Thanksgiving Round-up: Stress-Free and To Go

Restaurants throughout the nation’s capital are giving diners plenty of reasons to give thanks this holiday season.  Maybe this year you want your family over, but don't want to do all of the cooking.  Luckily, many restaurants around town are offering to-go options.  

If you want to go completely stress-free, you can forget about the clean up and take your family out to one of your favorite restaurants listed below.  The most important thing is to be with the ones you love on the holiday. 

Pre-Thanksgiving

Elisir is having a Pre-Thanksgiving Dinner from the 19th-21st.  You'll find Creamy Asparagus Soup, Venison Carpaccio, Seared Tuna and Pies.  

Stress-Free

J and G STEAKHOUSE 3-COURSE PRIX FIXE GOURMET GOBBLEFEST: Opened in 2009 in the W hotel in Washington DC just steps from the White House, J and G Steakhouse (515 15th Street NW, Washington, DC 20004; (202) 661-2440; www.JGSteakhouseDC.com) - the elegant critically acclaimed steakhouse inspired by world-renowned Chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten - is overseen by Executive Chef Philippe Reininger who is bringing J and G’s famous French flavors with Asian flare to Thanksgiving gourmands with a decadent 3-course prix fixe menu.  Priced at $49pp, guests will enjoy a gourmet 3-course holiday-inspired meal on Thanksgiving Day including choices ofButternut Squash Soup with Oyster Mushrooms, Market Vegetable Salad, Salmon with Lemon Crumbs a Sweet Chili Glaze and Swiss Chard, Roasted Turkey with Mushroom-Chestnut Stuffing Brussels Sprouts and Cranberry Sauce, Spiced Pear Chewy Caramel and Vanilla Sherbert, and a Warm Chocolate Cake with Homemade Vanilla Bean Ice Cream. * Available 12-9PM only on Thanksgiving Day.

Bibiana Osteria-Enoteca located at 1100 New York Ave, NW, 20005, (entrance on 12^th and H Streets side) will be offering an authentic Italian twist on Thanksgiving.  The pre-fixe menu is priced at $48 per person, excluding gratuity and tax and will be served from 11 AM to 8 PM on Thanksgiving.  Executive Chef Nicholas Stefanelli’s tempting starters include Chestnut Soup with toasted chestnuts, pork skin and Grappa cream; Beef Trope Braised in Tomato with Parmigiano Reggiano and black peppers and Rice Fritters Stuffed with Mozzarella and prosciutto and tomato sauce.  Entrées include Heritage Turkey Cooked Two Ways, roasted breast with juniper-lard crust and braised leg, sweet potato and cranberry sauce; Plancha-Seared Diver Scallops with salisfy purée and a brown butter vanilla sauce or the Roasted Pork Loin served with potato mousseline, Brussels sprouts, and mustard sauce.  Guests can finish off their meal with tempting dessert options that include traditional Milk Chocolate Mousse with coffee-chocolate crumble and biter chocolate sorbet; Spiced Pumpkin Pie with fresh milk gelato, or the Warm Hazelnut Financier with Apple Butter, Roasted Lemon Slated Carmel Apple and Apple Cider Gelato. For reservations or more information call (202) 216-9550 or visit http://www.bibianadc.com/.

This Thanksgiving, Park Hyatt Washington and the three-star Blue Duck Tavern, located at 24 and M Streets, NW, 20001, will present farm-fresh options to tempt the palate. On Thursday, November 22, this award-winning restaurant will offer a three-course ‘lunch into dinner’ service from 11:30 AM to 9 PM.  Menu highlights include Pumpkin Ravioli with sage and beurre blanc; Crispy Skin Salmon and Clams with leeks, bacon and chardonnay sauce; Braised Apple Cider Glazed Roasted Turkey Leg with Virginia Riesling gravy; Muscovy Duck Breast with confit of leg and pumpkin relish; Wood Oven Baked Beets with citrus salt; Corn Bread with oysters and chorizo stuffing.  For dessert, guests will enjoy Milk Chocolate Caramel Mousse; Butternut Squash Crиme Brulйe; Pumpkin Walnut Bread, and Caramel Dipped Chestnut Cream Puffs.  The holiday menu is priced at $95 per person for adults and $42 for children between six and 12.  Children under six years of age are complimentary.  Reservations can be made by calling +1 202 419 6755 or by visiting www.blueducktavern.com. 

