The holidays are finally winding down, and course you’re going to want to go out with a bang, not a whimper. Personally, I think New Year's Eve celebrations are a little overwrought. There’s a whole lot of fuss going into the evening with very little payoff. It’s anticlimactic. But that’s just me. One thing I do enjoy about NYE is going out for a romantic dinner with my lady love. Chefs love the holidays; it gives them a chance to take a break from the day-to-day monotony of chefdom and have a little fun. To that end, there are any number of restaurants in Collingswood and Haddonfield offering special menus to celebrate the evening (check the restaurants' websites for full New Year's Eve menus.)

I did the leg work, shopped around and found some pretty good deals in the area. The Tortilla Press is the most affordable option, featuring a four course prix fixe at a relatively scant $32.95 per person. I like The Tortilla Press; it’s decent Mexican fare in a location starved for it. (If there’s one complaint I have with Collingswood’s dining scene, it’s the lack of diversity. If you’re not in the mood for Italian, your options are pretty limited.) The Tortilla Press is a refreshing break from the norm, and it’s good. If you end up here on NYE, order the pumpkin, goat cheese & black bean quesadilla. It’s tremendous.

Moving up the price-ladder, there is no shortage of options around Collingswood. Casona is featuring a four course menu for $55 per person, with tasty looking options, including a lobster martini, avocado gazpacho, and their signature paella. Nunzio also has a four course menu beginning at 8 pm, at $65 per person. Nunzio, in my opinion, is one of the better Italian eateries on restaurant-saturated Haddon Avenue, and considering it’s not difficult to spend that amount on a typical night there, $65 is a steal for New Year's Eve.

At the top of the pack price-wise sits Blackbird, offering a four course menu at $75 per person. As much as I love Blackbird and what Chef Alex Capasso is doing both there and at West Side Gravy with his contemporary American cuisine, $75 is a bit of a stretch, especially considering the numerous upcharges for various proteins dotting the menu. You could easily top $100, and while I’m certain you wouldn’t be disappointed with your meal, the price is almost double other options in the area. On the other hand, if money isn’t an issue, Blackbird is as sure a bet as any.

Calling around Haddonfield as well, I was a bit surprised to discover that most of the restaurants in that area weren’t going prix fixe on New Year's Eve. Tre Famiglia has designed a special a la carte menu for the occasion, with some choice options including grilled stuffed veal chop and chestnut gnocchi. The Little Tuna is sticking with its regular menu, but I’ve been assured that they’ll have some unique specials to celebrate the New Year.

This New Year's Eve, I encourage you to indulge one last time before the holiday season comes to a close.  For most of us, myself included, the diet starts Sunday. Happy New Year!

(If I missed any restaurants here, it doesn’t mean they aren’t celebrating New Years Eve.  Many places are still in the process of putting together menus. Check online or call to find out if your favorite restaurants are doing anything special. If you do know of any special New Year's Eve menus at other restaurants in Collingswood and Haddonfield, tell us in the Comments section below.)

Morsels

• Still need a belated holiday gift? Area restaurants, including Blackbird and IndeBlue, are offering free $10 gift cards with the purchase of a $50 gift card until Dec. 31.  Contact them for more details.

(Have a tip about the Collingswood and Haddonfield restaurant scenes? Want to see your favorite local restaurant profiled in this column? Contact David Valiante at davevaliante@gmail.com.)