New Year's Eve may be all about the party, the dancing, the countdown and the kiss, but don't forget dinner - you know, the sustenance that will carry you from 7 p.m. to when the clock strikes midnight. Here are a few recommendations in Tacoma worthy of your New Year's Eve patronage. Reservations are recommended at all locations excluding Mineola, whose vivacious owner Danielle Kartes invites one and all to drop by, sample some nose-tickling bubbly and nibbles en route to First Night festivities - which sounds like a good pre-funk to me.

As always, variety reigns in Tacoma.

Maxwell's Speakeasy

Maxwell's Speakeasy will take celebration favorites lobster, giant prawns, filet mignon and lamb and make them into Pacific Northwest-inspired dishes high on layers of flavor and low on letdown (entrees $20-$35). Seasonal side dishes will accompany. In addition, a surprise lounge menu has been hinted at. Buckshot Jazz will perform 8:30 p.m. until midnight, when there will be a champagne toast.

[Maxwell's Speakeasy, 454 St. Helens Ave., Tacoma 253.683.4115]

Gruv Lounge and Nightclub

For its first New Year Eve's celebration Gruv Lounge will present an approachable array of small plates and shareable tapas suitable for both vegetarians and carnivores. Chef and culinary adventurer Aaron Grissom's goal is to keep the food light while retaining bold flavors in a complete dinner of five select dishes offered for $15 per person. Grissom will be using a French balsamic gastrique (think sweet and sour but made from vinegar and sugar) as a subtle deviation from standard balsamic on classic caprese crostini appetizers made with fire-roasted tomatoes. Sweet potato strings will garnish a chilled soup of brown sugar-roasted butternut squash. Butter-fried house-made dough will become crisped sopaipilla-like chips used to scoop thinly sliced New York strip loin topped with apple pico de gallo. Sweet mirin wine - and sake-glazed shrimp will be served with a wasabi basil vinaigrette salad of carrots and red cabbage. A delightful "one bite" dessert of a crushed almond cookie-encrusted balsamic-poached strawberry ringed in vanilla bean ice cream pearls is sure to be the real show stopper.

[Gruv Lounge and Nightclub, 3829 Sixth Ave., Tacoma, 253.761.1550]

Pacific Grill

Downtown dining staple Pacific Grill will host dancing and live music with Dennis Ford and Chris Anderson in the Pacific Grill Events Center.  Executive Chef Gordon Naccarato has put together a truly impressive appetizer selection that embraces both land and sea, which will be served buffet-style. From land: Chinese barbecued pork tenderloin with hot mustard and sesame seeds; mini New Zealand lamb rack ribs with red wine mint jelly and pistachios; Swedish meatballs and prosciutto roll and goat cheese spread with fig and jalapeño jelly; charcuterie and cheese with rosemary crackers; Vietnamese-style filet mignon; and crowd-pleasing  apple-smoked bacon-wrapped parmesan-stuffed dates. From sea: Spicy tuna poke on wonton chips; Dungeness crab; oyster shooters with Stolichnaya Citrus and shrimp shots with Bloody Mary cocktail sauce; Norwegian cold-smoked salmon; and deviled potatoes with caviar. My, my how sweet it will be when midnight strikes and a champagne toast is made more decadent by desserts of pecan bars, peppermint bark, Christmas shortbread cookies and truffles with gold and silver leaf. Buffet and entertainment runs $60 per person, and the action starts at 8:30 p.m.

[Pacific Grill Events Center, 1530 Pacific Ave., Tacoma, 253.627.3535]

Mineola

Mineola will host a Champagne Trio Tasting from 5-10 p.m. Sample somewhat spendy bubbly for the exceptionally easy price of $5 per person. Taste a Spanish Segura Viudas Cava brut reserva, a slightly juicer Italian prosecco and a lightly sweet Bugey-Cerdon sparkling rosé from France. Bottle will be available for purchase at retail price (yes, you can take it with you!). A $5 small plate menu will include three champagne-inspired mini-dishes from Italy, Spain and France along with Mineola's signature appetizer of bacon-wrapped dates, marinated olives, warm breads and house-made olive tapenade and sundried tomato pesto spreads. There will be live music till 10 p.m. and no cover.

[Minoela Wine House and New American Bistro, 604 Fawcett Ave., Tacoma, 253.503.1460]