It's nearly impossible to believe it, but Thanksgiving is just a couple of weeks away. As always, you can shop for days, spend hundreds of dollars, and still never get that damn bird right (how could it possibly be both dry and raw?).
Or you can take the family out to one of the many restaurants serving special holiday dinners. From traditional turkey and stuffing to not-so-traditional turducken (yes!), there's a holiday dinner for every style and budget.
See also: Jugofresh Offering Vegan Pies for Thanksgiving
15th & Vine Kitchen and Bar at the Viceroy Miami
A special Thanksgiving lunch and dinner are planned. The dinner, served family-style, includes a roasted beet and calabaza salad, jerk-roasted turkey roulade, boniato gnocchi, carnitas and Brussels sprouts, yuca mojo mash, mofongo dressing, Florida citrus compote, and cheesy biscuits. Desserts include pumpkin flan with mango coulis and apple pie with Devonshire sweet cream. Dinner costs $65 per person; lunch is $35 per person (tax and gratuity not included). Reservations are required and can be made by calling 305-503-0373.
BLT Prime at Trump National Doral Miami
Enjoy Thanksgiving with a view of the greens. A three-course holiday brunch, served from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., is priced at $75 per person (excluding beverages, tax, and gratuity). Offerings include celery root soup with Honeycrisp apples, chestnuts, and sage; kabocha squash risotto with pumpkin seeds, Pecorino, and saffron; or gem salad with parsnips, squash, and cider vinaigrette. Main-course selections include roast turkey with chestnut-sausage stuffing, cranberry-grenadine sauce, and rosemary gravy; dry-aged roast prime rib with confit garlic jus and caramelized onion bread pudding; or striped bass with Brussels sprouts, kohlrabi, and cranberry. For dessert there's cranberry spiced bread pudding with walnuts and cranberry coulis; pumpkin tart; maple ice cream; or velvet chocolate rocky road with vanilla anglaise and hazelnuts. For reservations, call 305-591-6606.
Bianca will serve Thanksgiving dinner with an Italian twist. The three-course menu, created by chef Luciano Sautto, starts with your choice of fregola con vongole e cozze (fregola pasta, steamed clams and mussels, and saffron brodo) or roasted delicata squash with homemade ricotta, Italian greens, and toasted pumpkin seeds. For an entrée, there's boneless roasted organic turkey with Italian herbs, bourbon gravy, and candied sweet potato or bistecca alla fiorentina -- a 26-ounce T-bone steak that's marinated with garlic and herbs and served with roasted elephant garlic and truffle mashed potatoes. For dessert, there's pecan and pumpkin pie with fior di latte gelato. Dinner is served from 7 to 11 p.m. and costs $65 per person. For reservations, call 305-674-5752.
Chef Jason Pringle will host a traditional three-course Thanksgiving dinner that includes roast turkey, cornbread stuffing, citrus cranberry marmalade, and all the trimmings. Plus, each guest will be sent home with a complimentary turkey sandwich to enjoy the following day. Served from noon to 8 p.m., dinner costs $60 for adults and $35 for kids 12 and younger (excluding tax and gratuity).
Kendall residents need not venture to the Beach when there's a lavish Thanksgiving buffet served right in their backyard. From 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., Devon Seafood + Steak will offer a spread that includes a carving station with roast turkey; maple-glazed ham with honey wine sauce; slow-roasted prime rib with horseradish cream; cold seafood featuring oysters on the half-shell; assorted smoked fish and cocktail shrimp with traditional garnishes; baked butternut squash casserole; whipped sweet potatoes; French green beans; and roasted beet salad. All items are accompanied by cornbread and sausage dressing; giblet gravy; and cranberry and orange relish. Desserts include pumpkin and pecan pies, carrot cake, truffle cake, assorted tarts, and cookies. The special Thanksgiving buffet costs $36 for adults and $18 for kids 12 and younger; children under 3 eat free (tax, gratuity, and beverages are not included). Call 305-275-0226 for reservations.
Chef de cuisine Conor Hanlon will make the most awesome of holiday dishes: the turducken. The family-style meal will also include confit turkey leg stuffing, spiced butternut squash, cranberry-walnut chutney, and classic gravy. For dessert, choose pumpkin pie with cinnamon cream and cranberry sorbet or warm apple crumb pie with caramel sauce and rum-raisin ice cream. The turducken dinner is served from noon to 9 p.m. and costs $55 per person (excluding beverages, tax, and gratuity). Reservations are required and can be made by calling 305-938-3111.
Florida Cookery at James Royal Palm
Enjoy a Thanksgiving plate or buffet, each $45 per person (excluding tax and gratuity). The plate includes smoked turkey breast and a turkey confit leg with sage gravy, cranberry relish, green beans, sausage stuffing, whipped potatoes, and goat's cheese and macaroni gratin. Of course, there'll be pumpkin pie à la mode for dessert. The buffet option includes a carving station, sides, and desserts. Kids can decorate their own cookies. Thanksgiving brunch is served from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., and reservations can be made by calling 305-276-0333.
