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Bored with schlepping over the river and through the woods? Try a real Thanksgiving treat: dinner out. Here are our favorite Turkey Day offerings, from soup to nuts to the just plain nuts.
NEW YORK
Go for the Gravy: Palm Court, The Plaza Hotel, (212) 546-5350. Celebrate Thanksgiving with an opulence only New York's premier hotel can provide. The fixed-price smorgasbord ($60) features roast turkey with chestnut stuffing and singing chefs as an accompaniment. For a great capper, stroll down Fifth Avenue.
Trippy and Bountiful: Restaurant Florent, (212) 989-5779. Open 24 hours, this fixture of downtown Manhattan makes dining as buoyant as Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade. Linguine with lobster, red snapper, and, yes, the maitre d' is dressed as Pocahontas.
CHICAGO
Go for the Gravy: Seasons Restaurant, the Four Seasons Hotel, (312) 280-8800. The day is about bounty, and excess rules at Seasons, which will double the offerings of its extravagant Sunday meals. Rack of lamb, home-smoked salmon, and, for purists, turkey and fixin's.
Trippy and Bountiful: Ann Sather, (312) 348-2378. The North Shore's homiest brunchery trots out a new holiday menu. Enjoy luscious cinnamon rolls and get a hold of a great Swedish home-cooked turkey dinner -- for just $11.95.
MIAMI
Go for the Gravy: Gigi's, (561) 368-4488. Open since September, this French bistro is younger than your turkey, and serving up a fancy four-course feast: chestnut bisque, herb roasted turkey, pumpkin croissant pudding, and -- clean that plate! -- eggnog ice cream.
Trippy and Bountiful: Lulu's, (305) 532-6147. Miami's beach mavens rave about the cookin' at this Elvis-themed soul-food spot, which will offer its special of roast turkey for $10.95, plus heaps of Southern comfort food: home-cooked cornbread, sweet potato soup, and blackeyed peas.
DALLAS
Go for the Gravy: The Mansion on Turtle Creek, (214) 559-2100. Tucked into cotton magnate Sheppard King's old spread, this gold standard restaurant boasts cranberry jalapeno relish, sassafras-smoked pheasant, and sugarcane-broiled salmon. Or pack an overnighter -- the Mansion has 127 hotel rooms ($215-$295 on Thanksgiving night).
Trippy and Bountiful: Yegua Creek Brewing Company, (214) 824-2739. Dallas' love of food and football come together in this pub, which will serve its popular Cajun fried turkey, garlic mashed potatoes, and blue corn and pecan dressing for $9.95. The draw for Cowboy fans: America's team will be cheered on a big-screen TV.
LOS ANGELES
Go for the Gravy: The Terrace Restaurant, the Ritz-Carlton, (310) 823-1700. Celebrate in style and sunshine at this Marina del Rey locale that offers chestnut stuffing, tenderloin, and calvados parfait with caramelized apples. Or eat on the beach with take-out that feeds up to eight for $80.
Trippy and Bountiful: The Rainbow Bar and Grill, (310) 278-4232. A West Hollywood fave with a stellar all-you-can-eat turkey epic (running until 2 a.m.), for an un-L.A. $11.95.
-- Reported by Jason Cochran, Debbie Rigaud, and Daneet Steffens
