Nantucket New Year’s Eve Guide
BY MARLI GUZZETTA
Reports of the death of Nantucket’s New Year’s Eve nightlife have been greatly exaggerated since the Nantucket AIDS Network discontinued what was an epic New Year’s Eve party at the Nantucket Inn.

The NAN New Year’s party, which moved to other locations before closing, remains the gold standard for New Year’s Eve events on Nantucket. For many people, its end meant the end of New Year’s on island. This year, like many recent years, a decent percentage of islanders are quitting the floating cocktail on New Year’s Eve in favor of more urban locales, like New York City.

But Nantucket clubs and bars are taking advantage of what appears to be a never-ending Stroll and keeping their doors open for you and yours to toast the end of 2006 and the beginning of 2007. Gene Mahon, for example, might find his way to Cinco; and Pam and Finn Murphy to Water Street. Cambridge Street is catering hard to the under-40 set with live band The Undergraduates and door prizes — one of which might be a little something donated by yours truly and unruly.

Do you hear that Nantucket? The party is still going, and we have a few ideas as to where you might want to find yourself reflecting on the last year while knocking back a few with friends. (In case you knock back too many, please patronize one of the many on-island taxi services, which will be happy to assist your safe passage on New Year’s.)

29 Fair 29 Fair Street, 228-7800 The darling Fair Street establishment is offering a la carte dinners from 6 – 9 p.m., when its tables will be dressed for a six-course a la carte feast. For $125 each, diners can enjoy champagne and wines picked to compliment the amuse bouche sampler (caviar on a blinis, Nantucket Bay scallops and smoked salmon roll, and foie gras mousse on a toast), the venison

consomme with chevre quenelles, the roasted

prawn in Kataif

Champagne Sabayon,

(loosen the belt), the Lemonicello Sorbet palate cleanser, the tenderloin of

beef Rossini in a truffle

Madeira sauce finished with foie gras and then the dessert: baked Nantucket flambee (Chef Charles’s Version of Baked Alaska) along with a coffee service, chocolates and petit fours. Call in advance for reservations.

56 Union 56 Union, 228-6135 There will be a party at the spirited and sumptuous eatery across from the Lightship Basket Museum, beginning with a $95 prix- fixe dinner featuring an amuse bouche and four courses. Everyone gets a fun New Year’s prop to help break the January ice, and after the last meals go out, the carpets get rolled up, so to speak, and everyone can party “until the cows come home,”* according to co-owner and chef, Peter Janelle.

(*1:30 a.m., per Nantucket law.)

Bamboo Supper Club 2 Chin’s Way, 228-0200 It’s business as usual at the popular watering hole. If you like good company, but not too much hoopla on New Year’s, stop by the Bamboo, where bartenders Mike and Jess will be pouring drinks until 2 a.m.

The Brotherhood of Thieves 23 Broad Street, 228-2551 You may have caught Aaron Castellano’s soulful, emotive acoustic set during the Nantucket Arts Festival. This New Year’s, he’s playing with a friend at the always-cozy Brotherhood, which will be hosting dinner specials and a complimentary champagne toast. Open until 1 a.m.

Cambridge Street Victuals 12 Cambridge Street, 228-7109 Closing out a strong season of Gen XY love, Cambridge Street is selling tickets for its firstever New Year’s-aganza. (Our word, not theirs.) For $15, patrons will have at their fingertips lots of hors d’oeuvres, a complimentary champagne toast and tickets for door prizes, including a Hannah Stone portrait. The Undergraduates will also execute a finely honed set of synth rock. Doors open at 8 p.m. and stay open until The Undergraduates frontman Ted Lothian gets naked. (Our idea, not theirs.) Tickets are going fast, according to coowner Trish Collette, so get yours if you’re coming.

The Chicken Box 14 Dave Street, 228-9717 Atried and true local favorite, Boston acoustic pop band The Bright Wings will be rocking a cover set when you walk in to shoot the Auld Lang Syne with your old

friends at The

Chicken Box. (That is, they’ll be playing if you walk in past 10 p.m.) The $10 cover charge also includes a complimentary champagne toast at midnight. Open till 1 a.m.

Cinco 5 Amelia Drive, 325-5151 Champagne wishes and caviar dreams will be on-hand at Cinco this New Year’s. Weather permitting, the Amelia Drive eatery will also have jazz on the patio. With a bar certain to be open until 2 a.m. (and a kitchen serving until 11 a.m.), Cinco is a fine idea for those who like to keep it smooth, simple and savory (and late) on New Year’s.

The Muse 44 Surfside Road, 228-1471 Great music. Drinks. Pizza. Everything you need is right here. You could live there for at least the first week of 2007 before having to go home for more rations.

Rose & Crown 23 South Water Street, 228-2595 “Welcome to Vegas!” with no cover charge at the Rose and Crown this New Year’s Eve. (Owner Rick Ulmer said the free passage is a gesture of thanks to patrons for a great season.) Per usual, the wood-faced drinkery will offer an arcadium of visual and aural distractions, including a set by Top 40-mixer DJ Fizzle and also an Elvis impersonation contest. (Costume welcome, but not required.) “It’ll be pretty glitzy. We’ll have it all decked out with silver and gold shiny stuff,” Ulmer said. Per usual, the R&C will be open all day — in case you have any air to clear with your liquor before company comes at 10 p.m. and the party starts — and stops at 1 a.m. VIP tickets are free, and available at the R&C.

Water Street 29 South Water Street, 228-7080 If you think you’ve seen everything and know everyone on Nantucket, you may want to surprise yourself with a New Year’s Eve at Water Street’s Masquerade Party. The restaurant will begin its Dec. 31 service with two seatings for dinner. The early seating will include a fourcourse prix-fixe meal ($75) with a selection of appetizers and set entrees. The second seating will offer a five-course prix fixe meal ($100) with a selection of appetizers and entrees. After the second seating, the restaurant will open itself up for a promenade of masqueraders. Diners from the second seating are immediately invited, while non-diners can get in on a first-come, firstserved basis to access the stocked bar. Water Street will stay open at least until 1 a.m. Fancy dress encouraged. Masks provided.

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