Here is a list of a few downtown restaurants that will be open on Thanksgiving, should you be planning on dining out:
Alfreds on Beale: Opening at 5pm
Grill 83 in the Madison Hotel - open 11 am - 10 pm. Reservations 901-333-1224.
Thanksgiving At the Peabody: Thanksgiving Champagne Brunch, on the Mezzanine level, 10:00am to 2:00 pm, adults $50.00, children 12yrs to 5yrs, $20.00. 901.529.4165.
Bardog Tavern: We will be open from 5PM-3AM.
BB King's: Open at 5:00pm on Thanksgiving evening and will be open until at least midnight.
Chez Philippe in the Peabody Hotel: Thanksgiving Prix Fix Dinner, 3:00pm, $75.00 per person 901.529.4188.
Capriccio Grill in the Peabody Hotel: Regular menu available, as well as special 3 course dinner for $35.00 per person, Serving from 11:00am to 10:00pm 901.529.4199.
Flying Saucer: Open Downtown @ 5pm.
Currents: Fine dining restaurant in the River Inn on Harbor Town will be open 11 am to 8 pm.
Some of the offerings may seem a bit pricey to some people and I imagine those people have never had to:
1. Plan the meal
2. Do all the shopping (this always requires trips to multiple places)
3. Get the house ready (and the unending tasks that alone entails)
4. Cook the turkey in whatever manner you subscribe to - this could take several hours or overnight
5. Prepare all the appetizers (see below)
6. Prepare all the side dishes
7. Prepare something totally separate for a guest with particular food requirements (see below)
8. Prepare the desserts/coffee
9. Clean everything up
$75 sounds like a bargain now doesn't it?
#5 - The appetizers. Some well meaning soul will always volunteer to bring an appetizer. Great! You are in the kitchen painstakingly making 35 dishes from scratch, using the most expensive ingredients and trying to decipher family recipes written down 30 years ago on now yellowing notebook paper. But this is Thanksgiving and it's the one time when the meal is supposed to be special and important. At least you think it is. When the appetizer maker shows up, you rush to door with bay leaves in your hair and sweat on your brow from standing over 150 simmering pots and pans in the kitchen, you greet them and are happy to usher them into kitchen and receive their dish. You are nonplussed as they pull out a can, jar, or package of something and start arranging it (could be anything like pickles, saltines, nuts, Vienna sausage, olives, hearts of palm, marshmallows, sardines, etc.) on some plate apparently in use since the Civil War that has been chipped one too many times. Or better yet they ask you if you have a serving dish.
#7 - Special Food Requirements. I used to date a vegetarian. He was cool and would eat anything on the table as long as it wasn't meat. Fine. But this was something my grandmother couldn't understand. As we sat down and started to eat she, as all grandmothers are, was concerned that everyone should have enough of everything. She noticed right away that the boyfriend did not have any turkey and started to serve him some. He stopped her and said "Thank you, it looks great but I don't eat meat." She looked slightly bewildered and after a few seconds retorted, "This isn't meat, it's turkey." This was a "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" moment for sure except that in the movie the aunt offered to make Ian Miller lamb instead of "meat".:
4 comments:
Michelle,
As a corollary to #5, I've always loved the arrival of four different casseroles that require different temperatures at Bake, as well as one that requires a few minutes under the broiler. Meanwhile, the oven is full with a turkey that you're desperately hoping to serve at peak juiciness.
Cheers,
Benito
Benito,
Indeed, the parade of casseroles does throw a monkey wrench into the process. It's funny how some of the appetizer offerings end up in those casseroles.
Don't forget the E&H post Turkey day party with jello shots, DJ Bobby and a small cover charge that goes to charity. I will get you a flyer so you can pub it!
CT - Grazie!
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