Why cook for Thanksgiving? Go out to a restaurant!

• Flickr: Steve Bott
• A home-cooked Thanksgiving meal is delightful, but some of us prefer letting a restaurant do all the work.

Thanksgiving is just 10 days away. For some of us, that means actually taking on the task of hosting an entire holiday meal (I’ve done it — but never again) or preparing a side dish or a dessert to take along to the home of a relative or a friend who is gracious enough to host a family gathering.

And then there’s the less ambitious types, who prefer making reservations to making Waldorf salad. The problem is that not as many restaurants as you might think are actually open on November 24. The casino buffets are always serving, of course, and several hotel dining rooms. Fat City has a cornucopia of tasty suggestions for places that are most assuredly open and serving on Thanksgiving. In most cases, advance reservations are required.

The Shields Manor Bistro in the Northland (121 Main, Platte City) is serving Thanksgiving dinner from noon to 7 p.m. November 24. Reservations are required by calling 816-858-5557. The meal is priced at $28 per person and includes turkey and dressing, mashed potatoes and gravy, sweet potatoes, cranberry-pecan relish, country green beans, buttered corn and home-baked bread. Desserts are available for an additional charge.