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Dining on Thanksgiving


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My family will be in town for Thanksgiving, and I would love to have a nice meal with them without worrying too much about the big bird... I heard DG and Corduroy were opened for the big meal last year - hopefully again this year?

I am sure that they will be as that day is a pretty popular day for dining out. Corduroy would be a very good place for your family meal. Check opentable for reservations.

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Bis is always open on Thanksgiving day. In general, I should think that restaurants located in hotels, whether owned by hotels or not, will be your best bet because they tend to be open almost every day. Bis, for instance, is closed only on Christmas Day and New Year's Day, and open wide all other holidays.

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My family will be in town for Thanksgiving, and I would love to have a nice meal with them without worrying too much about the big bird... I heard DG and Corduroy were opened for the big meal last year - hopefully again this year?

Although I assume they will have a set menu, I may be tempted to get the lamb if I went back to Corduroy... and my father is just as weak as me when it comes to lamb :lol:

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I, along with family, had a nice Thanksgiving meal at 1789 a few years back - as I recall there was a choice of a few different items, and turkey was one of them.

AND, I just remembered, I (and some very sweet, but less than sophisticated relatives) also had a very enjoyable Thanksgiving at Ardeo two years ago. The service was good, menu choices were interesting and included turkey, and the price was very reasonable - I'm thinking ~$25-30/person for 3 courses. My cousin from way out in West Virginny was THRILLED with the presentations and declared that it was the fanciest restaurant she'd ever been to. :lol: Surroundings were pleasant and quiet at the upstairs table where we were seated.

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1789 does (I think they still do it) a good job.

From a press release: "Chef Ris Lacoste's exceptional Thanksgiving dinner will be served from 12:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. with complimentary valet parking. Both an a la carte menu as well as a $45 fixed price three-course menu will be available (excluding tax and gratuity), with choices such as Minnesota Wild Rice and Duck Soup or Field Greens salad, Roast Turkey with all the trimmings, as well as a pie sampler with coffee or tea are available."

The Oval Room is also doing a $35 three-course menu with a "Mediterranean flair." A few of the offerings: "seven-hour roasted turkey marinated with Jerez vinegar, lemon confit with roasted sweet potato and broccoli rapini; salmon with ginger crust, cucumber and citrus sauce, as well as grilled pork tenderloin medallion with pepper escalivada in 15-year- old balsamic vinegar."

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What do you think of this menu? I'll be in Georgia and am taking the family out to dinner. The restaurant at which I currently have a reservation just announced the following menu. There are seven of us total (two teenagers), including one other junior-varsity foodie. I have looked forward to the occasion for a while now and was excited about the prospect of impressing mom with a stress-free Thanksgiving dinner (she usually cooks for about a week beforehand). Now that I actually see the menu I'm wondering if the expense is justifiable.

Thanksgiving Prix Fixe Menu

$125 per person, $62 optional wine pairing

First course:

Ginger and nutmeg scented butternut squash soup

or

Seared foie gras with quince foie gras broth

Second Course:

Lightly steamed balik salmon, chickpea pancake, cauliflower, and Acquitaine caviar

or

Squash risotto with melon and bacon, bay scallops kebob

Third Course:

Young turkey dodine, roast jus, chestnut ravioli, jerusalem artichokes

or

Venison loin poached in glue wine, roasted pear grand veneur sauce, wild apple shaving

Complimentary pre-dessert course

Dessert:

Kenyan coffee tart, tahitian vanilla bean ice cream, chocolate gelee

or

Roasted pear, pear financier bergamote ice cream

Petit fours

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Venison loin poached in glue wine, roasted pear grand veneur sauce, wild apple shavin

Well - I hope they mean gluhwein (or glugg wine)! :lol:

There are some lovely tastes/flavors and quality ingredients mentioned....

hard to say if it's worth the $$$ Maybe it's more about the "saving Mom from a week's worth of stress and hard work = priceless" factor, than the food.

Often, menu descriptions don't do justice to what actually arrives at the table. I'd bet this will be the case here.

You could probably find other very nice Turkey Day options where you'll be. (I've had them at some very decent places around here for under $50/person in past years...)

[edited to add: I see that gluewein is a spelling variation, but not the most appetizing one!]

Edited by goldenticket
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That's really pricey especially when compared to the cost of the fixed price menus at 1789 and Oval Room, and your place is in Georgia. Is this a place you already know is good or a place that you are gambling on? And you're treating? What are the other options?

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Now that I actually see the menu I'm wondering if the expense is justifiable.

Thanksgiving Prix Fixe Menu

$125 per person, $62 optional wine pairing

I think your concerns are justified. It seems awfully expensive for what's on offer. I know nothing about your family--they all may eat at such fancy places all the time--but, if they are anything like mine, quite a few of them would be uncomfortable and overwhelmed and just wishing for the "traditional" dishes, like "Green Bean Casserole", not to mention having to get dressed up.

My advice to you is this: figure out what your Mother REALLY appreciates about the holiday. If she really likes nice restaurants and fine food, then go for it. But, if it's just that she looks forward to having her family around her, then you might think about dialing it down somewhat and finding a less formal, cheaper place to dine and take the pressure off yourself and everybody else and save yourself a few bucks.

Does Atlanta have a Corduroy?

Just my $0.02. Whatever you decide, I hope you will have a wonderful time.

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Does anyone know what time Corduroy's last sitting is?  Has there been any "hints" as to what will be served?

I am sure that you can get their menu if they call them. They usually have a small menu card that you can take if you stop by too.

