Westside Restaurants Open for Christmas

The holidays are wonderful, but they can also be stressful. If you want someone else do the cooking before or after you open presents, these local restaurants will be open for Christmas and will be offering special prix fixe menus.

Joe’s Restaurant: This Abbot Kinney favorite will light candles and cook a special “Flavors of Christmas” menu on Christmas Eve featuring caviar, chestnuts, Sonoma duck, carpaccio and chocolate desserts. The prix fixe is $68 per person. 1023 Abbot Kinney Blvd., Venice 310-399-5811. www.joesrestaurant.com

Ford's Filling Station: The famous Culver City gastropub will feature a special three-course dinner offered from Dec. 21-24 from 5:30 p.m. until closing. It costs $45 per person with optional $18 beer pairings and $25 wine pairings. Dishes from the prix fixe menu include confit duck leg salad, braised lamb shank, Loch Duarte salmon and roasted pear tart for dessert. 9531 Culver Blvd., Culver City. 310-202-1470. www.fordsfillingstation.net.

Gladstone's: Enjoy Christmas Eve dinner while gazing at a sunset over the Pacific. Gladstones offers a three-course dinner that includes dishes like lobster bisque and pan-roasted Alaskan halibut. The cost is $45.95 per person. 17300 Pacific Coast Hwy., Pacific Palisades. 310-454-3474.

Locanda del Lago: The Locanda is offering a “Cena di Natale” on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day from 11:30 a.m. until 10:30 p.m. Their three-course tasting menu is $49 per person and the four-course menu is $62. Diners can chose to pair wines for and additional $22. The Christmas menu includes choices like veal filets with black truffles and Terrine-style, all-natural Guinea hen breast. Make sure to leave room for pandoro – an Italian cake with powdered sugar – and prosecco for dessert. 231 Arizona Ave., Santa Monica. 310-451-3525. www.lagosantamonica.com.

Mélisse: This Michelin award winning French restaurant will be offering a Christmas Eve dinner priced at $150 per person. Menu items include chestnut soup, Maine lobster, European sea bass and Valhrona chocolate crunch cake with salted caramel for dessert. 1104 Wilshire Blvd., Santa Monica, (310) 395-0881. www.melisse.com.

Valentino: Some of the fine Italian dishes this Santa Monica restaurant will be serving include red mullet risotto fritters, lobster with Sicilian couscous and squid ink ravioli. The five-course Christmas Eve menu costs $99 per person. An a la carte menu will also be available. 3115 Pico Blvd., Santa Monica, (310) 829-4313. www.valentinosantamonica.com.

Jer-Ne Restaurant: The Marina del Rey restaurant located in the Ritz-Carlton will be offering a Christmas Eve dinner and a buffet-style Christmas Day brunch and Christmas dinner featuring items such as crab legs, Santa Barbara smoked salmon and tenderloin and prosciutto wrapped chicken breast. Jer-Ne will also serve a kids menu. 4375 Admiralty Way, Marina del Rey. (310) 823-1700.