Thanksgiving guests at The Bombay Club, located at 815 Connecticut Avenue, NW, 20006, will be delighted to find a variety of Thanksgiving Day specials in addition to the full a la carte menu.  Executive Chef Nilesh Singhvi is preparing three festive specials for the occasion including the Roasted Butternut Squash Sorba priced at $8, the Achari Turkey Tikka with rice and vegetables for $20 a person, and for dessert, a serving of Pumpkin Cheesecake for $9.  The Thanksgiving menu is offered from 11:30 AM to 2:30 PM and for dinner from 5:30 PM to 10:30 PM.  The three-star rated Bombay Club offers valet parking for $8.  For reservations or additional information please call (202) 659-3727 or visit http://www.bombayclubdc.com/.

The Oval Room, located at 800 Connecticut Avenue, NW, 20006, Executive Chef Tony Conte is preparing a three-course holiday menu offered from 12 PM to 8 PM, priced at $50 per person, excluding gratuity and tax.  Guests can also opt for the sommelier’s suggested wine pairing and valet parking is available at The Oval Room for $8.  For reservations, please call (202) 463-8700 or visit http://www.ovalroom.com/.

701 Restaurant, located at 701 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, 20004, will be dishing out a classic Thanksgiving feast with a three-course, prix fixe holiday menu available from 11 AM to 9 PM on Thanksgiving Day.  This special meal is priced at $48 per person, excluding tax and gratuity.  Creating the perfect ambience, 701’s live jazz duo of piano and bass will be performing during Thanksgiving service.  For more information and reservations please call (202) 393-0701 or visit http://www.701restaurant.com/.

Neighborhood favorite, Ardeo+Bardeo, located at 3111 Connecticut Ave., NW, 20008, will be featuring a sumptuous three-course menu crafted by Executive Chef Nate Garyantes featuring some of the finest flavors of the harvest.  The Thanksgiving menu will be served on November 22nd from 11 AM until 8 PM and is priced at $45 per person excluding gratuity and tax.  For reservations or additional information please call (202) 244-6750 or visit http://ardeobardeo.com/.

Rasika West End, which was just awarded three stars, located at 1190 New Hampshire Avenue, NW, 20037, is offering some special Thanksgiving dishes in addition to the a la carte menu.  Prepared by Executive Chef Vikram Sunderam and Chef de Cuisine Manish Tyagi, guests can enjoy the flavorful Turkey Mussalam, a turkey roulade served with a spiced, minced turkey stuffing and crispy Brussels sprouts.  The special turkey dish is priced at $20, excluding tax and gratuity.  To pair perfectly with the dish, Sommelier Simon Stilwell has carefully selected a Petit Rimauresq Rosé priced at $12 a glass and $48 a bottle. The complete a la carte menu is also available on Thanksgiving Day and Rasika will feature two seating timeframes: 11:30 AM to 2:30 PM and 5:30 PM to 10:30 PM.   For reservations or additional information please call (202) 466-2500 or visit www.RasikaRestaurant.com.

Rasika Penn Quarter is offering exotic Thanksgiving additions to its a la carte menu.  Prepared by Executive Chef Vikram Sunderam, guests can enjoy the flavorful Dum Ka Turkey, turkey piccatta marinated with cashew nut and cranberry paste, served with cranberry korma sauce, jeera Brussels sprouts and butternut squash bharta.  The special turkey dish is priced at $20, excluding gratuity and tax.  The complete a la carte menu is also available on Thanksgiving Day and Rasika Penn Quarter will feature two seating timeframes: 11:30 AM to 2:30 PM and 5:30 PM to 10:30 PM.  For reservations or additional information please call (202) 637-1222 or visit http://www.rasikarestaurant.com/.

