Classic and Creative: Thanksgiving Dining Options

A turkey shortage? Baloney. Despite breathless proclamations and dire warnings, there is no real turkey shortage according to this fascinating report I read so you don’t have to. The reality is, there are plenty of fresh and frozen turkeys to fry or roast, though you will pay more than you did last year which is true for pretty much everything.

If you want to skip spending hours and hours in the kitchen preparing your Thanksgiving spread, Dallas restaurants have outdone themselves with menus that range from classic to creative and are available for dine-in or take-out, depending on the restaurant.

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Al Biernat’s takeaway menu includes a traditional whole 12-14 lb. Turkey with gravy, or a smoked heritage half spiral sliced 7-8 lb. ham for just $99.00 each. Family-style side dishes such as dinner rolls, creamed corn, garlic smashed potatoes, mushroom or lobster risotto, whipped sweet potatoes, cornbread dressing, and cranberry sauce serve 3-4 each. Dessert offerings include Al’s famous coconut cream pie, chocolate pecan pie, and pumpkin pie. Remember, cocktails to-go are still a thing so pick up pre-mixed espresso martinis and other cocktails while you’re at it.

All orders must be placed by 6 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 22, and picked up during the specified time slot on Wednesday, Nov. 24. Takeout packaging is complete with reheating instructions, and managers will be on-call for questions and reheating tips on Thanksgiving Day. Both restaurant locations are closed on Thanksgiving Day. For more information or to reserve a holiday meal, call the Oak Lawn restaurant location at 214.209.2201, the North restaurant location at 972.239.3400, or visit albiernats.com.

City Hall Bistro is an under-the-radar screen gem of a restaurant inside The Adolphus Hotel and totally worth a trip downtown. The southern European bistro is offering a three-course pre-fixe menu for in-person dining on Thanksgiving Day between Noon and 6:30 p.m. The menu sounds divine. First-course options are butternut squash bisque or roasted pear salad; second-course options are truffle roasted turkey breast, herb-roasted prime rib or wood-roasted Delicata squash. Sides are buttermilk mashed potatoes, green beans almondine, cornbread stuffing, sweet and sour Brussels sprouts and desserts are bourbon caramel pecan pie or sugar pumpkin pie.  Make a reservation by calling the restaurant at 214.651.3686.

Dive Coastal Cuisine is offering family-style health-conscious takeaway Thanksgiving dishes and sides such as smoked trout dip, mini crab cakes and shrimp cocktail skewers for starters and rustic apple sausage and rosemary ciabatta dressing, shaved Brussels sprouts Caesar salad and vegan coconut cream spaghetti squash for sides.  For a full menu, visit Dive’s website. Orders must be placed by Friday, November 19 for pick up Wednesday the 24^th. Order by email at [email protected] or phone 214.891.1700.

Eataly Dallas is stocked with pasture-raised, antibiotic-free turkeys and Snake River Farm heritage holiday hams to prepare at home and get inspired with recipes on the Eataly website. There you can also find a comprehensive guide to Thanksgiving offerings including many prepared side dishes, pastas, salads, and desserts you’ll find throughout the store. If you’d rather, let Eataly’s chefs do all the cooking with complete holiday meals ready to reheat. All Thanksgiving pre-orders must be placed prior to November 19 by emailing [email protected] or calling 469.759.2800. All Thanksgiving orders will be available to pick up from Eataly Dallas Nov. 23 and 24 during regular business hours.  

J. Rae’s has the cutest decorating kits for kiddos (and adults) who need something to do during post-meal naps. The box is available for $35 and comes with nine cookies in shapes of leaves, acorns, and pumpkins, and will have the bags of icing (yellow, white and orange) and three decorative sprinkles (yellow, white and red) packets to personalize each cookie. The cookie kits will be available from Nov. 12 through Thanksgiving, Nov.25, and are available for pick up in-store. Call J. Rae’s at 214.654.0833 to reserve your box. Plan ahead, they need a 24-hour notice to get the boxes prepared.

Lockhart Smokehouse is selling fully smoked hams, turkeys, briskets, and prime rib served alongside green bean casseroles, mac and cheese, and s’mores bread pudding, and peach cobbler for dessert. Yes, you read that right: S’mores bread pudding. Meals will be sold cold and vacuum sealed with reheating instructions. Side dishes will be in aluminum half pans. Hams, prime rib, savory sides, and decadent desserts feed 6-8 family and friends. The deadline to order is Nov. 20 for pick-up between 11 a.m.-5 p.m. on Nov. 23 and 24. Lockhart Smokehouse is located at 400 West Davis in the Bishop Arts District 214.944.5521.