Ikra Restaurant and Lounge
This Sunny Isles restaurant located at 16850 Collins Ave. will serve an international Thanksgiving feast with many options. For $75 per person, guests will enjoy appetizers of pumpkin soup in a bread bowl topped with pumpkin seeds, a cold cut platter that includes homemade ham and tongue, a duo of smoked salmon and gravlax, sautéed potatoes, caprese salad, pickled tomato & cucumber, herring Napoleon, arugula salad, and eggplant salad. Entrees include a sliced NY strip served with grilled vegetables and turkey with green bean casserole. There's pumpkin pie and a fruit platter for dessert. Each dinner comes with a complimentary Thanksgiving-themed cocktail, and the restaurant will feature live entertainment by Mischa Botsman and music by Johan throughout the night. Dinner is served at 7 p.m. For reservations, call 305-974-0081.
The South Beach location of Il Mulino offers a Thanksgiving dinner for $50 per person that includes an appetizer of fresh mozzarella with grilled vegetables. For an entrée, there's roast turkey with natural juices, chestnut stuffing with sausage, and green beans marinara. Finish with pumpkin cheesecake accompanied by American coffee and tea. Dinner is served from 5:30 to 11 p.m.
Kitchen 305
Executive Chef Julius Brown is serving an extensive Thanksgiving buffet for $39 per person. Starters include cold bar items like heirloom tomatoes; European cucumbers; Greek olives; feta cheese; Polynesian Hearts of Palm; Sicilian olive salad, artichoke hearts in lemon yogurt dressing with tomatoes; Italian pasta salad; imported, artisanal domestic cheeses; cured meats' seasonal berries; an old-world olive bar and crusty, fresh breads. A carving station offers oven-roasted turkey, with giblet gravy and cranberry tangerine compote; clove-studded Smithfield ham, glazed with maple, brown sugar; roasted prime rib, with horseradish mousseline and savory farm-raised salmon topped with tomato, dilled doria sauce and caviar. Sides include seven grain wild rice with forest mushrooms; freshly whipped Idaho potatoes and turnips; French cut green beans and caramelized pearl onions, apple cured bacon and walnuts; spicy Andouille sausage and oyster corn bread stuffing; herbed sage and chestnut stuffing; toffee candied yams in a pecan glaze and maple-glazed root vegetables. Desserts include pumpkin pie; chocolate chip pecan pie; wild cherry strudel; black forest cake; key lime pie; milk and white chocolate mousse; and a fresh fruit display garnished with berries. For reservations, call 305-749-2110.
Thanksgiving dinner starts with your choice of pumpkin bisque; roasted blue point oysters with brie, spinach, and lemon dust; or pan seared crab cake. A salad featuring Redland mixed greens is followed by roasted Carolina turkey with cornbread, wheat berry stuffing, and pan gravy. Sides for the table include maple roasted yams, whipped potatoes, asparagus, and Italian sausage stuffing. Desserts, served family style, include pumpkin panna cotta, pecan squares, and pumpkin pie shortbread. Dinner is $75 per person (excluding tax and gratuities).
Meat Market serves Thanksgiving specials a la carte. Chef Sean Brasel's menu includes a Bell and Evans fresh turkey leg roulade stuffed with black rye, walnut, chorizo, fennel with fresh cranberry gastric, cranberry and peach chutney, duck fat fried doughnut and crispy kale ($32); a wood-grilled Bell and Evans bourbon and vanilla marinated sous vide turkey breast with sweet potato aji Amarillo puree, braised kale and sweet tomato marmalade ($35); and a mixed grill that includes the turkey leg, sous vide breast, and an Australian lamb loin crusted with apricot mustard, brioche mint crumbs, toasted wild grain, kale salad and Laura Chenel goat cheese ($42). A seasonal Jack Daniels caramel pecan tartlet with candied pumpkin ice cream and vanilla crema ($12) rounds out the meal. For reservations, call 305-532-0088.
Michael Mina 74 at the Fontainebleau Miami Beach
Michael Mina's first Fontainebleau restaurant will offer a three-course prix fixe menu at $75 per person from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. Items include pumpkin risotto, followed by a traditional Thanksgiving roasted turkey dinner featuring a chestnut and mortadella stuffed turkey leg, sweet potato gratin, cranberry relish and honey cardamom jus. To finish off the meal, there's a pumpkin panna cotta with espresso cake, cranberry sauce and cinnamon ice cream. For reservations, call 877-326-7412.