Legal Sea Foods is urging dinners to take a step back in time to the first Thanksgiving, when people were said to have dined on shellfish and fish.  The hours on Thursday, November 22 are the following: 12 Noon to 9 PM at 704 7th Street NW, Washington, D. C. (202) 347-0007; 12 Noon to 8 PM at Tysons Galleria in Mclean, VA (703) 827-89000.  For a complete list of locations please visit: http://www.legalseafoods.com/.

2100 Prime is offering a farm to table Thanksgiving that eludes fine dining, while being warm and friendly. Prepared by Executive Chef Chris Ferrier, guests can enjoy a pre-fixe 3 course dinner with classics like Oysters on the Half Shell with Champagne Mignonette or the raved about Butternut Squash Bisque; Entrées such as the traditional Herb-roasted Turkey with market vegetables, Maryland Cast Iron Rockfish or Pumpkin Gnocchi with sage brown butter. Desserts can’t be  missed: Classic Pumpkin Pie, Apple Crisp or Ginger Crème Brulée. The feast starts at 12 noon and runs to 4 p.m. $65/person or $25 for children 6 - 12. Valet parking available for $10/reservation. For reservations or questions, please call (202) 835-2100 or visit 2100prime.com.

The Federalist (1177 15th St NW, Washington, DC 20005; (202) 587-2629; www.TheFederalistDC.com; @TheFederalistDC) and Chef Harper McClure will offer guests two Thanksgiving-themed dining options for parties big and small this holiday season – a 3-course prix fixe Thanksgiving Menu for $65pp/ $35 for children 12 and under featuring festive dishes such as Roasted Kabocha Squash Soup with Duck Confit Toasted Pumpkin Seeds and Walnut Oil, Eco Friendly Foods Turkey, Cranberry-Vanilla Relish, Pumpkin Custard with Pumpkin Seed Brittle and Ginger Biscotti, Apple Cinnamon Soup, Cranberry Sorbet, or guests can make themselves feel at home with the Family Style Thanksgiving option priced at $65pp (minimum 4ppl) which includes sharable portions of dishes for the table previously noted in the Federalist’s 3-Course Menu.  * Both menus available only on November 22^nd from 11:30AM-8PM (last reservation at 8PM)

Executive Chef Bertrand Chemel of 2941 Restaurant (2941 Restaurant, 2941 Fairview Park Drive, Falls Church, VA 22042; (703) 270-1500;www.2941Restaurant.com; @2941Restaurant) - one of Northern Virginia’s most prestigious dining experiences featuring an elegant dining room with sky high ceilings and picturesque waterfront views – serves as the perfect backdrop for Chef Chemel’s sumptuous holiday menu offerings.  Priced at $65pp for the 3-Course Prix Fixe, and $48pp for the Vegetarian Prix Fixe, 2941 features elegant seasonal, holiday-inspired dishes including Chestnut Ravioli, Maple Lawn Farm’s Turkey Breast, Sweet Potato Beignets, Butternut Squash Veloute, Braised Oxtail, and a Vegetarian Trio, to name a few of Chef’s signature items for this special menu.

Full Menu: http://www.2941.com/menus/2012/thanksgiving/* Menu available all day from 11AM-8PM, Children’s menu offered at $25pp.

 

In addition, Assaggi Osteria and Assaggi Mozzarella Bar are both offering prix fixe, three-course feasts for those who prefer to dine at the restaurants on Thanksgiving, from 11:30 AM to 10 PM.  Priced at $44 per person and $17 for children 12 and under (tax and gratuity not included), guests are invited to select one first course and one dessert to accompany their pre-selected entrée, the Turkey Three Ways.  First course items include the Traditional Cotechino Sausage with mashed potatoes; Fresh Corn Soup with wild mushrooms; Pumpkin Stuffed Tortelli with butter sage sauce and almond slivers.  Dessert standouts are equally delicious and include the Pumpkin Italian Ricotta Cheesecake with cinnamon ice cream and the Cornmeal and Dried Fruit Tart.  

