Thanksgiving in Chicago means different strokes for different folks

By Lee Barrie and Cindy Kurman
Original story appeared in StreetWise

Chicago’s restaurant scene is filled with places to dine out on Thanksgiving Day. Most, including those that usually feature ethnic food, offer a traditional Thanksgiving meal, frequently offered in addition to the regular menu. Personally, we tend to be intrigued by restaurants that offer something unusual for Thanksgiving. After all, how many more turkey and sweet potato dinners does one really need to eat? So here is our take on where you might want to go for a taste of Thanksgiving with a different sensibility. Since many of you will be at home on T-Day, we’ve included some suburban spots for your enjoyment.


The Melting Pot Thanksgiving:
Thanksgiving from Around the World

Vermilion
11 W. Hubbard, Chicago, IL 60610
(312) 527-4060; www.thevermilionrestaurant.com

Vermilion is one of our absolute favorite upscale restaurants in Chicago and has earned high praise among the culinary media around the country. Executive Chef Maneet Chauhan presents a sensory-rich menu using both Indian and Latin American ingredients. For Thanksgiving, Vermilion offers its annual $45-per-person prix fixe “Herb & Spice” six-course Thanksgiving feast from noon to 10 p.m. (the menu is also available throughout the weekend). Dishes include Brazilian Feijoada, black bean stew with meats and a hint of garam masala spice; Indian Black Cardamom Smoked Turkey with Indian Sarson Ka Saag; Bengali Panch Puran (ginger cranberry chutney) with fennel, cumin and mustard seed, and Mexican Pumpkin Pie. The “Herb and Spice” is usually a sellout, so make your reservations early.

SUSHISAMBA Rio
504 N. Wells, Chicago, IL
(312) 595-2300; www.sushisamba.com

SUSHISAMBA Rio is a feast for the eyes and the taste buds. The décor is gloriously colorful and the menu includes both Japanese and Brazilian dishes, with some combining elements of both. For Thanksgiving, enjoy special dishes in addition to the regular menu: Braised Short Rib Gyozas, with kabocha pumpkin purée, red shiso leaf, smoked ginger soy; Plainville Farms Turkey T-Bone, with sweet potato-brown sugar fries, bacon escarole, cranberry teriyaki glaze, and for dessert, Pumpkin Cinnamon Bread Pudding, maple syrup ice cream, roast pecans, candied shiso leaf.

The Not-Your-Meat-&-Potatoes Thanksgiving Feast

The Chicago Diner

3411 N. Halsted, Chicago IL
(773) 935-6696; www.veggiediner.com

If you’re seeking out a Vegan feast, you’re Thanksgiving dreams will come true at The Chicago Diner. This North Halsted area restaurant is considered one of the top vegan eateries in the country and this year marks their 27th annual Vegan Thanksgiving, with seatings at noon, 2 p.m., 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. The menu features select organic produce grown on Illinois and Wisconsin farms. For starters, enjoy Squash Apple Bisque and Field Greens Salad. Entrée choices are Veggie Turkey with seven grain stuffing & sage gravy, Beefy Wellington with seitan-mushroom duxelle & madeira shallot reduction, and Pumpkin Ravioli with hazelnut cream sauce. Don’t forget the side dishes: ginger-garlic green beans, herb stuffing, candied yams, rosemary redskins, cranberry relish. Desserts are scrumptious: Pumpkin Pie, Death By Chocolate Cake, and Pumpkin Pecan Cheesecake. Reservations are essential and you can also order Thanksgiving dinner in carryout form. The price is $37.99 per person; $22.99 for children. Carryout meals start at $11.99 per person.

The menu says it all: Thanksgiving dishes that sound really good to us

Birch River Grill
75 W. Algonquin Rd., Arlington Heights, IL
(847) 427-4242; www.birchrivergrill.com

For Thanksgiving (from noon to 5 p.m.), this contemporary regional American restaurant is featuring such delectable items as Acorn Squash and Kentucky Bourbon Bisque, Autumn Salad with Mulled Wine Poached Pear Crumbled Bleu Cheese, Toasted Pecans and Kiln Dried Cherry Dressing; Maple Glazed Free Range Turkey Breast with Granny Apple Sausage Cornbread Stuffing, Sage Pan Gravy, Buttermilk Mashed Yukon Gold Potatoes, Brown Butter Green Beans, Rustic Cranberry-Orange Relish, Spiced Pumpkin Pie with Cinnamon Whipped Cream. The Thanksgiving menu is $24.95 per person; kids age 12 and under are $13.95.

Restaurant Michael

64 Green Bay Road, Winnetka, IL

(847) 441-3100; www.restaurantmichael.com

Chef/owner Michael Lachowicz is one of the most applauded French chefs in Chicago, having built a stellar reputation at Le Francais and Les Deux Gros. For Thanksgiving, he will meld his awesome culinary technique and amazing taste buds together with traditional Thanksgiving ingredients to serve up a Family Style Traditional Dinner: butternut squash soup with black truffle, baby green salads, brown-sugar-brine roast organic turkey, Chateaubriand, creamed mash potatoes and pan gravy, ground beef and sage dressing, Grand Marnier scented cranberry sauce, seasonal vegetables, pumpkin caramel tarts, cinnamon nutmeg ice cream with maple caramel sauce. Thanksgiving dinner is served from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. The price is right: $45 per person and 1/2 price for kids 10 and under. You can also order "Thanksgiving to go" which is a hot and ready to serve carry out version of the same menu for $49 per person. To go orders must be picked up between 1 and 4 p.m.

Fast Food Thanksgiving

Kuma’s Corner
2900 W Belmont Ave., Chicago, IL
(773) 604-8769; www.kumascorner.com

For those of you with a case of the Thanksgiving munchies, you’ll not want to miss this Thanksgiving heart attack on a bun: Kuma’s famous “Sleep Burger” is a monster sandwich featuring turkey and gravy topped with deep-fried stuffing and cranberry sauce. The Sleep Burger will keep you wide awake while you eagerly gobble it down, but you may fall soundly asleep while digesting it. You were forewarned.

The To-Die-For-Dessert-to-Bring-Home Thanksgiving

Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen
921 Pasquinelli Dr. Westmont, IL; (630) 455-9846
798 W. Algonquin Rd., Arlington Heights, IL; (847) 228-9551
http://www.pappadeaux.com/

Even if you’re not going out for Thanksgiving you can still wow your friends and family with Pappadeaux’s luscious signature Sweet Potato Pecan Pie, which is available for purchase just in time for your at-home holiday feast. Pie pre-order began November 2, and pick-up runs November 20-25. The price for one pie is $14.94 and you can buy a second pie for just $9.95. You won’t be disappointed. Call either restaurant location to order.

Note: DineWise is a weekly column appearing in StreetWise magazine. Lee Barrie is on the StreetWise board of directors and he and his wife Cindy own Kurman Communications, a Chicago-based public relations agency specializing in lifestyle, restaurant and hospitality strategic branding, marketing promotions, media relations and social networking. If you'd like your restaurant to be featured on the DineWise blog and in StreetWise magazine, please contact DineWise@kurman.com.