Bird Call

Pancetta-wrapped pheasant breast, butternut squash puree, fingerling potatoes, roasted Brussels sprouts and maple gastrique at Amp 150. 

If you have an aversion to cooking — even on the holidays — or would rather skip the messy process of fixing a frozen bird, be thankful for these 13 chef-prepared turkey day dinners. Whether you want to take home a savory spread for up to 12 people or dine on slow-roasted beef tenderloin and Ohio City truffle and rosemary pierogies at a downtown restaurant, there’s an option that will satisfy your taste buds without the hassle. More time for a post-Thanksgiving dinner to nap, right?

DOWNTOWN

Mallorca
1390 W. 9th St., Cleveland, 216-687-9494; clevelandmallorca.com; $17, children $11; 1-9 p.m.
Mix it up at Mallorca with a traditional turkey dinner or choose from their Spanish and Portuguese dinner menu, which offers everything from seafood paellas to filet mignon.

Muse
1515 W. Third St., Cleveland, 216-623-1300; ritzcarlton.com; $65, children $29; 11 a.m.-8 p.m.
If you’re looking for a Thanksgiving dinner in an elegant setting, this four-course prix fixe meal at Muse will satisfy your cravings. Enjoy roasted pumpkin soup, smoked duck, stuffed turkey breast (or wood-fired mushrooms for vegetarians) and more.

Renaissance Cleveland Hotel
24 Public Square, Cleveland, 216-696-5600; marriott.com/hotels/travel/clebr-renaissance-cleveland-hotel; $75; 11 a.m.
If you’re interested in giving more than just thanks on turkey day weekend, head to the Renaissance Cleveland Hotel Nov. 30 for a luncheon to benefit A Christmas Story House Neighborhood Restoration Project. You’ll be treated to the meatloaf, mashed potato and red cabbage dinner made by Mrs. Parker in the movie, and you may even meet Flick or Scut Farkus.

Sans Souci
24 Public Square, Cleveland, 216-902-4095; sanssoucicleveland.com; $42; 1-6 p.m.
Sans Souci is known for its delicious Mediterranean dishes, but the more traditional flavors this prix fixe menu offers are closer to home. For starters, try the Ohio City truffle and rosemary pierogi. After that, savor the slow-roasted beef tenderloin, and then top it off with a piece of buckeye pie.

EAST

Bistro 185
991 E. 185th St., Cleveland, 216-481-9635; bistro185.com; $45; 6:30 p.m.
If you love the harvest-inspired side dishes but not the bird, Bistro 185’s Vegan Thanksgiving Dinner has you covered. The four-course meal begins with chestnut soup, followed by baby spinach salad, stuffed acorn squash and a pumpkin tart with vegan vanilla ice cream. Wash it down with a glass of vegan-friendly wine.

Nighttown
12387 Cedar Road, Cleveland Heights, 216-795-0550; nighttowncleveland.com; 11:30 a.m.- midnight
If you thirst for more than just a meal on Thanksgiving, head to Nighttown for a dinner and a show by jazz vocalist Freddy Cole. This James Joyce-themed jazz club and restaurant will serve specials, including butternut squash soup ($6), roasted pork loin ($17) and a traditional turkey dinner with all the trimmings ($17).

Table 45
9801 Carnegie Ave., Cleveland, 216-707-4160; tbl45.com; pickup 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
Feeding a big group on Thanksgiving can be rough. Help yourself out and opt for Table 45’s Turkey To Go take-home dinners that feed 10-12 people ($195). The whole roasted turkey comes with a hearty meal of garlic mashed potatoes, candied sweet potatoes, apple sausage and sage stuffing, green beans, roasted baby carrots, cranberry sauce and gravy. Finish it off with your choice of two pies (apple, pumpkin, pecan, and sweet potato). Place your orders by Nov. 25.

WEST

Amp 150

4277 W. 150th St., Cleveland, 216-706-8787; amp150.com; $31.95, seniors $25.95, children $11.95; 11 a.m.-3 p.m.
For a wholesome but not by-the-book meal, pick up roasted pork loin from the carving station, and then hit the buffet for butternut squash ravioli and white bean cassoulet. Add salad and dessert into the mix, and you’ll be tempted to take the rest of the day off.

