My friend Chef Bryant Wigger (of Trattoria Neapolis) does this amazing celebration of the Traditional Italian Christmas Eve Meal. It is better known as “The Feast of the Seven Fishes”. It is an Italian Christmas celebration that typically consists of seven (or more) kinds of seafood dishes.

This celebration commemorates the wait for the midnight birth of the baby Jesus. The long tradition of eating seafood on Christmas Eve dates from the Catholic tradition of fasting from meat on holy days. Today many take this fast and turn it into a feast. There are many hypotheses for what the number seven represents. Some say the number represents completion, as shown in Genesis: “By the seventh day God completed the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work.”

During the feast of the seven fishes, participants celebrate the completion of God’s promise of the Messiah through baby Jesus. Other theories include: that the number represents the seven Sacraments and that seven is a number representing perfection: the traditional Biblical number for divinity is three, and for Earth is four, and the combination of these numbers, seven, represents God on Earth, or Jesus Christ.

On December 24th (and for this night only) my friend Chef Bryant Wigger will be serving up this amazing traditional meal at Trattoria Neapolis. The meal is as follows ( regular dinner menu also available that night) :

Baccala Montecato Salt Cod, Yukon Gold Potato,Gaeta Olives, Cauliflower Passato

Branzino En Saor Seared Branzino, Sweet Onion Agrodolce, Currents, White Polenta

Cacciucco Tuscan Seafood Stew, Prawns, Sturgeon, Calamari, Octopus, Black Mussels, Tomato-Saffron Brodo

Dolci Chef’s Selection of Gelati and Italian Cookies

This amazing once in a year fine dining experience can all be yours for $55. If you haven’t visited yet, then you need to come and find out why Zagat calls Trattoria Neapolis one of “LA’s hottest new restaurants” and if you are available then you need to come and enjoy this amazing fine dinning experience. It is my hot Christmas tip for 2012! Three cheers to Trattoria Neapolis and Chef Bryant Wigger for bringing such amazing flavor to South Lake!

Make your reservation now @ (626) 792-3000 / 336 South Lake Ave.