Mattison’s Offers Feast of the Seven Fishes Dinner on Christmas Eve
The holidays are filled with traditions. Whether that means gathering the family in the car to go look at lights, attending candlelight service, watching your favorite holiday movies, baking cookies together, or dining out with family and friends for some holiday cheer – it is the traditions that create fond memories.
Chef Paul Mattison, owner and executive chef of Mattison’s Restaurants and Catering grew up with a Christmas Eve tradition, the Feast of the Seven Fishes. This tradition, to no surprise, centered around a great meal with family. Many holidays were spent cooking alongside his grandmother Esther. He proudly brings this family tradition to all three Mattison’s restaurants every Christmas Eve. Diners can enjoy a delicious four-course menu featuring succulent seafood such as Maine Lobster, Mussels, Shrimp, Crab, Oysters and much more. The menu also includes a traditional Italian dessert.
According to Wikipedia, The Feast of the Seven Fishes is part of the Italian-American Christmas Eve celebration. Christmas Eve is a vigil or fasting day, and the abundance of seafood reflects the observance of abstinence from meat until the feast of Christmas Day itself.
Today, the meal typically consists of seven different types of seafood dishes. The tradition comes from Southern Italy, where it is known as The Vigil (La Vigilia). This celebration commemorates the wait, the Vigilia di Natale, for the midnight birth of the baby Jesus. It was introduced in the United States by Southern Italian immigrants in New York City’s Little Italy in the late 1800s.
Price per person is $65.00 and seating is limited. Dinner service hours vary by restaurant location. Reservations are suggested for this special dinner.
In addition to the Feast of the Seven Fishes menu, Mattison’s will also offer an a la carte holiday menu on Christmas Eve.
For reservations call your favorite Mattison’s. To view the menus and for contact information visit HERE.
Photos from Mattison’s & Deposit Photos