No doubt about it, we like the festive restaurant scene on Thanksgiving, the carolers, the fireplaces a-roaring, families jostling and crabbing and laughing at packed-together tables.
But restaurants that cook up Thanksgiving dinner expressly for you to take-out are also gobble-worthy, too. Here are a few doing it up for T Day '09:
Little Dom's: The Los Feliz restaurant is doing up the classics with several Italian-style notes sprinkled throughout. The shaved raw Brussels sprouts are dotted with hazelnuts and shaved parmesan, there's spicy pepita brittle, and the gratin is sweet potato. Turkey's a 12-pounder and costs $69; sides extra.
Real Food Daily: It's vegan, it is scrumptious, and it is scrumptious. Wait, we said that twice. Because we meant it twice. The RFDs around LA are cooking garnet yams, faux turkey breast, and mashed potatoes & parsnips for your takeout needs. Parsnips! More parsnips. Check out the whole roster.
Julienne: One of the sweetest, prettiest spots in all of LA land of course does a memorable Thanksgiving meal that is meant to be served in your own kitchen. The gravy's got apple cider in it, there's a pilaf which intrigues, and there's a pesto terrine. Ever brought a terrine to a holiday dinner? If not this may be your year.
Akasha: Cheddar-bacon biscuits caught our eye; as did the okra cornmeal croutons topping the Weiser Winter Squash Soup. We're delighted to see a haute version of the old-school green bean casserole on the roster, too. No turkey, but the Culver City spot has an impressive line-up of unusual sides and desserts.
Dakota Chophouse: Take home a turkey "with all the trimmings" (a word that doesn't get nearly enough play the rest of the year, we think). We are all about the cheese platter, cranberry-orange relish, and Yukon Gold potato puree (puree, also a word that doesn't get nearly enough play the rest of the year). You can also eat in at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel, for $65, on Thanksgiving.
