By Candice Coleman
It’s high time to talk turkey and I’ve got plenty of breaking “chews” you’re guaranteed to gobble up!
Don’t want to cook? Don’t stress! You can celebrate and give thanks with a feast from local businesses and restaurants. Here are a few faves you might like:
Botanica, the just-opened nuovo Italian restaurant in Wildwood, is offering a variety of Southern take-and-bake sides and dessert by executive chef Ben Welch. Thanksgiving sides and desserts serve four ($13) and/or eight ($25), and include Baked Mac-n-Cheese; Collard Greens with Smoked Ham Hocks; Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Preserved Lemon Aioli and Parmesan; and Butter Lettuce Salad with Rapini, Fennel, Green Goddess Dressing and Toasted Almonds. Buttermilk biscuits with pimento cheese are also available (six for $30, 12 for $55), as well as Peach Cobbler (12 servings for $50). Guests can pre-order online here until Thursday, Nov. 18, with pickup on Wednesday, Nov. 24, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The Lucky Accomplice, the eatery located on South Jefferson Avenue in Fox Park with a playful and explorative approach to food, is offering a la carte Thanksgiving to-go pre-orders, including mains, sides and dessert for two. The main offerings include: Herb Roasted Turkey Breast with Gravy ($25), Roasted Pork Collar with Malt Soy Glaze ($25), Confit Turkey Thigh with Gravy ($21), and Smoked Cabbage with Yogurt and Dill Sauce ($18). Side offerings include interesting takes on classic dishes, such as a Creamy Bean Casserole ($13) with maitakes, breadcrumbs and lemon zest; Sourdough Stuffing ($11) with root vegetables, cream of celery root and parsley; and Roasted Sweet Potatoes ($15) with a maple & chile glaze and white sesame seeds, among others. For dessert, there’s Pumpkin Ice Cream Bars ($6 for two bars). Guests can pre-order The Lucky Accomplice’s a la carte Thanksgiving offerings online until Thursday, Nov. 18 at 3 p.m., for pickup on Wednesday, Nov. 24, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Celebrating with friends? Juniper is now offering “Friendsgiving” at the restaurant’s private dining room every Wednesday through Saturday in November! Gather with your best buds and choose from two menu options, either $45 per person for family style, or $55 for a plated dinner. Book Juniper’s Friendsgiving experience online via Time to Disco.
Café la Vie (inside downtown Clayton’s Le Méridien hotel) is offering two ways to celebrate Thanksgiving, including a to-go package and a personal plate for in-person dining. The Thanksgiving To-Go Package ($175) feeds up to four people with brined roasted turkey breast, roasted garlic pomme rouge puree, fine herb brioche stuffing, cranberry sauce, roasted Brussels sprouts, poultry gravy, ciabatta dinner rolls, and one 10-inch pumpkin pie. The Thanksgiving Plate ($42 per person), which consists of serving-size portions of the above items, is available all day (11 a.m. to 10:30 p.m.) on Thanksgiving Day for in-person dining at the restaurant. Café la Vie’s lunch and dinner menus are also available that day. Orders for the Thanksgiving To-Go Package must be placed by Saturday, Nov. 20, for pickup on Wednesday, Nov. 24, between noon and 10 p.m.
Café la Vie is also offering an elevated, traditional Hanukkah take-and-bake meal. The $140 package serves four people, and includes matzo ball soup, latkes with spiced apple chutney, sufganiyot and chocolate gelt, along with savory braised beef brisket in roasted garlic au jus. Orders must be placed by Saturday, Nov. 20, for pick up the day before the first night of Hanukkah on Saturday, Nov. 27, from noon to 10 p.m. Orders for Thanksgiving and Hanukkah are available through OpenTable or by calling (314) 863-0400.
Already thinking of dessert? Serendipity Homemade Ice Cream’s holiday Bon Bons are guaranteed to make any Elf on a Shelf or Mensch on a Bench dive in and devour with delight! Chanukah box sets include three coffee, three cinnamon, three vanilla and three chocolate ice cream bon bons topped with sprinkles. Christmas-themed boxes (available beginning Nov. 16) include three peppermint, three cinnamon, three vanilla and three chocolate ice cream bon bons with red, white and green sprinkles. Each holiday box contains 12 pieces ($20). Serendipity’s Thanksgiving ice-cream pies (single scoop and double bird’s nest varities) are also back by popular demand, as well as the Irish Coffee, Hot Toddy and Dirty Snowman cocktails.
And because Thanksgiving is all about giving back…
Schlafly Beer has announced the return of its “Cans for Cans” program, a food drive initiative for the holiday giving season to benefit St. Louis Area Foodbank. From now until Nov. 30, guests 21 and older can donate two non-perishable canned goods to the Schlafly Tap Room in downtown St. Louis, Schlafly Bottleworks in Maplewood or Schlafly Bankside in St. Charles and receive one can of Schlafly beer (up to 12 donated canned foods per visit). Last year, Schlafly donated 3,555 pounds of food, thanks to the St. Louis community and it continued support of the Cans for Cans program.
Like a good neighbor, Soulcial Kitchen is proving its mission of helping Metro East hungry neighbors in need by launching its “Love Thy Neighbor” initiative. Love Thy Neighbor involves Metro East businesses sponsoring one of Soulcial Kitchen’s branded food trucks, enabling Soulcial Kitchen to enter an underserved, vulnerable neighborhood in need, consequently offering 100 free hot and nutritious meals to impact the area’s most food insecure or support one of the many local nonprofits serving on the front lines. Last week, Blue Stingray Custom Software became the first company to partner with Soulcial Kitchen to empower ‘Call for Help,’ a St. Clair County organization offering free and confidential counseling services for victims of sexual assault. Based in Swansea, Illinois, Soulcial Kitchen is a multi-brand virtual kitchen platform with its own organic fleet of branded food trucks, a food truck garden, a dog park and a sit down restaurant and bar. Learn more about Soulcial Kitchen and its programs here.
Retreat Gastropub in the Central West End has announced a giveback initiative to support the American Diabetes Association for National Diabetes Month in November. Last year, executive chef Lamont McCurry was diagnosed with diabetes at age 33. Since receiving the diagnosis, he has committed to substantial lifestyle changes, ranging from dietary modifications to an increase in exercise. This month, McCurry is showcasing a diabetic-friendly Veggie Stir Fry ($18). The Veggie Stir Fry has sautéed broccolini, red bell pepper, onion, mushroom and rice, seasoned with tamari (a gluten-free, richer soy sauce), garlic, ginger and scallions. With each dish sold, $2 will be donated to American Diabetes Association. By highlighting a dish on the menu for a diabetic diet, McCurry hopes to raise awareness of the disease that affects one in 10 people in the United States.
November is also National Adoption Month, and all month, Mission Taco Joint is supporting the Family First program by donating $1 for every kid’s meal sold in November to the Foster & Adoptive Care Coalition. Kids’ meals include Chicken Fingers, Cheese Quesadilla, Kids Burrito or Fish & Fries for $5 each. Dine-in and online orders will are included in the giveback. Mission Taco co-owned Adam Tilford sits on the board of the Foster & Adoptive Care Coalition and has an adopted son.
Happy Thanksgiving to all… and to all, a good bite!
