New Year's Eve dining: 10 options for your style, budget

The New Year's Eve tradition of parties, dining and dancing doesn't have to be one-size-fits-all.

With the help of Valley chefs, you can make your own bold statement as you usher in 2015. Take a look at these personal-theme celebrations and see which fits you best.

Money-is-no-object diner

Where: Bordeaux Wine Dinner of the Century at Centurion Restaurant, Phoenix.

While conspicuous consumption is out of fashion these days, no one will fault you for tossing some serious cash at this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to celebrate an array of exceptional fine wines.

Centurion chef Eric Osburn, an avid wine enthusiast, recently got his hands on four rare 1982 first-growth Bordeaux wines. The sharing guy that he is, he has put together a seven-course dinner limited to 16 guests, priced at $1,500 per person.

That may seem steep (and it is), until you figure what these wines would cost at K&L Wine Merchants, Clarets or Vinfolio, three super-premium California-based specialists in the hard-to-find labels. Through the following menu, we've put the retail price next to each wine, including a bonus pours of Grand Cru Chardonnay, Chateau Mouton Rothschild and Sauternes.

Course 1: Louis Latour Corton Charlemagne 2010 ($100) with foie confit-tossed popcorn.

Course 2: Chateau Haut-Brion 1982 ($850) alongside mini puff towers stuffed with chevre, white fig, duck confit and crispy duck skin.

Course 3: Chateau Mouton Rothschild 1990 ($375) with pancetta-wrapped gnocchi, harissa toast points and five-year aged Cheddar sauce.

Course 4: Chateau Margaux 1982 ($900) with red wine-braised pork belly, Catalina beans and white truffle smoke.

Course 5: Chateau Lafite Rothschild 1982 ($2,000) alongside brick-oven leg of lamb with shiitake and Pecorino Sardo risotto.

Course 6: Chateau Latour 1982 ($1,895) with braised Kobe cheeks in demi-glace with carrot puree and cipollini-stuffed morel mushrooms.

Course 7: Chateau d'Yquem Sauternes 1980 ($350) alongside a white chocolate Cinderella's carriage filled with white peach mousse and candied orchids, pulled by edible chocolate horses filled with almond and pear purees.

Details: Centurion Restaurant, 214 W. Roosevelt St., Phoenix. 602-687-8796, centurionrestaurant.com.

Budget-conscious diner

Where: Social Box Neighborhood Eatery, Chandler.

Sometimes, you just want to enjoy a lovely evening of celebration, without going into debt for the new year. How does $50 for dinner for two sound? At the new Social Box (in the former Iguana Mack's space), owner Aaron Lopo is working to offer what he calls "high quality at incredible value." He has given chef John Cruz the task of a multicourse meal, and Cruz has come back with a shared bruschetta appetizer; individual salads of simple greens for both diners; a choice of glazed salmon, rib eye or brick chicken per person; a shared chef's dessert; and a champagne toast.

Details: Social Box Neighborhood Eatery, 1371 N. Alma School Road, Chandler. 480-899-6735, socialboxeateries.com.

Memorable Millennial diner

Where: Roka Akor, Scottsdale.

Many young diners have been-there, done-that. Mom and dad's party hats and prime rib won't do. They want something exotic: Shigoku oysters decorated in Black River Oscietra caviar, perhaps, served in a high-energy, hip setting.

Roka Akor executive chef German Sega is planning many interesting options, offered over three seatings ($68-$128), in multicourse menus that put an extra spin on modern Asian dining. Some of the starters include beef tataki with shaved black truffle and truffle jus; kanpachi sashimi with compressed watermelon and avocado; and miso soup with Washington matsutake mushrooms and razor clams.

Entrees go to indulgences like robata Chilean sea bass with Hudson Valley foie gras and maitake mushroom; A5 and A10 Japanese Wagyu strip loin; or lobster rice hotpot topped in fresh truffle.

Details: Roka Akor, 7299 N. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale. 480-306-8800, rokaakor.com.

Traditional diner

Where: ZuZu, Scottsdale.

With its "Retro New Year's Eve at ZuZu," Hotel Valley Ho is bringing a bit of old-time pomp to its party, featuring classic drink pairings of Veuve Clicquot, Moet & Chandon and Belvedere, plus two seatings at 6:30 p.m. ($120) and 9:30 p.m. ($150). The four-course menu embraces some classics, too, like shrimp and lobster cake in roasted red pepper butter; blue crab bisque swirled with crème fraiche, and beef short rib over garlic mashed potatoes.

You can get your dance on to '50s music, capped by a rooftop toast at midnight, and Valley DJ Mr. P-Body spinning tunes in the lobby until 2 a.m.

Details: ZuZu, 6850 E. Main St., Scottsdale. 480-421-7997, hotelvalleyho.com.

Global diner

Where: Razz's Restaurant, Scottsdale.

