Once again it is upon us, that time of year when the U.S., a country that really should do some serious self-examination about its eating habits, engages in a no-holds-barred gorge-fest. For all of you American transplants out there, you've got plenty of places to partake. Here are our picks for 2012. You'll probably notice that they bear a striking resemblance to our picks from 2011 and, for that matter, 2010. Yeah. Some things don't change that much.
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Prix Fixe:
Napa
Napa's new chef Patrick Dang has put together a menu based on avant garde, Yoko Ono-esque free association words. Each course is given a name like "river" ("smoked freshwater eel / foie gras / blueberry / beetroot"), "share" (Britanny oysters / dashi jelly / pickled seaweed / yuzu") and "marble" ("Roquefort / compressed pear / crispy honey / truffle"). He's doing turkey as well, of course. That one's designated with the name "land," and it comes with "chestnut, cranberry, celery and its root." 390rmb per person. Learn more here.
Stiller's
Stefan Stiller is cooking duck instead of turkey. Truth be told, we're not even sure if he's doing it in observation of Thanksgiving. Whatever, it's still a bird. Close enough. Either way, the menu looks good: five courses like spaetzle with mushrooms, truffle, duck breast and foie gras or dill-cured and poached trout and venison filet with savoy cabbage. Each course is paired with wine from the German region of Baden. 788rmb per person. More on that here.
Maya
For some inspiration from the other side of the Rio Grande, there is Maya. This year they're doing a chipotle butter roasted turkey with roasted pear and ceviche salad, squash soup and pumpkin pie. Deets here.
Family Style:
el Willy
It's el Willy's first Thanksgiving on the Bund. For dinner, they're serving a starter of black truffle and onion soup. The main is a "low temperature cooked" turkey with porcinis. To go with that, there will be endless stuffing, gravy, glazed carrots, cranberry relish, mashed potatoes with garlic confit, spicy green beans, deviled eggs and a crudite. Dessert is pumpkin pie and chocolate pecan pie with ice cream petit fours. That goes for 388rmb per person. More here.
Boxing Cat
Sean Jorgensen is back and now at the helm of Boxing Cat Brewery's kitchen. He's put his signature on the Cat's annual "low country" themed dinner. This year, both branches are doing creamed Brussels sprouts with candied bacon and apples, bourbon-cranberry compote, ginger crusted pumpkin pie, brown butter mashed potatoes, honey butter roasted turkey with smoked giblet gravy mustard and brown sugar glazed ham and more. All of it sounds pretty delicious. That's 400rmb, 100rmb for kids. The cost includes unlimited BCB beers, house wine, soft drinks, coffee and tea. Details here.
Bubba's
Bubba's Texas-style is a time-honored favorite with its Texas-style smoked turkey. They're serving it at all three locations alongside southwest-style gravy, garlic mashed potatoes, soup, cranberry sauce, fresh steamed vegetables, rolls, stuffing, and pumpkin pie. That's 350rmb per person -- half off if you're under 12 -- and the cost includes free-flow beer and wine and, for the more puritanically inclined, soft drinks. More on that here.
Shook!
Shook! now has a bona fide yank in the kitchen -- Matthew Ona, you might remember him from Napa and K5. Ona's menu sounds pretty traditional: It starts with organic garden green salad, winter harvest vegetable and served with a "midwest-style" (no clue what that even means) vinaigrette. Next up is a main course of roasted turkey with glazed carrots, green beans, herb stuffing, country mashed potatoes, pan gravy and cranberry sauce. To finish it off, a pumpkin cheesecake with a graham cracker crust. That's 228rmb per person. Surprisingly reasonable for a Bund restaurant. Details here.
Hotel Buffets
Grand Brasserie
For you aristocrats out there, there is Grand Brasserie in the Waldorf. They do, after all, refer to their squash soup as "bisque." They'll be serving that in addition to turkey and other traditional accompaniments. 588rmb+15% per person. Learn more here.
Shanghai City Bistro
Shanghai City Bistro in the Marriot Shanghai City Centre has a slightly more affordable spread at 258rmb+15% per person. Expect beer-brined turkey with malt glaze, maple-braised butternut squash with fresh thyme, roasted sweet potato wedges with smoked chili cream and more.