The Big List: Turkey Day

Where to stuff your American face - By Christopher St Cavish, Nov 17, 09



Turkey Day is next Thursday, for Americans and people who associate with Americans. It's when we give thanks for fast internet connections, reality television, and Weight Watchers, and then proceed to eat ourselves to sleep. It's sort of boring, but the cranberry sauce is good.

Here's some places recreating that and some people selling you takeaway turkeys and hams. You should probably reserve ASAP. The popular places tend to fill up quickly and nothing says loser like a solo American at KFC on Turkey Day. Also, you can keep checking back on our Thanksgiving page, right here, where we'll be adding any late deals we learn about between now and the 26th.

Casual:


» Malone's Thanksgiving Time '09

This one's always real popular and gets booked up quickly. Whole turkeys and whole hams, with a knife and a blind eye to your terrible carving technique, for parties of ten or more at Malone's turkey day party. Less than ten people gets you a plated dinner -- chef doing the work. On the menu: smoked salmon, lobster bisque, honeybaked ham, yams, mashed potato, broccoli with cheese sauce, pies, fruit, gravy, etc. 300rmb per. Event listing for the Tongren Lu branch here; Pudong Thumb Plaza here.

» Mesa & Manifesto

Roast turkey, stuffing, trimmings, family-style at smart casual Mesa. This one is traditional, with a few smart accents on the menu, and also books up real quick. Adults at 288rmb, kids under 12 for 80rmb. Reservations required. Event listing here.

» Sasha's

Turkey Day at the colonial-era Song house is a three-course affair for 380rmb per person, with tea or coffee. Done up by American chef Eric Brown -- the Big E. He's the guy restaurants call in when they need some authentic 'Merican cooking, and he's working at Sasha's these days. Traditional turkey-gravy-stuffing and trimmings on the menu. Event listing here.

» Marriotts

The Marriotts (Hongqiao and JW Marriott) are expat turkey standbys. Been around forever, always popular. They both put up an int'l turkey shindig, a big, big buffet with all the usual suspects, and then int'l delights, and seafood. It's sort of hotel brunch meets Thanksgiving. At the JW Marriott, it's 368rmb per person plus 15%; at the Hongqiao one, it's 388rmb per, plus 15%. Cheaper for kids 6-12. Event listings here and here.

» Boxing Cat Brewery

All-American microbrewery puts on a T-Day blowout for their first downtown Thanksgiving. 425rmb per adult, 150rmb per tater tot, including free-flow house beer, house wines, juices, and soft drinks. Menu is butter-roasted turkey, honey-glazed Cajun smoked ham, sage & sausage stuffing, jalapeno cornbread stuffing, maple spiced sweet potatoes, whipped potatoes, green bean mushroom casserole, buttered corn casserole, apple cider gravy, cranberry relish, pumpkin pie, chocolate-pecan pie, and more, more, more. Event listing here.

» Pinnacle Peak

Old-West themed steakhouse puts the mesquite-grilled meat to the side for Turkey Day (though not off the menu; steaks still available). Poultry wranglers get a classic menu of mashed potatoes, gravy, turkey, sweet potatoes, cranberry sauce, butternut squash, and rosemary roasted turkey, plus a couple other tidbits, for 238rmb; kids under 11 get the same for 80rmb. Two seatings and they're suggesting reservations -- either 6pm or 9pm. Event listing here.

» KABB

Three courses of traditional Thanksgiving stuff -- turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce -- plus a glass of red wine for 280rmb. Starts at 5pm. Event listing here.


Not As Casual:


» Jean Georges

A very suave Thanksgiving from the Shanghai kitchen of Jean Georges Vongeritchen. Give thanks and 698rmb per, and ye shall receive: warm sea scallop tartar with arugula and cranberry coulis, chestnut soup with wild-mushroom ravioli, slow-cooked salmon with celeriac puree and black truffle vinaigrette, roasted organic turkey with caramelized brussel sprouts and chestnut-sourdough stuffing, and then a spread of desserts. Event listing here.

» Napa

Lovely wine villa and chef Sean Anthony's cooking, at 580rmb a head for a four-course menu including foie gras, roasted rabbit, and U.S. turkey. Reservations required. Event listing here.

» New Heights

Turkey with a view, at Bund-side New Heights. Upscale bistro stuff on the menu, at 388rmb per: roasted pear and bleu cheese salad with pecans, parsnip and coconut veloute with white truffle oil, stuffed turkey with sage & mushrooms, and a pumpkin tart with cinnamon ice cream. Event listing here.

