Restaurants roll out New Year's celebrations
Mitsuwa Marketplace at 100 E. Algonquin Road, Arlington Heights hosts its annual Mochi Tsuki (traditional rice pounding) ceremony on Tuesday, which is New Year's Day.
Guests of all ages are invited to watch or join in as Mochi, a traditional Japanese rice cake, is pounded into a paste and then pressed into shapes.
Free samples of Mochi will be given. The ceremony begins at noon and runs again on the hour at 1, 2 and 3 p.m. The event is free. For information, call (847) 956-6699 or visit www.mitsuwachicago.net.
Time to party
The Country Squire at routes 120 and 45 in Grayslake will host its "Gala Ballroom Party" on Monday, New Year's Eve.
The squire's crystal ballroom celebration features hors d'oeuvres and a seven-course dinner with choices of prime rib, swordfish or filet mignon. Lobster tail is extra.
Admission is $59.95 per person (plus tax and tip) and includes dinner, tickets for two drinks, midnight champagne, party favors and dancing. Reservations are recommended. Call for details. (847) 223-0121.
Wear your jammies
Café Ba-Ba-Reeba! at 2024 N. Halsted St., Chicago will host its annual "New Year's Day Pajama Party Brunch" from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on New Year's Day.
Guests who wear their pajamas will receive a gift certificate in the exact dollar amount of their meal that they can use sometime in 2008.
And diners who don their pajamas will also receive complimentary glass of fresh orange juice and some churros (a fried pastry).
This year's brunch menu includes Spanish-style French toast, crepes with goat cheese and quince, smoked salmon and a Build-Your-Own-Bloody-Mary bar.
For information, call (773) 935-5000.
Mexican fiesta
La Casa del Gordo at 2014 First St., Highland Park will ring in 2008 with a four-course holiday Mexican fiesta menu on New Year's Eve.
The special menu includes appetizer, soup, entree, dessert and champagne.
Guests will dine on a traditional Mexican pumpkin soup, grilled shrimp and yellow squash, roasted lobster with a pepper sauce and grilled duck fajitas and fresh water shrimp.
Dessert includes the "Ultimate Trio" of Flan, Pina Atole and Tres Leches Cakes.
The cost is $42 per person (not including tax and gratuity).
For information call (847) 266-1411 or visit www.lacasadelgordo.com.
Plenty of pizza
Frankie's Fifth Floor Pizzeria in front of Tucci Benucch at The 900 Shops of Michigan Avenue, Chicago is now open.
Some of the pizza specialties include "The Rita D" pizza with ricotta and mozzarella cheeses, Milanese asparagus and an egg that is cracked over the pizza while it bakes.
The potato and rosemary pizza features thinly sliced potatoes, arugula, truffle oil, truffle salt and parmesan cheese.
For information, call (312) 266-2500.