The modern Italian trattoria Al Dente, recently awarded among the 20 “Best New Restaurants in America” by Esquire magazine, located at 3201 New Mexico Avenue, NW, 20016, invites patrons to celebrate Thanksgiving with a four-course, family-style meal prepared by Esquire’s “Chef of the Year,” Roberto Donna.  On Thursday, November 22, Al Dente will offer a four-course Thanksgiving menu for lunch into dinner service from 12 PM to 8 PM.  Priced at $35.95 per person and $12 for children 10 and under (tax and gratuity excluded), guests will receive three appetizers, two pastas, three entrée and two desserts to share.  Entrées a la carte range from $20.95 to $25.95.  For more information or reservations please call the restaurant directly at (202) 244-2223 or visit www.aldentedc.com. 

Join Brasserie Beck for their first annual Thanksgiving Day Feast and à la carte selections featuring the spirit of fall, family and tradition. Featured Dishes to include: Roasted Breast of Turkey and Leg Roulade, Sausage and Mushroom Dressing, Cranberry Compote, Thin Green Beans, Giblet Gravy; Seared Venison Loin with Quince Puree, Brussels Sprouts and Chestnuts, Juniper Berry Infused Jus; Pan Seared Maine Scallops, Pumpkin Risotto, Sage Foie Gras Crème Brulee with Caramelized Sugar, Dried Fruits and Nuts, Toasted Brioche; and Penn Cove Mussels with Apple Wood Smoked Bacon and Truffle Cream. Seatings are available from 12Noon until 9:00PM. Please call 202.408.1717 to make a reservation. 

Let Entertainment Cruises do all the work this Thanksgiving and board the Spirit of Washington for a Thanksgiving Day lunch cruise on November 22! The cruise will include a bountiful buffet with roast turkey, beef brisket, a pasta station and more, along with an onboard DJ spinning the latest tunes. With delicious food, dancing, and no clean up, it’s the perfect holiday celebration!  The cost is $54.90 per adult and $24.95 per child age 3-12. For reservations, please call 866.302.2469 or visit http://www.spiritofwashington.com/Washington-DC/thanksgivingday-lunch-cruise#thanks.

Thanksgiving Dinner at The Farm Minimize your holiday stress and join Founding Farmers (in DC or Montgomery County) or Farmers Fishers Bakers for the big meal this year. Each of The Farm restaurants will be open on Thanksgiving from 12pm—8pm with a special three-course meal, including all your favorites with a farmers’ twist. Each table that dines at Founding Farmers DC or MoCo location receives a small jar of honey from the FF/GWU Urban Apiary and a souvenir honey dipper to sweeten up the holiday!

Hill Country will be open from noon til 8 PM with a special ALL YOU CAN EAT Thanksgiving supper for just $35 per person ($15 for kids 10 and younger).  The menu includes pit-smoked turkey with pan gravy, brisket, sausage, Texas Toast stuffing, bourbon mashed sweet potatoes, green bean casserole, collard greens, buttermilk smashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, apple cobbler, pumpkin ginger streusal pie, bourbon pecan pie and much more! We'll also be showing football on the big screens throughout the day, with the Redskins-Cowboys game at 4 PM and Texas Longhorns versus TCU at 7:30 PM. To reserve a table, please call the restaurant at 202.556.2050 or reserve online through OpenTable or CityEats.

