Bah, Turkey

posted October 21, 2010 1:32 PM | |

Thu November 25 at 2:00 PM, Dallas BBQ - Chelsea

(forgive me family for saying this)
I greatly prefer family holidays not spent with the family and love this idea. Sadly, I've already committed to joining my family for the holiday this year.

But if something comes up and I can't do the family thing, I'd love to join you.
posted by sciencegeek at 3:35 PM on October 21, 2010 [1 favorite]

I fast on thanksgiving, but my thanksgiving crew moved out of NY, and my family is way to far away to visit, so I'd definitely go somewhere to hang out. I'm pretty sure it's a school holiday so if I'm not working on a paper I'll be down.
posted by fuq at 6:29 AM on October 22, 2010

In NYC and I'd be game for this - this sounds like a fun thing to do on T-day.

This is the extreme busy season for my workwise, but if planned in advance, this could work.
posted by Wolfster at 5:58 AM on October 24, 2010

Possibly!
posted by The Whelk at 8:42 AM on October 24, 2010

I'm working that weekend, so I must be up early all 4 days, which for me is like going to the moon. I'm certainly up for getting food and getting shitfaced. I hate Thanksgiving with an unholy passion.
posted by vrakatar at 6:22 PM on October 27, 2010

Hmmm I used to a Thanksgiving Brunch that was pretty popular, all the fun food, none of the forced formality.


Plus, mimosas.
posted by The Whelk at 8:28 AM on October 30, 2010

@The Whelk: Do you mean to say you "used to host"? Are you offering? :)

Some of my favorite Thanksgiving dinners here on the East Coast involved a bunch of friends doing potluck. If my apartment were bigger, I'd totally do the same thing, but I live in a studio.

Other options could include finding an inexpensive restaurant off of this list: Where to Eat Thanksgiving Dinner in New York City

I'm pre-emptively going to say no to anything that's more than $50 a head.
posted by TrishaLynn at 9:06 AM on October 31, 2010

..possibly maybe almost perhaps.


Lots of things would have to happen all at once.

Hmm...
posted by The Whelk at 9:24 AM on October 31, 2010

I might -- MIGHT -- be available. Still waiting to see whether my brother's family wants to join us -- which would mean a big sit-down family thing -- or whether he joins his in-laws, which means that it'd just be me, my parents, and my aunt, in which case we'd say "fuck it" and go out to a restaurant together that Saturday.

Will check in later.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 8:17 PM on November 1, 2010

Might be available, might do a big dinner with friends, might shove the two things together?

$50 is way, way up there on my budget. I think a potluck would be more my speed although I love, LOVE fancy restaurant thanksgivings.

ALSO, MIMOSAS
posted by the young rope-rider at 1:53 PM on November 2, 2010

No more than $30 a head, then?

And as for potluck or whatever, I've been asking around and there's a possibility that we could something like that in a centrally located place, but only as long as a certain number of people confirm. So I'm calling it for Thursday, November 25 for a Thanksgiving lunch.
posted by TrishaLynn at 5:17 AM on November 3, 2010

To clarify: We can hold a lunch/brunch at this specific location, but the person who has requested to remain anon for now needs a headcount first before we officially confirm.
posted by TrishaLynn at 5:20 AM on November 3, 2010

Yeah.... location offer has been rescinded. We're back to trying to find a place to gather. ThePinkSuperhero knows of a place called Joe's Shanghai which offers soup dumplings and other Chinese food.

From the list further up thread, this is what I've picked out that looks delicious and not-so-spendy:

Agua Dulce

3 courses; noon to 11 p.m.; $35/person
Dishes include multiple ceviches, Confit of Turkey Leg Paella, and a Pumpkin Hot Butter Rum cocktail
212-262-1299
aguadulceny.com

Dallas BBQ

3 courses; regular hours, vary by location; $14.99/person
Chicken soup; roast turkey and all the sides; pumpkin pie
dallasbbq.com

Film Center Café

4 courses; $29.95/person
212-262-2525
filmcentercafe.com

Ponty Bistro

3 courses; $35/adult, $20/child
212-777-1616
pontybistro.com

The Smith

Noon to 10 p.m.; regular menu with additional Thanksgiving specials
Roasted free range turkey, butternut squash soup, pumpkin pie sundae
212-420-9800
ctrnyc.com/THESMITH

Any other suggestions on where we could meet that will be open?
posted by TrishaLynn at 4:36 AM on November 4, 2010

I like Joe's Shanghai (although the service can be brusque, the midtown location has big tables for groups)

Dallas BBQ seems well within my price range, but tends to be loud and not so conducive to conversation. I guess if we could get our own room that might be helped?
posted by the young rope-rider at 6:31 AM on November 4, 2010

FYI, I went to Joe's Shanghai for my first Thanksgiving in NYC - it was not a great affair. We booked a table for 4 online and we still waited two hours to be sat. I'd recommend one of the other places.