Kris Wessel is serving up a locavore Thanksgiving at oolite from 5 - 11 p.m. For $37.99, choose three courses and a side dish, or order a la carte. Starters include oyster pie on a bed of creole spinach ($11); wild mushroom & dried cranberry salad with toasted walnuts & goat cheese ($10); hearty pumpkin soup with pecan milk cream ($8); or spicy barbecue shrimp ($12). Entrees include thyme and butter roasted & smoked Joyce farms turkey with giblet gravy ($19); snapper enciendido pan sautéed with heirloom tomatoes, guajillo peppers & green chayote ($22); cracked peppercorn Hanger steak, malbar spinach & crumbled gorgonzola cheese ($23); or tamarind orange rotisserie duck with roasted boniato and allspice ($22). Desserts ($9) include warm southern pecan pie; key lime pie; or bourbon flourless chocolate cake with persimmons. Sides ($5) include wild rice pilaf; spinach artichoke cassarole; three squash hash; kale cauliflower gratinee; or steamed greens.
The Lincoln Road restaurant is serving a three-course Thanksgiving dinner, priced at $65 per person (excluding beverages, tax and gratuity). Start with a choice of crispy pancetta salad with baby Boston lettuce, grape tomatoes, candied walnuts and Blu del Moncenisio dressing or fontina fondue with quail egg and Altamura bread crostini. For the main course, there's turkey breast stuffed with focaccia, Italian sausage and pistachio and served with sage mashed potatoes, multicolor cauliflower gratin and homemade gravy; or a t-bone of lamb with pumpkin mashed potatoes and beech mushroom demiglaze. End the meal with pumpkin tart, topped with dry fruit marmalade and nougat gelato. Dinner is served from 4 to 11 p.m. and reservations can be made by calling 305-531-4833.
Scarpetta at the Fontainebleau Miami Beach
The Italian eatery will offer a four-course dinner for $75 per person from 6 - 10 p.m. that includes smoked foie gras with roasted celery, pickled squash and barberries followed by braised rabbit cavatelli with carrot, porcini and aged goat cheese. For the piatti course, diners can choose between seared diver sea scallops with braised endive, creamy polenta, baby fennel and blood orange jus or roasted turkey leg porchetta with focaccia stuffing and cranberry sage dressing. Dessert will feature a pear crostata with spiced caramel, toasted almond and house-made vanilla gelato.
Stripsteak at the Fontainebleau Miami Beach
Michael Mina's newest restaurant, Stripsteak, is offering a Thanksgiving brunch for $65 per person from noon to 4 p.m.
Celebrate Thanksgiving with a Japanese and Brazilian twist at Sushi Samba Coral Gables. Starting at 5 p.m., enjoy special a la carte items like mojo roasted organic turkey with inguica quinoa stuffing and crispy brussels sprouts, or braised short rib gyoza with kabocha purée, red shiso leaf, and smoked ginger soy. Call 305-448-4990 for reservations.
Terrazza's special menu includes your choice of turkey roulade and confit or traditional roasted turkey. There's also roasted butternut squash soup, kale salad, bread stuffing, Yukon gold mashed potatoes, and jalapeno cornbread. For dessert, choose pumlpik pie or butternut squash bread pudding. Holiday lunch is served from 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.; dinner is served from 7 to 11 p.m. and is $49 per person (plus tax and gratuity). In addition, a regular a la carte menu is available.
Toscana Divino is serving a classic Thanksgiving day meal with an Italian twist all day from noon to 11 p.m. The three course meal includes antipasti for the table of mixed green salad; beet and goat cheese arancini; tagliere of prroscuitto, salame fFinocchiona, and burratta. A traditional roast turkey dinner with all the trimmings follows, including sage apple stuffing, potato puree, Brussels sprouts, pumpkin gnocchi, gravy, and cranberry sauce. For dessert, there's pumpkin pie with spiced creme anglaise. Dinner is $55 per person and an optional wine pairing is $29. A live jazz band plays from 7 p.m.
Traymore Restaurant & Bar at Metropolitan by COMO
Executive chef Jonathan Lane is hosting a three-course Thanksgiving menu, priced at $75 per person (excluding tax and gratuity). Start with autumn squash soup and Key West shrimp croquettes or frisee and mache salad with Florida citrus, poached apples, and candied pecans; second course offers a choice of slow roasted free-range turkey with root vegetables, stuffing, and whipped Yukon potatoes or horseradish crusted Faroe Island salmon with braised lentils and smoked bacon, or USDA Prime beef tenderloin with Yukon potato and porcini mushrooms. Add seared foie gras for an additional $18. For dessert, there's Floridian orange macaron and pumpkin ice cream. Call 305-695-3555 for reservations.
Follow Laine Doss on Twitter @LaineDoss and Facebook.
Follow Short Order on Facebook, Twitter @Short_Order, and Instagram @ShortOrder.