100th Bomb Group
20920 Brookpark Road, Cleveland, 216-267-1010; 100thbgrestaurant.com; $37.99, children $17.99
Airports can be a nightmare on holidays. But from a short distance, through panoramic windows, with family around you and turkey on your plate, the planes rapidly coming and going can be quite nice. Feast on everything from turkey to crab legs to pastas, and toast the season with champagne and wine varietals.

SB Eighty One
24481 Detroit Road, Westlake, 440-835-3559; sbeightyone.com; $29.95, children $11.95: 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
Not the napping kind? Let loose on the dance floor at SB Eighty One this Thanksgiving. Stay for a traditional dinner of roasted turkey, green bean casserole and pumpkin pie, plus seafood options, such as baked Atlantic salmon and shrimp.

SOUTH

The Bertram Inn

600 N. Aurora Road, Aurora, 330-562-2111; thebertraminn.com; pickup 10 a.m.-noon
Relax and let the restaurants at Bertram Inn make dinner for you. Paws and the Leopard are offering to-go Thanksgiving dinners. Order a 10-pound turkey ($165) or if you’ve got bigger crowd to feed, go for a 20-pound bird ($275). Both come with mashed potatoes, green beans, stuffing and pies. Reserve your meals by Nov. 25.

Gamekeeper’s Taverne

87 West St., Chagrin Falls, 440-247-7744; gamekeepers.com; $32; noon-4 p.m.
Too many choices making your head spin? Make a reservation at Gamekeeper’s Taverne for a simply elegant meal by the falls. Choose between turkey or honey-glazed ham, or both — why not? — accompanied by salad, green beans, stuffing, mashed potatoes or sweet potatoes, and a slice of pumpkin pie with a dollop of whipped cream. 

Shula’s 2
6200 Quarry Lane, Cleveland, 216-901-7852; donshula.com; $26.95, seniors $22.95, kids $12.95; noon-5 p.m.
If you want all the traditional fixings but also hunger for variety, try Shula’s 2. The Thanksgiving buffet will feature roast turkey, honey-baked ham, cranberry-stuffed pork loin, French-cut chicken, mahi-mahi and sides including omelets and pasta dishes.

Want more? Click here to scour even more alternatives that appear in our November issue, on newsstands now.

 —  By Joe Boyle

A Happy Hour Mission

It’s my first summer working in downtown Cleveland, so some friends of mine and I made it our mission to sample downtown restaurants by hitting up their happy hours. We tried a new place each week, exploring some of the city’s best dining for a fraction of the usual cost.

I’m singling out those that stood out to us, but I encourage you to strike out on a happy hour path of your own. Some places were mediocre, but most offered delicious food and drinks at reasonable prices.

Our first stop was Chinato on East 4th Street. I was a fan of Zach Bruell’s restaurants already, but Chinato’s 4:30-6:30 p.m. happy hour still left a lasting impression. I chose a white wine ($5) and shared three appetizers with a friend for $5 each, enough to fill two grumbling stomachs. The gnocchi dish was perfect: light, tender and buttery. A panini served with fries and fennel sausage pizza rounded out our carb trio. Drinks range from $3 for Great Lakes drafts to $5 for featured wine and cocktails.

Bar Louie on West 6th Street surprised us with fabulous $5 select appetizers during the 4-7 p.m. weekday happy hour. We opted for spinach and artichoke dip and the bruschetta pomodoro. The dip, made fresh in the kitchen, is heavier on the green than cream, just how I like it. When I needed advice, our server pointed out her favorite martinis and suggested the best cocktails for my taste. I went with a Pom Peche martini ($5), a light, peach alternative to the bitter original.

Zocalo stood out for mixing drink specials with a prime location. Many restaurants only serve happy hour at the bar, but at Zocalo, you can enjoy it on the patio, where the East 4th street scene is exciting after a day in an office. My sugar-rimmed mangrita (mango margarita) was sweet and tropical, fruity rather than cool. The large bowl of fresh chips never ran out, even though we never stopped munching. For atmosphere and great prices, including $5 margaritas and $5 select appetizers, Zocalo’s 2-7 p.m. happy hour is a hot spot.

