Sure, you could spend this Thanksgiving cozied up on the couch with a beautiful spread of classic dishes - turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes - while watching A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving for the third time. And if you’re looking for classic Thanksgiving foods, we’ve got a whole list of local spots where you can get exactly that. But Thanksgiving food doesn’t have to last just one day followed by a week of leftovers. Maybe you’re bored of the classics and want to take down a panko-breaded and fried turkey and stuffing sandwich covered in cranberry yuzu mayo and glazed brussels sprouts. If you have that oddly-specific craving, we’ve got just the spots. Here are five really unique ways to celebrate the days leading up to Thanksgiving.
The Spots
If you’re a fan of the classic banana split, you’re going to love this concoction that Leroy & Lewis has come up with. It’s exactly like a banana split, but with turkey-and-pork sausage in place of bananas, and giant scoops of mashed potatoes where the ice cream should be. And sprinkles? How about a nice sprinkle of rosemary. OK, it’s nothing like a banana split, other than in general shape and size. But don’t let that stop you from “eating it quickly before it melts.” It’s only available on 11/25 so get your pre-orders in now.
Remember that panko-breaded and fried turkey and stuffing sandwich we mentioned earlier? It’s real, and you can get it at Spicy Boys. It’s perfect for when you want to get all those Thanksgiving flavors in one package, without the hassle of “forks” and “knives.” The patty is made up of confit turkey legs, fall-spiced gravy, and roasted veggies before being covered in panko breadcrumbs and deep-fried. It has a beautiful coat of cranberry yuzu mayo on top, and glazed brussels sprouts where the lettuce should be (can we make that a new sandwich staple?). It’s basically one of those late-night drunken ideas you’ve maybe heard or said, come to life. This one’s available now through Thanksgiving.
Bao'd Up
At all four Bao’d Up locations you’ll be able to grab a full Thanksgiving feast, but in bao form. That means you can eat little fluffy pillows filled with turkey and potatoes all afternoon before finishing up with a pumpkin pie bao and a pumpkin spice boba tea. Has science gone too far? You’ll have to try it and let us know. Turkey baos and pumpkin pie baos are available starting 11/16 through the end of the year.
The folks at TLV make some of our favorite hummus in town, and for Thanksgiving they’ll be doing a special “Middle Eastern Thanksgiving feast” complete with kabocha squash hummus with tahini and pomegranate, and grilled brussels sprouts with lamb “lardons.” But the real star of the show is the turkey shawarma. It comes with pita, schug, tahini, pickles, and a tangy mango amba. Unlike some of the others on this list, if you want to get your hands on that turkey shawarma you’ll be looking at a bit more of a commitment. You’ll need to purchase a kit for two or for four, but it’s packed full of enough interesting sides that we don’t think you’ll face much regret. You’ll be able to get this on 11/25 with pre-orders open now.
Aba Austin
Over at the newly opened Aba, you’ll be able to keep the Mediterranean train rolling with a Thanksgiving feast for 2, 4, or 6. The set menu mostly features a variety of Mediterranean and Thanksgiving classics without much fusion, with one notable exception - pumpkin hummus. We’re not really sure what to eat this with, but it’s probably just as good with some carrots as it is with their house-made pita. This menu will be available on 11/24 and 11/25 with pre-orders open now.