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Meddlesome Moth will serve up Thanksgiving Day brunch from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. with a fab menu – sous-vide and fried turkey, brioche-chestnut stuffing, sweet potato puree with curried cashews, bourbon cranberry relish, cornbread muffins with whipped sorghum and sorghum popcorn ($25 per person) in addition to regular brunch menu items. Reservations are recommended. For additional information and to reserve a table call 214.628.7900 or go to www.mothinthe.net.  Meddlesome Moth is located at 1621 Oak Lawn Avenue in The Design District and has one of the best patios in town, by the way. Complimentary valet parking is always provided. 

The Best Pies for the Best Cause Visiting Nurse Association is again selling pies and pumpkin bread to benefit Meals on Wheels and aging seniors. Pecan and pumpkin pies can be ordered online for $25 each and picked up at the Meals on Wheels Kitchen at 1440 W. Mockingbird Land in Dallas. Pre-purchased pie and bread ($15) pick-up dates and times are Nov. 23 and 24 from 10 a.m. to noon. This year, VNA added a Power of Pie Pop-Up event on Thursday, Nov. 25 at the Haggerty Kitchen from 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Swing by the tent in front of the kitchen doors and pick up your pre-ordered pies or bread or grab a last-minute gift for your Thanksgiving host (while supplies last). Order here.

Rise + Thyme is located in the AT&T Discovery District which is a great place to take out-of-town guests. The concept is by Amanda Freitag whom you might recognize from The Food Network is offering Take-Home Thanksgiving Meals which include shaved Brussels sprout salad, brown butter roasted turkey breast, truffled turkey pot pie, twice-baked butternut squash, long beans, roasted baby carrots, rosemary garlic bread pudding, little cornbread muffins, buttered Parker House pull-apart rolls, dark chocolate pot de crème and caramel apple pie. All orders must be prepaid with an order deadline of Sunday, Nov. 14. Pickup on Tuesday, Nov. 23 and Wednesday, Nov. 24 at Rise + Thyme. To order call 972.268.7605. The package is $275 and serves four people.

Salum is offering takeaway meals for pick up on Thanksgiving Day which includes balsamic roasted Brussels sprouts salad with sun-dried cherries, pancetta, onions, and blue cheese dressing, slow-roasted turkey breast with apple and apple moonshine gravy (wow!), buttery toasted wild rice, roasted butternut squash with molasses and guajillo chili, cheesy biscuits with bacon, chives and a side of maple butter, homemade cranberry cabernet jam and a bourbon pecan pie with a pint of Henry’s vanilla ice cream.  $68 per person plus tax and gratuity. Orders must be placed by Monday, Nov. 22 for pick up on Thanksgiving Day between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. Order by calling 214.252.9604.

Truluck’s is offering a traditional Thanksgiving feast for dine-in or curbside service. For dine-in, Thanksgiving dinner costs $59 per person, $25 per kid 12 and under. Their curbside menu will include an oven-ready, herbed whole Amish turkey, cranberry sauce, stuffing, gravy, broccoli casserole, mashed potatoes, rolls, and whole pecan and pumpkin pies. Pre-order your curbside service by Friday, November 19th for pickup on either Tuesday, Nov. 23 or Wednesday, Nov. 24 Curbside orders easy-to-follow step-by-step video instructions from Truluck’s Chef and serve 4-6 guests for $300. Call to order your curbside feast or to make reservations here.  

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TJ’s Seafood Market has a special Thanksgiving menu for pickup at the Preston Royal and Oak Lawn locations. The menu features favorites such as shrimp, oysters, and gumbo as well as raw seafood to prepare at home for your feast. All I know is that those seafood sliders ought to be on everyone’s pre-game menu. Pickup is available at either location on Wednesday, November 24 at the selected pickup time. Supplies are limited. Order as soon as possible to guarantee menu availability. Order online here.

And, if you’re still a little worried stores will sell out of Thanksgiving dinner essentials, our friends at Central Market aren’t sweating a thing. “While industry-wide issues are creating supply challenges throughout the world,” says Mabrie Jackson, Senior Director Public Affairs for H-E-B and Central Market, “Central Market Partners are busy around the clock to provide our customers the items they need and ensure the best shopping experience.”