BLT Steak DC encourages diners to spend time around the table with friends and family this Thanksgiving, not behind the stove. The award-winning DC steakhouse will host its first annual Thanksgiving Day dinner on Thursday, November 22 with an incredible menu crafted by lauded Executive Chef Jon Mathieson. With innovative takes on holiday favorites like Roasted Turkey with Chestnut-Sausage Stuffing and Rosemary Gravy and a Dry Aged Roasted Prime Rib with Caramelized Onion Bread Pudding, BLT Steak’s Thanksgiving Day menu will please carnivores and holiday traditionalists alike, and is available as a prix-fixe tasting at $68/person or a la carte.

Trademark in Alexandria is combining everyone’s favorite Thanksgiving dishes…in a pie. Trademark’s Thanksgiving Pot Pie combines bourbon-spiked roast turkey, sweet potatoes, green beans, leeks, homemade gravy, sage and onion in a flaky puff pastry crust. The Thanksgiving Pot Pie is available at the restaurant throughout the week of Thanksgiving (Monday 11/19 – Sunday 11/25) for $18. Trademark is located at 2080 Jamieson Ave. in Alexandria, VA. 

To Go 

This Thanksgiving, don’t stress over dessert- help support the critically ill in our community by purchasing delicious pies through the Food & Friends’ Annual Slice of Life Pie Sale! Each pie purchased will provide one full day of meals to men, women and children facing HIV/AIDS, cancer and other life-challenging illnesses. Do something sweet his holiday season – and help thousands of our neighbors in need. HURRY order by November 15^th at foodandfriends.org/pie. Do Good. Feel Good. Buy Pie.

Assaggi Mozzarella Bar, located at 4838 Bethesda Avenue in Bethesda, MD, 20814, and its sister restaurant Assaggi Osteria, located at 6641 Old Dominion Drive in McLean, VA, 22101, will offer three Thanksgiving feasts “to go.”  Guests can choose from three pre-cooked options: the Italian Roasted Turkey Dinner; Italian Roasted Turkey Breast (only) Dinner, and the Italian Style Turkey Dinner Three-Ways featuring a roast turkey breast, boneless turkey leg stuffed with traditional Italian stuffing and turkey sausage, served with Brussels sprouts and roasted root vegetables.  The “to go” menus are priced at $180, $140 and $210, and serve between six and eight people.  Each “to go” menu also includes a choice of dinner rolls, two condiments, three sides and one dessert.  Desserts can also be ordered a la carte, and are priced between $25 and $30 each and all “to go” orders must be placed by close of business on Wednesday, November 14.

 EPIC Smokehouse is offering a limited supply of 10-12 lb smoked and fried turkeys for carry-out on Thanksgiving. Each turkey dinner costs $70 and includes gravy along with your choice of three sides from mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, homemade stuffing and creamed corn. A fourth side can be purchased for an additional $10. To place an order, please call Joon Yang at 571.319.4001. Orders will only be accepted up until Sunday, November 18. Turkey dinners can be picked up at EPIC Smokehouse, on November 22 from 8am to 11am.

Whether you want to order a full Thanksgiving feast for up to 12 people or simply supplement your meal with a few Hill Country favorites, the restaurant is taking pre-orders for Thanksgiving To Go now through November 16th. Pre-ordered turkeys, traditional sides and homemade desserts can be picked up from the restaurant from 9 am - noon on November 22nd. Full Thanksgiving feasts with all the fixin's range from $195 - $275; a la carte dishes available. To order, call 202.556.2044 or email Events@HillCountryWDC.com.

At PAUL Bakery and Café, they’ve put a little French twist on Thanksgiving. Similar to pies, their delicious Tarte Citrouille (Pumpkin Tart) - $15.95, Tarte Pecan & Chocolate or Tarte Pecan and Cranberry - $19.95, are baked using the same recipes created by their great-grandmother from when they opened their first bakery in France in 1889! These 7 inch tartes are available for the month of November at all the PAUL locations: Penn Qtr. (801 Penn Ave NW), Georgetown (Wisc. and M Sts), Golden Triangle (1000 Conn Ave. NW), and at the Foggy Bottom location which opens on 11/15 at 2000 Penn Ave NW. www.Paul-USA.com

