For a Richmond-centric Christmas Eve, I recommend starting with the ever popular 7:00 PM Christmas Eve Jazz Service at the First United Methodist Church of Point Richmond, featuring Holiday music with Dan Damon Jazz Quartet and special guests, a holiday tradition that is always standing room only, arrive early for best seating.

After that, slide down to the newly opened Baltic Restaurant at 135 Park Place for outstanding German themed cuisine and live music. We had dinner there tonight, and it was outstanding. I had the roasted goose that came with mashed potatoes and Brussels sprouts, and Shirley had the grilled salmon with dill sauce and baked potatoes. The salad was a German style house salad with cucumber, red beet, potato, carrot and white cabbage. I know my salads, and this one was really good. For desert, we shared a fresh pear crisp.

The Baltic is still waiting for their liquor license to be processed, but meanwhile, you can bring your own wine or beer, no corkage charge. We had a really special Bogle Old Vine Zinfandel from Trader Joes. It cost less than $10 but would have sold in a restaurant for easy three or four times that.

The new chef really has it down, and the new owners are enthusiastic and eager to please. Service is better than I can ever remember for past iterations of the Baltic, easily Richmond’s oldest restaurant.

They will also be open New Year’s Eve with live music!