Set a new holiday tradition by taking a page from the Italians with the Feast of the Seven Fishes. Known as La Vigilia in Southern Italy, the dinner typically takes place on Christmas Eve with a seven-course dinner featuring fish and seafood dishes, especially salted cod, smelt, and calamari. Here, a look at five restaurants serving up this feast in Las Vegas.
WYNN LAS VEGAS — Costa Di Mare will celebrate the holidays with a traditional Feast of Seven Fishes menu complete with four courses on Tuesday, December 24, through Wednesday, December 25, for $130 per person.
THE CROMWELL — Celebrity chef Giada De Laurentiis continues the annual Feast of the Seven Fishes tradition at Giada on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day for $120. The dinner starts with an antipasti platter of baccala arancini, Sicilian tuna crostini with sundried tomatoes, and olives, coppa salumi, and EVOO braised octopus. For the second course, diners choose between king crab with angel hair pasta with Swiss chard and taleggio fonduta or spaghetti and clams with lemon gremolata and parmigiano-reggiano. For the third course, diners select grilled swordfish with farro risotto, tiny vegetables, and fennel citrus salad or Hawaiian red snapper with black truffle parsnip “fettuccini,” pea shoots, and lemon crema. For dessert, De Laurentiis is taking a page from her Giada’s Holiday Handbook TV show with zuccotto with almond cherry semifreddo and panettone, or hot cocoa souffle with toasted marshmallow gelato and chocolate sauce.
CAESARS PALACE — Rao’s has a Feast of the Seven Fishes menu with a variety of à la carte seafood specials from chef de cuisine Fatimah Madyun including: Rao’s seafood tower featuring one pound of Maine lobster tail split, three snow crab claws, shrimp, calamari, and more; baked clams; grilled octopus; linguini and clams; lobster and shrimp ravioli; frutti di mare; and pan-seared branzino. This specialty menu is only available on Tuesday, December 24.
SUMMERLIN — La Strega has a modern take on the Feast of the Seven Fishes with chef Gina Marinelli. This interactive dinner party on December 24 will feature seven stations where diners can customize their experience. The stations located around the restaurant feature a crudo cart, fritto misto pizza, baked clams, uni risotto, eel bruschetta, tilefish, and zuppa pescateria. The over-the-top feast will also include desserts and Champagne for $150 per person, tickets can be found on SecretBurger.com.
SOUTHWEST — Locale Italian Kitchen offers a Feast of the Seven Fishes menu starting Wednesday, December 11, through Christmas Eve. The menu features marinated cetara anchovy with Italian butter and crostini, frittelle di baccalà, octopus and potato salad, ahi tuna crudo, baked oysters, seafood ravioli, and Tuscan seafood stew for $75 per person. All courses are served family-style and special wine pairings created to accompany the menu are available at an additional cost.
• Las Vegas Holiday Restaurant and Bar Guide [ELV]
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FAQs
Origins and tradition
The long tradition of eating seafood on Christmas Eve dates from the Roman Catholic tradition of abstaining from eating meat on the eve of a feast day. As no meat or animal fat could be used on such days, observant Catholics would instead eat fish (typically fried in oil).
What is the night of the seven fishes? ›
The Feast of the Seven Fishes is an Italian-American tradition to ring in Christmas Eve, when Roman Catholics celebrate the midnight birth of Jesus, known in Italian as “La Viglia.” Fish is a traditional ingredient in the Christmas Eve dinner because custom calls for the eschewing of red meat leading up to the holiday.
Where is Feast of the Seven Fishes set? ›
Feast of the Seven Fishes is a romantic comedy set in a rust-belt town on the banks of the Monongahela River in 1983.
How to serve feast of seven fishes? ›
The key to committing to cook seven different kinds of seafood is spreading out the dishes throughout the meal; instead of preparing seven whole fish for what would be an excessively large main course spread, offer perhaps three small appetizers, a soup, pasta, then entrée plus a side salad, each with seafood as the ...
What are the seven fishes Bible? ›
The significance of the seven fishes has a number of symbolic representations: the number of sacraments, the seven days of creation, the seven virtues, the seven deadly sins and the seven days it took Mary and Joseph to reach Bethlehem before baby Jesus was born.
What is the meaning of the seven fishes in the bear? ›
Later, when Stevie (John Mulaney) says grace under duress, he surmises that it represents taking time out to prepare seven carefully crafted dishes to “show them that we love them.” Everyone is wrong — the concept of the fishes actually represents the vigil, or the long wait for the baby Jesus, in addition to the fact ...
Which group traditionally enjoys a feast of seven fishes in December? ›
The Feast of the Seven Fishes, celebrated on Christmas Eve, is a time-honored Italian – American tradition that is believed to have several origins. But, (surprise!) mention the meal in Italy and you may be met with blank stares.
What is the fish number 7? ›
Fish number 7 (F7), is a number defined by Japanese googologist Fish in October 2013. It is the largest of the seven Fish numbers. It is based on an extension of Rayo's number. was used to make Rado's sigma function larger.
Can you eat meat on Christmas Eve? ›
While most believe it to be a religious obligation, giving up meat on Christmas Eve is actually more a popular custom. The Catholic Church specifies the days on which meat is to be avoided (seafood doesn't count as meat), but it doesn't include the day before Christmas (unless it falls on a Friday).
Is there a movie called Feast of the Seven Fishes? ›
A slice of life story that follows a large Italian family on Christmas Eve as they prepare for the traditional Feast of the Seven Fishes, reminisce about the past, and seek love in the future.
There is no such thing as the Feast of Seven Fishes on the Roman Catholic calendar. There never has been an official feast with this name in Italy or the United States. In fact, most sources agree that serving fish on Christmas Eve is mainly practiced by Southern Italians, when it's practiced at all.
What religion is the seven fishes? ›
The feast of the seven fishes is based on ancient Catholic tradition. Learn how to celebrate this Christmas Eve banquet. For centuries, Catholics fasted before important holy days, including Christmas Day. They held "vigil" from sunset to sunrise, symbolically awaiting the holy event to come.
Is Feast of Seven Fishes Sicilian? ›
Feast of the Seven Fishes, also known as La Vigilia (The Vigil), is a Sicilian-American traditional dinner on Christmas Eve. Like many Italian traditions, the origin and rules are debated.
What is the fish dinner for Christmas Eve in Italy? ›
The Feast of the Seven Fishes is the annual Christmas Eve vigil and epic seafood feast that has grown into the most beloved meal of the year in Italian-American households. Steeped in tradition, the Feast of the Seven Fishes is the centerpiece meal of the entire holiday season.
What do Italians eat on Christmas Eve? ›
Italian Christmas Eve - Feast of the Seven Fishes
Bring on the sword fish, tuna, salmon, octopus salad, smelts, calamari, spaghetti with clam sauce and the famous Italian classic—salted cod, known as baccalà. The Feast of the Seven Fishes can also include other meatless dishes, which vary by region.
What dessert is served after the Feast of the Seven Fishes? ›
Zuppa inglese a great choice for dessert when preparing a traditional Italian Christmas Eve dinner celebrating the Feast of the Seven Fishes (or nine or thirteen, whichever you celebrate).
What is the Feast of the Seven Fishes pizza? ›
The Olde Bar
Order at least three days in advance. Every year, Slice offer their Pizza of the Seven Fishes. It's a mozzarella topped with clams, mussels, shrimp, tuna, crab meat and sardines, all sauteed with fresh olive oil and garlic, and topped with anchovies, fresh lemon and basil.