BlackSalt Fish Market and  Restaurant, located at 4883 MacArthur Boulevard, NW, 20007, has everything one could want for this year’s Thanksgiving dinner.  Food orders can be made from 10 AM to 6:30 PM daily through Sunday, November 18^th and all pick-ups will be scheduled for Wednesday, November 21^st.  BlackSalt Market will be closed on Thanksgiving Day and all cancellations require 72 hours’ notice for full refunds.  For more information please call (202) 342-9101 or visit www.blacksaltrestaurant.com.

For a “Thanksgiving Dinner for Eight,” ring Acadiana in Washington, DC to enjoy a complete feast of a 12- to 14-pound Cajun-style Turkey, choice of Giblet or Eggplant Gravy, four sides, a Pumpkin or Pecan Pie, and Acadiana’s famous Biscuits with House-made Pepper Jelly.  This savory and sweet spread is available for $150, or simply the bird for $90. All items are also available à la carte starting at $10 with sides that include Sweet Potato Purée, Mashed Potatoes, Oyster or Andouille Sausage Stuffing, Cranberries, Cornbread, Collard Greens, or a dozen Biscuits with House-made Pepper Jelly. To order, please call 202.408.8804 before 5PM on Thursday, November 15, 2012. Pickup is available at Acadiana between 11AM and 1PM on Thanksgiving Day. 

New Orleans-native chef David Guas of Bayou Bakery, Coffee Bar and Eatery in Arlington, Virginia can fill your kitchen with an array of southern fixins’ that are the sides and bites that make Thanksgiving Day hassle-free. For quick nibbles, pick up some Candied Spiced Pecans tossed in house-made Creole seasoning for $12, or grab a pint-sized Mason jar full of Cranberry-Orange Preserves for $15 to serve with Cornbread Muffins, $15 per dozen made from cornmeal ground by George Washington’s gristmill – a Bayou Bakery exclusive! To help round out your meal, choose from a variety of sides starting at $12, like Dirty Rice, Braised Collards or Buttermilk Biscuits – available in petite or full-size, with or without ham. Dessert star, chef Guas, is known as the go-to guy when it comes to sweets, and his sought after pies are available starting at $20. Choose from Sweet Potato Pie, Classic Pecan, Bourbon Chocolate-Chip and Bacon & Cayenne. To order, please call 703.243.2410 before Monday, November 19. Pickup is available all week until close of business on Wednesday, November 21.

Carmine’s is serving a traditional Thanksgiving feast for 8 people with an 18 lb turkey with sausage and sage stuffing, Brussels sprouts, string beans, baby carrots, sweet and mashed potatoes and a choice of pumpkin, apple or pecan pie.  The feast for 8 is priced at $225. The dinner may be enjoyed in the restaurant or may be ordered to be picked up. Carmine’s will also cater Thanksgiving meals on Turkey Day. Carmine’s will be open on Thanksgiving from 11;30 a.m. until 10 p.m.. For reservations or to arrange catering/carry-out 202.737.7770. www.CarminesNYC.com

For those looking to celebrate at home without the mess, they can pick up some ‘Sides + Pies’ from 14^th Street foodie spot Bar Pilar. Chef Justin Bittner is making delicious sides for groups of two sizes: 5-7 people and 10-15 people; at $26 and $32 respectively. Sides include a Sage, Housemade Sausage and Apple Stuffing, a Broccoli Casserole with blue cheese béchamel and Candied Heirloom Sweet Potatoes. In terms of sweets, Bittner will sell a variety of pies for $28 including Apple Crumb, Bourbon Pecan and Heirloom Pumpkin. People can pre-order any ‘Sides + Pies’ through November 19^th by caling 202-265-1751, with pick-up on Thanksgiving Eve, the 21^st. Bar Pilar is located at 1833 14^th St. NW.

  
Photo by Emily Clack