Some of us will travel to family for Thanksgiving this year, some will have family visit us, some will hunker down with friends and some of us… well, even if you don’t cook or have dear ones close by, you can enjoy all the traditional fixin’s of a Thanksgiving feast. (You can or course fake-cook your own party with sides like whipped potatoes, garlic green beans, honey-butter biscuits and mac-and-brie from Street’s Fine Chicken.)
The first Friendsgiving of the season is a late-night dinner and cocktail party this Friday, Nov. 22. Kicking off at 9 with drinks and hors d’oeuvres, with dinner starting at 9:30 p.m., Fearing’s chef Mike Matis teams with Andrea Shackelford of Harvest Season Kitchen in McKinney for a special five-course meal with beverage pairings inside Fearing’s at the Ritz-Carlton. $95/person.
Then on Nov. 26, the CANVAS Hotel hosts its “chef’s palette Friendsgiving without the work” with a spread that includes sweet pototo popovers, cajun smoked turkey sliders and mini pumpkins pies. And why not show up in your pajamas? Food is served 7–9 p.m., but the drinks flow until 11 p.m. $40.
The night before Thanksgiving, Deep Ellum’s Punch Bowl Social hosts what it calls Funsgiving where it invites friends to come out, socialize, drink punch (pictured), bowl a few games and enjoy the last time their pants will fit for a week.
Finally, on Thanksgiving Day itself, a few area restaurants will be there for you. Stephan Pyles’ Flora Street Cafe will be open 11 a.m.–3 p.m. for a three-course family-style dinner highlighting modern Texas cuisine. $75 adults, $35 for 12 and under. Perle on Maple has its own three-course menu that includes butternut squash soup, roasted turkey and Granny Smith apple crisp for $50/person, with seatings from 11 a.m.–2 p.m. and 5–10 p.m. Likewise, CBD Provisions will have two seatings (10 a.m.–3 p.m., 4 –9 p.m.) for those craving acorn squash veloute, sweet potato casserole or pimento cheese toast.
And if you’re an active duty first responder, civil servant or veteran, The Statler Hotel has teamed with Operation Forever Free for a complimentary Thanksgiving for Your Service meat from noon to 3 on Turkey Day.
— Arnold Wayne Jones