The Greenhouse Tavern, across the street, remained a happy hour quest left unfinished. We chose to sit on the rooftop patio, a great summer destination, but that meant we couldn’t order food or enjoy any drink discounts. At the first-floor bar, the 5-7 p.m. happy hour includes reduced prices on menu items and drinks and an exclusive: the moule frites (mussels and fries, $13) are only offered on the happy hour menu.

Mango Hometown Tour challenges chefs from Crop, Moxie

With the help of 160 mangoes, one Cleveland chef's true talent will come to fruition.

His talent for cooking with mangoes, that is.

The National Mango Board will bring its Mango Hometown Tour to Cleveland this Friday, July 29. Chef Steve Schimoler of Crop Bistro & Bar and Moxie chef Jonathan Bennett will face off from 3:30 to 5 p.m. at Moxie. Each will create a mango-inspired seafood dish with a Cleveland flair, and three local experts will judge to determine a winner.

Bennett, who often creates desserts, salads and sauces with mangoes at Moxie, will be making a combination plate.

"My dish includes a mango and crab fritter with mango ketchup and a green mango slaw," he says.

While Bennett and Schimoler cook, guests will learn how to cut the fruit and get the chance to taste different mangoes and mango-inspired drinks.

"Most people should go to this event to learn how to cut a mango," laughs Bennett. "They're not the easiest things to cut, but I truly think they're the most sensual fruits."

Attending the Mango Taste-Off is free to the public with a reservation.

Let's Make a Dinner Deal

The first sighting was in February in the Canadian press.
Pay what you want in this Montreal restaurant
Crescent St. Tavern hard hit by drop in business tries something new

Tough times, I thought to myself, demand unusual and inventive responses.

Three weeks ago, I saw the following headline from the Dallas Morning News in food industry newsletter: Arlington cafe serves gourmet food and lets customers pay what they want .
I read the article, which described a lunch spot that eschews fixed prices, and then promptly forgot about it. Then I saw an AP piece titled Spanish restaurant lets diners pay at will, and another from Reuters: At Sydney bistro, you decide what you pay which also mentions a London restaurant doing the same thing. The following week, I got a press release about all this from The National Restaurant Association announcing that dining establishments in Australia, Spain, and Texas- an interesting and unlikely geo trio- are telling patrons to pay what they can afford or what they think the meal is worth.

Do I smell a trend brewing?

Pondering this question, I suddenly remembered a conversation I had with Marlin Kaplan, the last time I visited Luxe Kitchen , his place on Detroit. It seems that as the world goes, so goes Cleveland. Because he told me that on a whim one night he randomly picked two tables- a group of ten, and a party of four-and offered to cook them a variety of dishes, served family style, that did not appear on the menu. Both accepted his offer of a multi-course meal. He collected some information about their preferences- pasta, yes, fish no, and headed for the stove. Money was not discussed. When the dishes were cleared away and it was time for the check, he surprised everyone by asking them to come up with a per person amount they felt was appropriate for the food they had eaten. (Beverages, tax, and gratuity were not part of the offer). Needless to say his customers were shocked.

“I trust patron’s better natures, and their impulse to do the right thing,” said Kaplan in a follow-up phone call yesterday. “They paid a fair price and we all felt good.”

If you go to Luxe and ask for the same treatment, he might be in the mood to say yes. Or he may just pick you out of the crowd, sidle up beside your seat, and make you an offer only a fool would refuse.

Lunch On Ice

For some of us here at CM, Luchita's on West 117th is one of our favorite lunch spots — though usually we can only sneak away for special occasions. Today was one of those days and even though it was below zero outside we didn't care. We've been waiting for their tasty salsa and chips and amazing burritos and enchiladas all week — and a little cold weather wasn't going to stop us. We made our way to the restaurant only to let out a loud squeal of disappointment when we got to the door. A sign reading: Closed. No heat. Sorry. We couldn't believe it. But we followed the heater repairman inside anyway. The employees at Luchita's, all bundled up with scarves, took one look at all of us and said we could stay if we wanted — we just might be cold. Though we could see our breath and had to keep our coats on, we opted to stay. And by the time we left, others had followed our lead proving that all people want is some good food — even if they have to use gloves to eat it.