» Roosevelt Prime Steakhouse

Thanksgiving at the club of the entitled, Roosevelt Steakhouse. Five-course turkey spectacular, with a roast turkey, mashed potatoes, and roast winter vegetables as the center of the universe, surrounded by courses of wild mushroom risotto with foie gras, split pea soup, and pumpkin pie. Glass of white wine in there, too. 598rmb per. They're running this one the whole weekend, actually -- ends on the 28th. Event listing here.

Other:


» Bistro Latitude's Le Thanksgiving Francais

Embrace the cultural confusion and celebrate American Thanksgiving at a French restaurant in China. Give thanks that you're not American while dining on a choice of roasted butternut squash soup or a fey spinach, bleu cheese, and pear salad. Remember that if not for France, there would be no America, during a main course of roast turkey with apple & chestnut stuffing, glazed carrots, roasted yams, potato puree, sage gravy, and cranberry sauce. Marvel at the barbarian's ability to make an edible pie crust and then fill it with -- gasp! -- pumpkin. 298rmb per person. Event listing here.

» Zapata's Mexican Thanksgiving

Zapata's with the cultural comment. America's future, NOW, with Mexican Thanksgiving. Three unspecified courses (turkey nachos, turkey nachos, turkey nachos), plus a glass of wine, for 198rmb per person. Event listing here.

» The Bulldog

Turkey day dinner at the Bulldog. Three courses dinner -- turkey and all the trimmings plus some other filler -- for 180rmb per Thanksgiver. Reservations only. The regular Thursday night Pub Quiz night will continue unhindered throughout the night, too, if you need some post-meal entertainment. Event listing here.

» Maya

Turkey Day with the Jorgensen Hernandez family: pumpkin soup with chorizo and pumpkin seeds, green bean salad with pickled jalapeno vinaigrette, achiote-rubbed roasted turkey with mole-style gravy, spicy cranberry sauce with lime and coriander, chorizo and cornbread stuffing, and mas, mas, mas. 300rmb per person, comes with a glass of wine, a mini-margarita, and some Mexi-dessert, too. Event listing here.

Take-away:


» The St. Regis Shanghai's Turkey Spectacular

Takeout Turkeys from the St. Regis, in Pudong. Pre-order a turkey for 228rmb per kilo (plus 15% surcharge) or a glazed ham at 198rmb (plus 15% surcharge), and it comes with gravy, cranberry sauce, roasted potatoes, pumpkin, candied sweet potatoes, mixed vegetables, and bread rolls. Pumpkin, blueberry, apple, and Boston cream pies also available at 138-188rmb. Gotta place the order 48 hours in advance, via 5050 4567 ext 6312. Event listing here.

» Bubba's Smoked Turkeys

Every year Bubba's slow-smokes USDA turkeys over applewood for takeout, and every year, they sell out real quick. They're already gone for the 26th, actually, but still possible if you wanna do Thanksgiving on the 27th-29th. Limited space in that smoker of his. Gotta call quick-like, though, and ask for Ken, to make sure, and you'll probably have to arrange a deposit. Twelve-pound turkeys, about enough for 10 people, for 650rmb. Cornbread stuffing, smoked turkey gravy, and homemade pumpkin and pecan pies also available, at a price. Event listing here.

» Boxing Cat's Takeout Turkeys

Do Turkey Day at home with the help of all-American Boxing Cat Brewery's kitchen. Strictly the basics -- one whole butter-roasted turkey, apple cider giblet gravy, jalapeno cornbread stuffing -- for 988rmb; all that plus cranberry relish, creamy mashed potatoes, and maple spiced roast potatoes for 1,188rmb. Limited amount of birds and fixings available; reservations mandatory and the earlier the better. See the flyer for contact details. Event listing here.

» Sasha's Ham and Bird

Takeaway traditional roast turkey AND a honeybaked ham, gravy, roast potatoes, buttered carrots, brussel sprouts, mashed potatoes, and some more vegetables, all for 1,950rmb. Twenty-four hour advance notice required for the takeout. Event listing here.



Oh, and it's never too early for Christmas, right? We're working on this page right here. Keep checking back for all your lovely Christmas needs.

djsexypaul

Nov 17, 09

if you want delivery you can also view
www.smartdirect.cn for a huge 3 course spread delivered fresh and piping hot to your front door
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