Madison area restaurants open Christmas Day include Indian, Cajun, Chinese ...

Christmas can be stressful enough without the added pressure of hosting a multi-course meal.

This holiday, a select few restaurants are open for those who don't celebrate or who simply don't want to cook.

Nadine Goff, the author behind theQuintessential Madisonblog, has compiled an extensive list of restaurants open on Christmas, with hours and phone numbers. (The list started in 2007 on Madison on the Cheap.)

The list includes more than a dozen local Chinese restaurants open for the holidays, often with normal hours. A few, like Hong Kong Cafe, P.F. Chang's and Imperial Garden West, will close Dec. 25, but many stay open for both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

Some, like Oriental Wok, Chiang Jiang in Sun Prairie, Great China and Tai's Asian Bistro, will be serving their regular menu.

Others add something special for the holiday. At World Buffet on West Broadway in Monona, the $12.95 all-you-can-eat price includes rib eye steak, baked salmon, crawfish and salt and pepper shrimp.

Fugu Asian on West Gilman Street changed its hours to open at noon on Christmas Day. The specials aren't set but could include crawfish, special hot pots and steamed whole fish.

On Goff's list are seven area Indian restaurants, as well as options for Persian, Italian, Cajun and continental European dining.

At Dhaba Indian Bistro, diners can mix-and-match tandoori, kebabs, biryani (rice) and curries, served family-style for dinner. Maharaja Indian Restaurant is beefing up its lunch buffet with four or five additional items.

Also open for Christmas on the west side is Swagat off of Old Sauk Road. Maharani and Marrakesh restaurants will be open downtown, as will Taj Indian Restaurant on South Park Street and Taste of India on Monroe.

For Japanese, both locations of Edo on South Park and Monona Drive are open Christmas Day, the latter until midnight. Takara, a sushi spot on South Whitney Way near Westgate Mall, will also be open.

A stalwart of Christmas Day dining is the hotel restaurant, though there seem to be fewer options this year. Capitol ChopHouse in the Hilton Monona Terrace, Jerome's inside Best Western Inn on the Park and Dayton Street Grill at the Madison Concourse (which is under construction) will all be closed.

Filling the void is the new Statehouse restaurant inside the Edgewater Hotel, which is serving a Christmas brunch from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

According to the Edgewater's current menu, the meal will feature prime roast rib au jus, pan-seared Canadian salmon with fennel and sweet vermouth sauce, roasted squash salad with frisee, toasted hazelnuts, feta and maple apple vinaigrette and warm croissant bread pudding.

It costs a flat fee: $42.95 plus tax and gratuity for adults and $17.95 for children under 12. Kids under 5 years old eat free.

Have a Persian Christmas with Laila Borokhim at her cozy South Butler Street spot, Layla's Persian Restaurant. Borokhim said instead of traditional American dishes like turkey and ham, she'll be serving "a lamb dish, a chicken dish and a vegetarian dish," in addition to the regular menu.

The full menu will be posted on her Facebook page on Sunday. Because Layla's has only four tables, reservations for dinner (5-9 p.m.) are essential (216-4511).

Forequarter, the small, well-regarded Underground Food Collective restaurant on East Johnson Street, will be doing a Chinese menu on Christmas Day. There are no reservations and the menu is not set yet, but will include a variety of appetizers, entrees and desserts, according to co-owner Mel Trudeau.

Give your holiday a Louisiana twist at Liliana's in Fitchburg. On Christmas Eve, chef Dave Heide is preparing a four-course dinner. Christmas Day brings a decadent buffet served from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Specialties on the latter menu are set to include Cajun-brined turkey breast, jambalaya, shrimp and grits, honey-glazed pit ham and tons of sides, from casseroles and smashed potatoes to a "huge" dessert buffet. Cost is $30 for adults and $15 for kids between 2 and 12 years old.

Toast to Christmas in Wisconsin with an Old Fashioned at the Avenue Bar on East Washington Avenue, where the Dec. 25 meal has become a tradition.

In addition to "holiday classics" like roast beef, ham, turkey and baked chicken with stuffing, mashed potatoes and gravy, Avenue diners can dig into steak, fried shrimp, walleye and cod or the "Avenue fish boil." The holiday menu will be on offer from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Christmas Day.

Gus's Diner in Sun Prairie serves Christmas dinner every year, serving prime rib, ham steak, chicken, stuffing and all the "traditional Christmas goodies." The restaurant is open from 6 a.m. to 4 p.m. but won't start serving prime rib until about 10 a.m.

The Club Tavern in Middleton will be open Christmas Day starting at 5 p.m. with the appetizer/late night menu, including chicken tenders, onion rings, potato skins and cheese curds.

In addition to its regular menu, Tully's II Food and Spirits in Monona will have an $8.99 Christmas Day special of ham or turkey, scalloped potatoes, vegetables and a roll. The restaurant will be open from 9 a.m. until bar time.

Three of the four local locations of the Great Dane Pub (the Cottage Grove branch has closed due to a recent fire) will serve its limited late night menu on Christmas Day from 5 p.m. until bar time. Selections include burgers, nachos, poutine and a giant pretzel with mustard.

RestaurantNews.com has a list of chain restaurants open on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Local options could include Denny's, Dunkin' Donuts, Domino's Pizza, IHOP, Ruths Chris Steak House and Starbucks.

Unless otherwise noted, it's best to call ahead for reservations for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day dining.

Source: http://host.madison.com/entertainment/dining/madison-area-restaurants-open-christmas-day-include-indian-cajun-chinese/article_2089331c-1d9f-5566-bfe6-0af9bc2ddfd9.html