Want to let us know what your favorite restaurant is? Fill out our Silver Spoon ballot and enter for a chance to win a $50 gift certificate to a winning restaurant and two tickets our Silver Spoon Party. There's not much time left, so vote soon!

Flickr photo courtesy of musicgrl23

Smart Investing

Money’s tight these days for many people and I definitely count myself a member of that penny pinching group. But I’ve decided that this is no reason to go on a complete starvation diet when it comes to fun. Having a good meal, prepared, served, and cleaned up by people other than me, and enjoyed with family or friends plus something fermented or distilled, is a favorite way to play. Perhaps that’s because I’m still in recovery from cooking nightly for three sons- now grown and capable of fending for themselves- and a husband, all big guys with big appetites. No matter how often I do it, eating in a restaurant feels out of the ordinary, lifts me up and out of the day’s problems, and goes a long way towards turning any evening into an occasion.

One of the places that delivers a lot of pleasure for a small investment is Sergio’s in University Circle. The menu once leaned heavily towards Brazilian fare, but now has a Mediterranean bent. I come here to do what I think of as table traveling. Chef Ryan Alabaugh runs the kitchen and he’s made it his mission to source the best, most authentic imported products that really ramp up the flavor of everything he offers. I can go all Spanish by ordering a glass of garnet colored Tempranillo and tapas plates of chorizo sausage simmered in wine; scallops with Serrano ham in a zesty romesco sauce; crispy rodillo (artichokes and manchego cheese wrapped in more of that wonderful dry cured country ham); and a baked egg dish called huevos flamencos. Or do an Italian thing with an antipasto of Tuscan style Molinari pepperoni and salami, handmade pappardelle pasta in lemon pistachio pesto cream, and a bottle of Soave or Barbera.

And you never know what fantastic special the Chef and his crew will whip up. I once had the most amazing pheasant broth. Pictured here is chargrilled balsamic glazed beef tenderloin basilico"on a bed of mixed greens with feta. The selection of cheeses-served with fruit, nuts, and other tasty tidbits and condiments- is always changing and always spectacular. So yes- I am trying to spend carefully. But there’s no doubt in my mind that these relatively modest culinary indulgences are a good investment. After all, dining out makes for happy times and nice memories that are guaranteed not to lose value. And I can’t say the same for my house or my 401K

Paris in Cleveland

Back in the fall I did a walk through of what had once been That Place on Bellflower. The old restaurant was long gone and what remained was a badly decayed- albeit still charming- shell of two connected brick carriage houses with various add-ons. The structure I saw was gutted and a mess. Even some of the floors were ripped out down to the dirt underneath. It was hard to believe, despite all Zach Bruell told me, that it would soon be transformed into a beautiful French style brasserie. But he did it. I visited a few nights ago and was knocked out by the transformation.

L’Albatros Brasserie and Bar in University Circle, which just opened for business, is lovely. The space manages to retain its vintage feel and still be stylishly contemporary. The candle glow atmosphere was intimate, welcoming, and warm- the fire burning brightly in the hearth in one room didn’t hurt. And the food is terrific. I wanted to eat every single dish on the menu of French comfort food. What I did try- pork rillettes, a frisee salad with bacon lardoons and a poached egg, duck confit, and skate wing- was lick the plate good. I can’t wait to go back to sample his cassoulet and bouillabaisse. Also had some amazing cheeses, a customized selection picked out just for me and the husband by the on-staff fromage expert who can tell you stories about where each cheese comes from and who made it.

Bruell’s timing couldn’t be better. Within days of my meal there I got a dining trend report for 2009 from a food industry magazine. According to these expert forecasters approachable, affordable classic French bistro cuisine is going to make a big comeback in the U.S. Looks like Bruell is on the cutting edge- as he has so often been in his long culinary career- and putting Cleveland right there with him. Better yet, he’s putting wonderful food on the table once again. When you need a break from your own kitchen during this upcoming week of holiday festivities, check out what’s happening in his.