accompany your meal. Call 949-715-8744 or email hello@wine gallery.com to reserve a spot.

The Laguna Playhouse, 606 Laguna Canyon Road, will once again present a holiday tradition on Monday, Dec. 31, at 7 p.m.—Rita Rudner in “Her Absolutely, Positively, Last Show of 2018.” Rudner will host an early evening New Year’s Eve party at Laguna Playhouse. Toast the end of 2018 and watch the ball drop on the East Coast with a complimentary champagne drink and dessert. The show will open with musical guests 92629, Molly Bergman and Peyton Goss. Tickets range from $107- $133 and can be purchased online at www.lagunaplayhouse.com or by calling 949-497-2787.

Transit Info: Regular neighborhood trolley service will run late on New Years’ Eve,Monday, Dec. 31, from 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. offering regular neighborhood service plus coastal service. On Tuesday, Jan. 1, there will be no service. For schedule information, visit www.lagunabeachcity.net/trolley, or call 949-497-0766.