Chef Erasmo "Razz" Kamnitzer has lived and traveled around much of the world, and it seems everywhere he goes, he picks up more recipes to bring home. His celebratory menu has several traditional choices among its four courses, for appetizers such as shrimp cocktail or lobster mac and cheese. But then, there is escargot Bourguignon, or crispy spiced frog legs in garlic chili sauce.

For an entree, you can get beef Wellington, but perhaps you'd prefer spiced and seared elk loin in huckleberry sauce. Or red miso marinated sea bass with ginger sauce and black beans. There's also his famous bouillabaisse.

The $89 meal includes party favors and a glass of bubbly. Seatings between 5 and 6 p.m. get their second dinner at half price.

Details: Razz's Restaurant, 10315 N. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale. 480-905-1308, razzsrestaurant.com.

Adventurous diner

Where: SumoMaya, Scottsdale.

It's tough to pigeonhole this Mexican-Asian kitchen that marries unexpected ingredients in small-plate recipes. But that's part of the fun, wondering what that "sushi" roll of adobo grilled shrimp will taste like, layered with guacamole, jalapeño, red lotus root chips, cilantro and balsamic strawberry glaze.

For this gala evening ($65-$95, depending on seating time), guests can start with choices like bacon-wrapped Medjool dates stuffed with queso Oaxaca and chorizo in foie gras sauce. Then they can move onto a second course like pork al pastor pad Thai with egg, peanuts, scallions, pickled jalapeño, grilled pineapple, bean sprouts and tamarind. The entree might be seared pork belly and miso sea bass over truffle cauliflower puree, with flan cheesecake for dessert.

Details: SumoMaya, 6560 N. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale. 480-397-9520, sumomaya.com.

Big-flavors diner

Where: Los Sombreros, Scottsdale.

Chef/owner Azucena Tovar doesn't go for bland burritos or timid tacos with her restaurant, drawing from her hometown of San Miguel de Allende in central Mexico. She sends out authentic regional recipes, and reminds us why Latin American cooking can be some of the world's most complex and delicious.

For her three-course meal ($39.95, including a glass of sparkling wine), one of the entree choices is a pork chop smothered in mancha manteles salsa. Mancha manteles means, literally, "tablecloth stainer" in Spanish. That's partly for the deep red color of the sauce, but also the slurping that occurs to get every last drop of what's classically a soupy, ultra-savory melange of turkey, chorizo, pork, pineapple, apple, banana, chili peppers, almonds, cinnamon, lard and tomatoes.

Even dessert sings an extra-flavor-packed tune for the holiday season: Bailey's-spiked flan or Kahlua crème brulee.

Details: Los Sombreros Scottsdale, 2534 N. Scottsdale Road. 480-994-1799. Also, Los Sombreros North Scottsdale, 14795 N. Northsight Blvd. 480-991-1799. lossombreros.com.

Vegetarian diner

Where: Rusconi's American Kitchen, Phoenix.

Chef Michael Rusconi proves that meatless eating is marvelous, with the vegetarian choices among his three-course supper ($50-$58, depending on seating time). There is plenty of seafood, pork, lamb and beef to enjoy, but most selections focus on fresh vegetables, offering vegan options, too.

An appetizer can feature a warm goat cheese with arugula and frisee and passion fruit gastrique, preserved apricot dressing, grilled pears and spiced pine nuts. For an entree, the open-faced roasted vegetable ravioli tempts, brightened with cotija, smoked tomato jus and pesto.

Details: Rusconi's American Kitchen, 10637 N. Tatum Boulevard, Phoenix. 480-483-0009, rusconiskitchen.com.

Old World New Year's diner

Where: Sassi, Scottsdale.

Pork and lentils are traditional good-luck foods in Italy. Appropriately, executive chef Chris Nicosia brings the two together on one plate for his multicourse feast ($85-$139, depending on seating time).

Among the many classic dishes is crostini of housemade sausage with braised lentils and mostarda di frutta. And for another taste of the European homeland, there's the traditional Italian New Year's specialty of porchetta-style roasted quail served with crispy pancetta, fennel stuffing and apricot-pistachio farotto.

Details: Sassi, 10455 E Pinnacle Peak Parkway, Scottsdale. 480-502-9095, sassi.biz.

Silence-is-golden diner

Where: Lon's at the Hermosa, Paradise Valley.

It's one thing to ring in the new year, but another to shriek it in with thumping loud music. At this oasis of luxury at Hermosa Inn, live entertainment knows its place is in the background, soothing and mellow.

That lets the three- or five-course dinners ($85-$125) shine through, capped by a champagne toast at midnight. Chef James Ducas likes to gild his updated daily tasting menus with specialties like his own cellar-cured prosciutto alongside roasted figs and purple radish sprouts in fig balsamic reduction; foie gras dumplings in star anise broth; and roasted duck breast with parsnip puree and roasted beets in Bing cherry sauce.

Details: Lon's at the Hermosa, 5532 N. Palo Cristi Road, Paradise Valley. 602-955-7878, hermosainn.com.