James Beard award-winning chef José Andrés and his ThinkFoodGroup restaurants are pleased to offer an array of festive choices to toast the close of 2013, and the arrival of the New Year.

For New Year’s Eve, Jaleo will offer a traditional celebration on December 31st at all three locations. From 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. in the dining room and bar, Jaleo will offer an a la carte menu featuring some of the most delectable Spanish dishes of the season. Then, from 8:30 p.m. to 11:30 p.m., a second seating with unlimited tapas from the New Year’s Eve Tasting Menu. The unlimited Tasting Menu includes selections such as, Ensalada de pulpo con vinagreta de tomate, octopus salad with tomato vinaigrette; Erizos con pipirrana, sea urchin with trout roe, green pepper, tomato, and cucumber; Higado de pato, foie gras terrine with apple puree, fig jam and toast; Canelones tradicionales con salsa de béchamel, pork canelones with béchamel sauce; Huevo frito con caviar, fried organic egg topped with caviar and much more

At midnight, guests dining at all three Jaleo locations will offer a celebratory glass of cava to toast the New Year. Following the Spanish New Year’s Eve tradition, guests will also receive 12 grapes for good luck. A live DJ will play continuous music beginning at 10:30 p.m. at Jaleo DC, and a live band will play beginning at 10 p.m. at Jaleo Bethesda and Jaleo Crystal City. The celebrations will continue until 2 a.m.

Oyamel Cocina Mexicana invites guests for an enchanting Mexican New Year’s Eve. From 5 p.m. to 11:30 p.m., guests will enjoy a five-course prix-fixe antojito menu. Live music will usher in the New Year beginning at 10:30 p.m. until 2 a.m. Guests will also be presented with a champagne toast at midnight.

Menu options include cold small plates such as Guacamole; Cayo en Aguachile, Bay scallops tossed with apples, pickled red onions, and fresh Hamakua Farms hearts of palm, served with a sauce of lime, cilantro, serrano pepper, and apple Tostada de Jaiba, crab tostada with trout roe; Ceviche Hamachi con Guanabana, soursop ceviche, Ensalada Manzana Navidad with apples, walnuts, cinnamon, as well as Ensalada Noche Buena with beets, orange, and jamaica. Featured hot small plates include Tamal de Conejo con Mole de fruta, duck tamal toped with white mole of almonds, apples, and golden raisin, Ostiones Pimenton, Oysters lightly poached with bay leaf black peppercorn and garlic, served in its shell with a touch of lime juice and caviar, Tortita de Camarones Seco con Mole Coloradito, potato cake with dried shrimp and red mole, Mollejas con Xec, sweetbreads citrus salsa; Gorditas de Pato, House-made masa cakes topped with duck confit and salsa chile árbol and served with a relish of apples, habañero, and piloncillo and the Acelgas de Nuez de Castilla with chard, hazelnuts, cabbage and dried fruit. Featured tacos are Taco Pato Borracho; Taco Suadero with braised brisket served with salsa verde, onions, and cilantro; Taco de Hongos con Queso de Oaxaca y Sofrito; Taco de Camarone con Salsa Roja; Taco Nopal con Huevo, and the Taco de Pulpo, octopus taco. Hot Antojitos are Half Duck con Mole Pasilla; Lobster con Mole Verde with lobster adobo and watermelon radish; Bacalao ala Vizcaina with tomato salsa, potatoes, and capers; Chilchilo Negro with short rib in black mole with tortilla and veg, and the Mole de Olla Verduras Mixiote, mole stew with mixed seasonal vegetables.

As Oyamel continues to be the destination for unique celebrations, José and his team have crafted a special list where wine enthusiasts can opt for some of the most idiosyncratic sparkling wines chosen from small houses in classical regions. This carefully selected wine program will be available for the month of December only. The distinctive selection includes labels such as Raventos i Blanc, Rose de Nit, Cava from Spain (2008), Bruno Giacosa, Spumante Extra Brut from Lombardy, Italy (2005), and Dom Pérignon, Brut, Champagne, France 2000, just to name a few.