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And for those of you flying solo this Thursday who don't have something far better planned for the day, Beau and I have room for a few at our table so you're welcome to join us. Note that we will be watching and cheering for the Dallas Cowboys so you've been duly warned (particularly you Eagles fans)

Oh yes, and we also have two sweet and gentle Dobermans. This now concludes the full disclosure portion of this post.

PM if interested :lol:

-Camille

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Bumping for 2007!

In-Laws are flying down for Thanksiving and we are NOT cooking this year.

I would like to go to Corduroy because I know Chef Power will do a wonderful job and I think they will enjoy it a lot. But it is a bit of a schlep from Gaithersburg though traffic wouldn't be too bad.

I looked on Opentable and we could get a table at Tower Oaks. Anyone done their Thanksgiving dinner?

Other Opentable options in Maryland include McCormick and Schmicks and Timpano.

Any other ideas?

Thanks!

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Maybe you guys can help me. My parents are going to be staying at the Embassy Suites in Tyson's and I'm trying to find a place that's going to do a nice Thanksgiving buffet with a mostly traditional spread: turkey, dressing, blah blah but done real well. I'd prefer to stay in the Tyson's area because it's just easier on everyone but if I can't, I can't. Please flood me with PMs of where to go. Much thanks in advance

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Maybe you guys can help me. My parents are going to be staying at the Embassy Suites in Tyson's and I'm trying to find a place that's going to do a nice Thanksgiving buffet with a mostly traditional spread: turkey, dressing, blah blah but done real well. I'd prefer to stay in the Tyson's area because it's just easier on everyone but if I can't, I can't. Please flood me with PMs of where to go. Much thanks in advance
http://www.2941.com/menus-tgiving07.php
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Maybe you guys can help me. My parents are going to be staying at the Embassy Suites in Tyson's and I'm trying to find a place that's going to do a nice Thanksgiving buffet with a mostly traditional spread: turkey, dressing, blah blah but done real well. I'd prefer to stay in the Tyson's area because it's just easier on everyone but if I can't, I can't. Please flood me with PMs of where to go. Much thanks in advance

The Ritz Carlton in Tyson's Corner notes both a "Thanksgiving in Maestro" and a "Thanksgiving Day Brunch". I don't know if there are buffets or not.

OpenTable shows that J. Gilbert's in McLean has a Thanksgiving Day buffet, which is not too far from the hotel. OpenTable also shows Legal Seafood and McCormick & Schmick's as having Thanksgiving menus, but I don't know if they are buffets.

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Maybe you guys can help me. My parents are going to be staying at the Embassy Suites in Tyson's and I'm trying to find a place that's going to do a nice Thanksgiving buffet with a mostly traditional spread: turkey, dressing, blah blah but done real well. I'd prefer to stay in the Tyson's area because it's just easier on everyone but if I can't, I can't. Please flood me with PMs of where to go. Much thanks in advance
If you decide that Tyson's doesn't fit the mood, and don't mind driving west for an hour or so, the Ashby Inn in Paris has an interesting Thanksgiving menu this year. Brian Pellatt is a wonderful chef, and the setting is lovely.
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Hello all,

I have been tasked with finding a place for a family dinner on the Friday after Thanksgiving. Usually when it is just my parents we go to a place like Al Crostino, Brasserie Beck, Bistrot du Coin, St-Ex, all of which they have loved.

But, this time there are 6 of us. Me + the parents + sister and her boyfriend + 83 year old grandmother (who is not adventerous, so no thai, etc).

Looking for a place to go around 7 p.m., where we can hear each other, preferably near Dupont Circle/U st.

The difficult part, is that Dad is buying for all, so lower price points is better (thinking entrees around $16-20).

Any suggestions?

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Hello all,

I have been tasked with finding a place for a family dinner on the Friday after Thanksgiving. Usually when it is just my parents we go to a place like Al Crostino, Brasserie Beck, Bistrot du Coin, St-Ex, all of which they have loved.

But, this time there are 6 of us. Me + the parents + sister and her boyfriend + 83 year old grandmother (who is not adventerous, so no thai, etc).

Looking for a place to go around 7 p.m., where we can hear each other, preferably near Dupont Circle/U st.

The difficult part, is that Dad is buying for all, so lower price points is better (thinking entrees around $16-20).

Any suggestions?

I can think of three suggestions, which don't meet your criteria geographically, so they're probably not very useful.

My first thought was Corduroy, but the price point is higher than you want (a couple of items are under $20). Ditto for Olives. The third thought was Restaurant K, which I have not been to but is not too far afield from Dupont Circle. They have several items under $20, but they might be too fussy for your grandmother.

A hotel might be your best best, which is why I first thought of Corduroy. If the cost is a little flexible, I'd still recommend that.

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What options does Corduroy have for Thanksgiving?

We have been there several years for Christmas dinner and always enjoyed it. They used to give a little Corduroy cardboard boxes of Christmas cookies at the end of the meal to take home -- a really nice touch. But then they stopped doing that. I wish they would do it again. It was one of those simple little touches that made the dinner seem more special.

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The Dining Room at the Ritz-Carlton, Buckhead

I've eaten there once, in 1996, and it was grand. That was three chefs ago. It gets rave reviews and is one of the very few 5-star, 5-diamond restaurants in the country (for what that's worth).

I've also eaten at the Ritz Carlton in Buckhead several chefs ago-actually it was when Gunther Seeger was there who later left to open his own nearby restaurant, Seeger's. If Bacchanalia or Quinones at Bacchanalia is open either would be my first choice. They are superb.

Locally, my wife and I are taking a break from cooking on Thursday and having Thanksgiving dinner at L'Auberge Chez Francois which I think will be perfect for this holiday.

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