The Pearl Dishes Up The Perfect Thanksgiving Feast
Thanksgiving is right around the corner, and we’re dreaming of a fabulous feast with all the trimmings! Don’t feel like cooking? Unleash your inner gourmet at Michelin-starred Openaire in Koreatown near The Pearl, or tuck into a traditional Thanksgiving dinner at The Tam O’Shanter. Need advice in the kitchen? We’ve gathered some useful tips and tricks to put on a spectacular spread, including plant-based dishes. You’ll also find opportunities to give back by supporting local causes, such as St. Vincent Meals on Wheels; Turkey Trot LA, which benefits The Midnight Mission; and GivingTuesday, coming up on December 2.
Openaire The LINE LA 3515 Wilshire Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90010
Not far from The Pearl, Two Michelin-starred chef Josiah Citrin brings a taste of the melting pot culture of LA to the ever-changing menu at Openaire. Thanksgiving dinner is no exception, with an eclectic menu that includes pumpkin soup, kabocha ravioli with sage butter, herb roasted free range turkey, wild mushroom risotto, and Szechuan Brussels sprouts. Top off your meal with a choice of spiced pumpkin pie with caramel sauce and white chocolate, or apple pie with creme Anglaise.
Taylor’s Steak House 3361 W 8th St. Los Angeles, CA 90005
Named one of “Top Five SteakHouses in L.A.” by Time Out Los Angeles, Taylor’s is a classy supper club with a cool retro vibe, established in 1953. Settle into one of their elegant Naugahyde booths. and you’ll feel like you’re in an episode of Mad Men. If you’re looking for an alternative to a traditional Thanksgiving menu, Taylor’s offers a range of options, from an array of steak cuts to lamb, chicken, and seafood. Wash it all down with an old-school Martini or classic Manhattan.
The Tam O’Shanter 2980 Los Feliz Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90039
Delighting diners for over 100 years, The Tam O’Shanter is Los Angeles’ oldest restaurant, operated by the same family in the same location since 1922. Offering the traditional charm and coziness of a Highland inn, the restaurant is housed in a Tudor-style building, complete with Scottish tartans, comfy booths & chairs, and plaid-clad waitstaff. The Thanksgiving menu features Holiday Roasted Turkey Dinner with mashed Idaho® potatoes, traditional stuffing, sautéed market vegetables, candied cranberries, and turkey gravy. You can also order your Thanksgiving Dinner To Go.
Lawry’s The Prime Rib 100 La Cienega Blvd. Beverly Hills, CA 90211
Lawry’s The Prime Rib is a legendary steakhouse presenting classic elegance, warm hospitality, exceptional service, and award-winning food since 1938. Lawry’s is offering Thanksgiving Dinners to Go, featuring Turkey Breast served with Lawry’s Salad, Vintage Dressing On The Side, Creamed Spinach, Creamed Corn, Mashed Potatoes, Turkey Gravy, Stuffing, Cranberry Sauce, and Sourdough Bread. You can also dine in person on Turkey Day, but reservations are going fast!
Ready to talk turkey? Ask Alexa. With the Butterball Skill for Amazon Alexa, Butterball Turkey Talk-Line experts will help you host like a boss with turkey preparation how-tos, tips, and recipe inspiration. Butterball Turkey Talk-Line experts are poultry pros that have been giving sage advice for years, and they’re here to help you put a little swagger in your stuffing! If you own an Echo Show, the Butterball skill will also cue up short how-to videos that make it easy to choose, thaw, roast, stuff and carve a turkey. They’ll even show you where to place a meat thermometer, and give you a pep talk to boot!
How to Make the Perfect Cheese Board
There’s nothing quite like a festive cheese board to set the mood for your holiday dinner! Sunset magazine has some great ideas on how to make the perfect cheese board from Sophie Speer, “gathering board” expert and owner of Ripen Co. in Oakland. Some of her tips for getting it right include narrowing cheese selections down to a few favorites, choosing local charcuteries that double as conversation starters, and adding colorful fruits and flowers for an elegant and appetizing presentation.
Larchmont Village Wine, Spirits & Cheese 223 N Larchmont Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90004
Enhance your Thanksgiving feast with gourmet goodies from Larchmont Village Wine, Spirits & Cheese. This family-owned and operated full-service deli offers artisan-made cheeses and meats from around the world, as well as imported oils, vinegars, condiments, chocolates, candies, crackers, caviar, chips, authentic sodas in glass bottles, and teas. Their baguettes and ciabatta breads are baked fresh daily, and you’ll find a carefully curated selection of wine, spirits, and beers.
Plant-based recipes for Thanksgiving
For most of us, Thanksgiving dinner is not complete without a turkey on the table. But if you trend toward vegetarianism, veganism or flexitarianism, luckily there are amazing plant-based dishes that you can prepare for a mouth-watering Thanksgiving feast, making it easier than ever to skip the turkey. Inhabitat, an online guide to green design ideas and innovations, offers some fresh ideas for main dishes that will replace the turkey on your table, plus some sides and dessert ideas that will keep the food at your celebration completely plant-based.
Nov 27 Trot before you feast, and help fundraise for The Midnight Mission. The 13th Annual Turkey Trot Los Angeles offers a 5k, 10k, Widdle Wobble, and One Mile Dog Jog on Thanksgiving morning, with a post-event festival located in Grand Park. See Los Angeles like you’ve never seen it before! Imagine no morning traffic while you run past the world-famous Disney Concert Hall, Broad Museum, Museum of Contemporary Art, and down historic Spring Street, one of the oldest streets in the city.
St. Vincent Meals on Wheels prepares and delivers nutritious meals to homebound seniors and other vulnerable residents across Los Angeles, regardless of age, illness, disability, race, religion or ability to pay. Every meal meets or exceeds all federal and local nutritional standards and is high in fiber and low in sugar. Clients receive special meals tailored to their medical protocols, including low-sodium, renal for kidney patients, and low-vitamin K for heart patients. They also cater to clients’ personal preferences, including vegetarian meals. Donate now and triple your impact!
Dec 2 GivingTuesday is a global movement unleashing the power of radical generosity. GivingTuesday was created in 2012 as a simple idea: a day that encourages people to do good. Since then, it has grown into a year-round global movement that inspires hundreds of millions of people to give, collaborate, and celebrate generosity. Whether it’s making someone smile, helping a neighbor or stranger out, showing up for an issue we care about, or giving some of what we have to those who need our help, every act of generosity counts and everyone has something to contribute toward building a better world.
Photo credits:
Photo #1: Butterball
Photo #2: Openaire
Photo #3: Taylor’s Steak House
Photo #4: The Tam O’Shanter
Photo #5: Lawry’s The Prime Rib
Photo #6: Butterball
Photo #7: Sunset Magazine
Photo #8: Larchmont Village Wine, Spirits & Cheese
Photo #9: Inhabitat
Photo #10: Turkey Trot LA
Photo #11: St. Vincent Meals on Wheels
Photo #12: GivingTuesday