You don’t have to have an Italian grandmother or even celebrate Christmas to get in on a Feast of the Seven Fishes dinner this holiday season. Several restaurants are offering the traditional Italian Christmas Eve meal the week of Christmas, and one actually on Christmas Eve. Mike Stollenwerk is serving a special seven-course seafood dinner at Fish nightly starting on December 20. He’s planning on serving it up until Christmas Eve if he gets the reservations. If not, he plans on giving his staff the night off. “My mother’s Sicilian, so we always had a seven fishes dinner around the holidays growing up,” Stollenwerk told Grub Street. “Fish’s is going to be a good time. It lets us have a little fun with the menu.”
The Fish feast will include traditional dishes reinterpreted by Stollenwerk. Some of the dishes include a Caesar salad with a white anchovy vinaigrette, clams and capallini, preserved tuna with caponata and arugula, octopus, salted cod and more. The Seven Fishes menu costs $60 per person and $80 with an optional wine pairing.
• On Thursday, December 23 Amis will serve up its Feast of the Seven Fishes. Chef and co-owner Brad Spence will prepare some of the recipes he prepares for his own family on Christmas Eve. The family style dinner costs $60 per person. Reservations are required.
• West Chester’s well received BYOB Avalon is serving its Seven Fishes feast on Christmas Eve. Chef John Brandt-Lee’s dishes include fried smelts, linguini with shrimp, mussels and crab, and fluke piccata with capers. The family style meal will be available at the restaurant and to go for $45 per person.
