This year, we have a cornucopia of choices when it comes to eating out on Thanksgiving Day. I’ve complied a list of specials that range from freshly made juice to cakes, pies and traditional holiday meals. On the West Side,
This year, we have a cornucopia of choices when it comes to eating out on Thanksgiving Day. I’ve complied a list of specials that range from freshly made juice to cakes, pies and traditional holiday meals.
On the West Side, G’s Juice Bar in Waimea will feature three Thanksgiving specials: A juice made of organic red apples, organic carrots, local lemons and a hint of turmeric; a smoothie with almond milk, bananas, pumpkin puree, vanilla, dates, pumpkin spice and cinnamon; and the Pilgrim Bowl, a blend of bananas, pumpkin puree, cinnamon, pumpkin spice and apple juice topped with home-baked granola, organic sliced apples, maple-glazed pecans, cinnamon sprinkle and honey. G’s Juice Bar will be open for normal hours during Thanksgiving week and from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day. Call 634-4112.
In Koloa, you can dine among more than 1,200 orchids at Plantation Gardens and enjoy a Garden Isle Roast Turkey ($32.95) with house-made herb stuffing, roasted garlic mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, candied yams, local green beans turkey gravy and pumpkin pie. Call 742-2121.
Thanksgiving at Merriman’s Fish House ($68) features an ample four-course dinner showcasing locally sourced dishes. There are several selections for each course, which include Kauai Shrimp Sausage Cavatelli with Lawai Valley oyster mushrooms, house-made ricotta and Kauai Fresh Farms tomato as well as roasted fresh, organic turkey with whipped potatoes, sausage-sage stuffing, local carrots, green beans, pineapple-cranberry relish and natural gravy. Call 742-8385.
Josselin’s Tapas Bar & Grill offers a three-course menu ($45) featuring imu turkey with Portuguese sausage stuffing, roasted apples, cranberries, mashed potatoes and creamed spinach. Appetizer choices are lobster bacon chowder or green bean arugula salad with glazed pork belly and shallot-corn vinaigrette. Desserts include a choice of ginger creme brûlée with apple sorbet, or apple crumble with salted caramel ice cream. Call 742-7117.
At Living Foods Market & Cafe, you can make your own turkey. Purchase uncooked Diestel free range turkeys ($7.14 per pound) and pair them with curried pumpkin soup with croutons ($11.95 per quart); maple roasted yams and carrots ($15.95 per quart); Brussels sprouts with bacon lardons ($16.95 per quart); cranberry relish ($7.95 per pint); classic stuffing with dried fruit, celery and sage ($11.95 per quart); olive oil mashed potatoes ($12 per quart); and traditional Madeira gravy ($12.95 per quart). Eight-inch classic pumpkin pies, walnut tarts and pumpkin cheesecakes are $16 each. Call 742-2323.
On the East Side, Ko Bakery’s Thanksgiving special is the popular Pumpkin Crunch featuring a moist, spiced pound cake sandwiched between layers of whipped cream cheese frosting and topped with candied pecans. If cheesecake is more your style, try the pumpkin cheesecake made with Hula Baby Biscotti crust. Call 212-9437.
The Right Slice, which located in Puhi, will open a new store in Kalaheo in time for Thanksgiving. Pie specials include pumpkin, pumpkin crunch, pumpkin pecan, pumpkin haupia, gluten-free pumpkin pake (cake meets pie), pumpkin pake, cranberry walnut pudding, chocolate chip pecan and rum pecan. Call 212-8320.
Papalani Gelato at Anchor Cove will be open Thanksgiving Day serving Pumpkin Spice Breezes (milkshakes). Orders for Pumpkin Spice gelato pies or cakes need to be in by close of business on Sunday. Call 246-2060.
Hukilau Lanai in Kapaa will be serving a traditional turkey dinner ($26 adults, $13 children) of roasted turkey, real mashed potatoes, Hamakua mushroom stuffing, purple sweet potatoes, fresh herb gravy and cranberry lilikoi sauce. Gluten-free turkey dinners are available upon request. Dessert is pumpkin custard on a crumbly buttery crust with whipped cream ($8). Call 822-0600.
Oasis on the Beach is serving a three-course Thanksgiving dinner ($65 per person, $30 with wine pairing) which includes kiawe smoked oven roasted turkey breast, haricot verts, olive jalapeno stuffing and cranberry relish. Dessert includes your choice of kabocha bread French toast with sage ginger whipped cream, candied rosettes and Salt Pond gelato, or Abuelita Spiced Chocolate Terrine with lavender flan, tarragon whipped cream and orange zest. Call 822-9332.
Newly opened Jo2, Jean-Marie Josselin’s second restaurant, will offer a three-course menu ($45), with three appetizer choices including kalua turkey pot stickers with roasted pineapple curry vinaigrette. The main course is a traditional roasted turkey with bacon biscuits and Portuguese sausage stuffing. For dessert, you can choose between pumpkin pie cannelloni with pistachio whipped cream and cranberry ice cream or butterscotch pot de creme with espresso ice cream. Call 212-1627.
On the North Shore, Trucking Delicious will only sell pies from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day, although you can order them in advance. Flavors include mango cobbler ($25), vanilla custard ($20), pumpkin crunch ($25), cherry ($25), pumpkin cheesecake ($25), and apple cranberry cobbler ($25). Call 482-4101.
Makana Terrace will offer the St. Regis Signature Buffet ($95 adults, $35 children) with more than 30 choices including roasted ginger poached kabocha squash bisque with truffle croutons and coconut Chantilly as well as citrus brined roasted turkey and Molokai purple potato hash. Call 826-9644.
Kauai Grill’s four-course Thanksgiving Tasting Menu ($85, $55 wine pairing) includes tuna carpaccio with truffle tapioca and soy vinaigrette; butternut squash soup with ginger and pumpkin seeds; Shimeji mushroom stuffed turkey with cranberry sauce, fall vegetables and parsnip puree. Dessert includes pumpkin crème brûlée with garam masala spiced cookies. Call 826-9644.
From our family to yours, mahalo for reading this column, and happy Thanksgiving!
• Marta Lane, a Kauai-based food writer since 2010, offers food tours and is the author of “Tasting Kauai: Restaurants — An Insider’s Guide to Eating Well on the Garden Island.” Info: TastingKauai.com.
