Thanksgiving: where to go when you don’t want to cook

One of my favorite Thanksgiving memories dates back to my earliest years in Kansas City, when I dined by myself at a Chinese restaurant and ordered all the dishes I loved — and a few exotic cocktails. I had to take a taxi home, but that was its own pleasure. There’s nothing better than a mess of cold Szechuan beef to sober you up the next morning.

On that note, I could find only one Chinese restaurant open this Thanksgiving: the ABC Cafe at 10001 West 87th Street in Overland Park, which is open from 11:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. (If I’m missing something, please tell me in the comments.)

But plenty of other restaurants are serving meals on Thursday, November 27. In all cases, it pays to make a reservation. We’ll be updating this post frequently, but feel free to add your suggestions in the comments.

Jax Fish House & Oyster Bar, 4814 Roanoke Parkway, 816-437-7940. The six-week-old Plaza restaurant marks its first Thanksgiving on the Country Club Plaza by hosting a “Thanksgiving Stone Crab Celebration.” That means stone-crab claws served with lemon, Jax mustard sauce, whipped parsnips, red-cabbage slaw and a roll. The restaurant serves food from 4 to 10 p.m. The regular Jax Fish House menu is also offered that night as well as happy-hour food specials available all night. The crab claws cost $18 each; side dishes are a la carte.

Lidia’s Kansas City, 101 West 22nd Street, 816-221-3722. The restaurant serves from noon to 6 p.m., and reservations are still available. The meal — priced at $45 each for adults and $15 each for children — includes a family-style antipasti, a choice of a primi course (three salads or soup) and a choice of one entree from four options, including a roasted turkey breast with sausage-and-apple dressing and mashers. There’s also the pasta-tasting trio, the herb-roasted pork shoulder, and a grouper a la Matalotta. A family-style dessert platter is included with the meal.

More after the jump.

Season’s 52, 340 Ward Parkway, 816-531-0052. The full dinner menu is served all day, from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. There’s also a traditional Thanksgiving dinner, with roasted turkey, herb stuffing, Yukon Gold mashed potatoes, maple-glazed butternut squash, French green beans, house-made cranberry relish and a mini pumpkin pie. The Thanksgiving meal is priced at $26.95 per adult. 

Cooper’s Hawk Winery & Restaurant, 4686 Broadway, 816-531-1500. A traditional Thanksgiving meal will be served from 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. The meal includes roasted turkey, potatoes, pan gravy, herb stuffing, house-made cranberry sauce, and spiced pumpkin-cheesecake pie. The meal is priced at $24.99 for adults, $9.99 for children 12 and younger. 

Golden Ox, 1600 Genessee, 816-842-2866. This historic steakhouse serves some dishes from the regular menu on Thanksgiving day — the dining room is open from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. — but also offers a traditional roast-turkey dinner. Reservations are required.

Rosso at Hotel Sorella,  901 West 48th Place, 816-753-8800. The restaurant will be open Thanksgiving Day from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. but will only begin serving dinner at 5:30 p.m., offering both the regular Rosso menu and a traditional turkey dinner.  

Affare, 1911 Main, 816-298-6182. Chef-owner Martin Heuser plans a brunch menu on Thanksgiving, from 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. (During the brunch hours, that means turkey, butternut-squash soup and pumpkin pie.) Later in the day, a set four-course dinner menu will be served from 3 to 8 p.m., featuring a choice of prime rib with Yorkshire pudding or slow-roasted turkey with pork-apple-and-pretzel stuffing, Brussels sprouts, red cabbage, and kartosfel  platzchen — Heuser describes it as “a potato cookie, stuffed with bacon and onions.” The meal is priced at $48 for adults and includes a choice of dessert.

The Brasserie, Westin Crown Center Hotel, 1 Pershing Road, 816-391-4404. The lobby-level hotel restaurant is offering a holiday brunch — priced at $27 for adults, $13 for children ages 6-12, and free for children under age 6 — that includes both breakfast and lunch items along with traditional Thanksgiving choices. The brunch will feature eggs, quiche, an omelet station, pastries, a carving station with turkey and prime rib with Yorkshire pudding, a salad station, side dishes and an array of desserts.

Spectators Restaurant & Bar, Sheraton Hotel Crown Center, 816-841-1000. The mezzanine-level restaurant at the Sheraton will be open from 5 to 10 p.m. and will offer a $25 set menu that includes a choice of soup or salad, a choice of two entrees — smoked turkey or glazed pork loin — as well as side dishes and dessert (either pumpkin pie or chocolate mousse cake).

Fogo de Chao, 222 West 47th Street, 816-931-7700. The Brazilian steakhouse is serving its full churrasco menu of roasted meats, but during Thanksgiving weekend it also puts up three additional choices, including roasted turkey breast (carved by by the venue’s gaucho chefs), sweet-potato casserole and roasted seasonal vegetables.

TAKEOUT MEALS

Brookside Cosentino’s Market, 14 West 62nd Terrace, 816-523-3700. There are three holiday dinner options to choose from, all aimed to feed eight to 10 people. The deadline for ordering is Monday, November 24. The traditional turkey dinner — priced at $130 —  includes roasted turkey, a choice of three side dishes, a dozen rolls, and a choice of pie or cheesecake. The spiral-cut-ham meal, also featuring three side dishes, rolls and dessert, is $118. An herb-crusted leg of lamb, with side dishes, rolls and desserts, is $145. Meals may be picked up as late as Thanksgiving, when the store is open from 6 a.m. to 1 p.m.

The French Market, 6947 Tomahawk Road in the Prairie Village Shopping Center, 913-384-5998. Although chef Patrick Quillec has created a carry-away Thanksgiving meal for two, priced at $35, the French Market can put together meals — at an additional price — for any number of guests. His includes a sliced all-natural Amish turkey breast (antibiotic- and hormone-free) with sweet potatoes and candied pecans, traditional sage-and-celery stuffing, carrots, haricot vert with almonds, additional pan gravy, and cranberry-and-orange compote. Soups and desserts are available for an extra fee, including a pumpkin tart. Orders are being accepted for the dinners through Tuesday, November 25. Pickup starts Monday, November 24, and goes through Wednesday, November 26.

Whole Foods Market, both locations (6621 West 119th Street, 913-663-2951; or 7401 West 91st Street, 913-652-9633) are offering carryout Thanksgiving meals, including a vegan version, at various price points. Call the stores for details.

Hen House stores, all locations, are offering seven different, complete, carryout holiday-dinner options ranging in price from a holiday dinner for two at $49.99 to the Boar’s Head Grand Feast (with both turkey and sliced ham, side dishes, dinner rolls and two Tippin’s pies) for $139.99. You can read about the available meals here.