Zaytinya’s New Year’s Eve lively celebration will feature party favors and a DJ counting down to midnight and keeping guests energized and dancing into the New Year. There will be two seatings offered. The first showcases Zaytinya's regular mezze menu with additional New Year’s Eve specials available from 4:30 p.m. to 7:45 p.m. The second seating, from 8:45 p.m. to 10:00 p.m., will offer two special chef’s menus- a five-course Zaytinya Classics prix-fixe menu, or a five-course Chef’s Experience tasting menu. Both menus include a complimentary glass of sparkling wine for midnight toasting.

The five-course Classics menu begins with the choice of Fattoush Salad, tomato, cucumber, red onion, green pepper, radish, pita chips, and pomegranate vinegar dressing; Htipiti, marinated roasted red peppers, feta, and thyme; Tzatziki, Greek yogurt with diced cucumbers and dill, or the Maroulosalata, heirloom lettuces, dill, mizithra cheese, red wine vinegar dressing, and nasturtium flower petals. Next, guests can select either Garides me Anitho, sautéed shrimp with dill, shallots, mustard and lemon juice; Kotopoulo, chicken with orzo, tomato and Kefalograviera cheese; Aglaia Kremezi Style Crab Cakes with roasted garlic yogurt, or the Havuc Koftesi, carrot, apricot and pine nut fritters in a pistachio sauce. Third course options include Falafel, traditional chickpea fritters, and tahini sauce; Piyaz, warm giant beans served with kale in oven-roasted tomato and garlic; Ottoman Pilaf, saffron basmati rice with dates and pistachios, and the Beef Keftedes, meatballs with feta cheese in a rustic tomato sauce with cinnamon and allspice. For a final course, guests have the choice of Adana Kebab, skewered ground lamb with house-made harissa, grilled tomatoes, sumac and onions; Shish Taouk, grilled chicken thigh with sumac, onions, garlic tuom and grilled tomatoes; Lamb Kleftico, spit roasted lamb wrapped in house made phyllo, or the Seared Halloumi Cheese with medjool dates, oranges, pomegranate, pistachios and mint. To finish the meal, guests can choose Greek Yogurt Apricots or Turkish Delight.

The Chef’s Experience menu offers samplings of some of Zaytinya’s most exceptional and creative dishes. The special menu begins with an amuse of "liquid" kalamata olives followed by delectable mezzes such as Caviar Salata Airbread, inspired by the classic taramosalata; Butternut Hummus, a spread made of zatar and pumpkin seed oil, and the Cauliflower Dolmades, grated cauliflower, pine nuts, parsley, and cumin yogurt. For second course, guests will be able to indulge on dishes such as Scallop Avgolemono, seared diver scallop sitting on a fluffy Meyer lemon avgolemono sauce and garnished with pomegranate seeds and micro arugula; Brussels Sprouts Afelia, Brussels sprouts, coriander seed, barberries and garlic yogurt, and the Portakal Salatasi, orange salad, baby arugula, kalamata olives, pine nuts, and orange flower dressing. The third course includes mezzes sfeta, Knisa Htapotha, smoked octopus, black hummus and lemon, and the Bone Marrow Kibbeh, beef and bulgur wheat fritters filled with bone marrow, and bahar spiced labne. The final savory course highlighting authentic lamb dishes is Lamb Chop and Braised Lamb Shoulder Moussaka, grilled lamb chops, potato puree, roasted eggplant tomato braised lamb shoulder, béchamel, and kefalograviera cheese. For the perfect ending, guests have a choice of cheese or dessert to complete the meal. Olive oil cakes will be provided for guests as a special take home gift. Additionally, an a la carte menu with specials will be available all night at the bar from 4:30 p.m. to 1 a.m.