If some brave person winds up hosting a Thanksgiving meetup at their house, they should check out my question from last year. There answers were really informative, even though we ultimately went with a ham instead of a turkey. This year I might figure out how to actually cook the bird with the help of a friend.
posted by zoomorphic at 11:28 AM on November 4, 2010

Anywhere but Dallas is fine with me. Their food is mediocre.
posted by brujita at 9:27 PM on November 4, 2010

Two weeks away. Any one still following this?
posted by aloysius on the mixing boards at 8:45 AM on November 11, 2010

I think I might head to Dallas Barbecue anyway because my partner loves that place. So if anyone wants to join me, let me know and I'll give you my digits.
posted by the young rope-rider at 9:45 AM on November 11, 2010

It'll be my first T-giving in NYC and my southern soul would find nothing more comforting than some good BBQ with internet strangers! If nothing materializes here, I would love to join you, rope-rider. Memail me if you please :)
posted by Juicy Avenger at 10:29 AM on November 11, 2010

I have to admit that you will probably find BBQ here disappointing, like I find the mexican food, but we can make fun of it together?
posted by the young rope-rider at 10:56 AM on November 11, 2010

I realize no Yankee place can compare to southern BBQ, but Virgil's isn't too bad....and the $195 for 8 comes out to less than $25 a head. Wildwood is also doing it for $35 a head.

I don't care what kind of food it is as long as it's well cooked.
posted by brujita at 9:37 PM on November 12, 2010

Dallas BBQ has several locations; anyone have a preference on which one?
posted by TrishaLynn at 12:03 AM on November 13, 2010

I would really prefer that it NOT be Dallas BBQ. Here is Open Table's list of places under $30 a head.
posted by brujita at 4:50 PM on November 14, 2010

@brujita: Upon checking out the menus for some of the restaurants on that list, it looks like the price is only under $30 a head if you get 1 entree and don't get any kind of drink or appetizer or side dishes at all. Which is good if you have a lot of money to spend, but it sounds like most of the people on this list don't have that kind of dough.

But regarding the other place I listed above (and I'm using Agua Dulce's current dinner menu as an example) the entrees are under $25, which means you could also at least get an appetizer or a dessert for a total of $35, not including tax and tip.

Let's start thinking more in that direction... any one else have a say regarding the restaurants above?
posted by TrishaLynn at 8:41 AM on November 16, 2010

I'll go wherever, but I'm only a maybe.
posted by aloysius on the mixing boards at 4:37 PM on November 16, 2010

I won't know what the work sched looks like for a few more days. I will skip any and all straunty gatherings, but ping me for the late-night-heart-broken-lost-mind-mayhem.
posted by vrakatar at 6:36 PM on November 16, 2010

Straunty? I just looked that up on Urban Dictionary and can't believe it's an actual slang word.
posted by TrishaLynn at 3:37 PM on November 17, 2010

I'm not sure I've heard anyone else use it, thought it was just one of those things i said.
posted by vrakatar at 4:07 PM on November 17, 2010

I don't know. I have to move. Someone else decide, and I'll probably go.

I'm completely discombobulated.
posted by the young rope-rider at 6:53 PM on November 17, 2010

I just moved! Still more discombomulated than ever though. I'd love to try Virgils...but since all my extra cash right now goes into finding fine home furnishings (read: second-hand Ikea) I also need to spend ~$30. Brujita, do you also hate the no longer affiliated with Dallas BBQ, 8th st BBQ? They have a T-giving special for just $15. Anyone been there? Could it possibly be worse than overcooked turkey?
posted by Juicy Avenger at 1:11 AM on November 20, 2010

I haven't been there. I HAVE been to The Smith a few times and liked it. The Pink Tea Cup is doing a Thanksgiving dinner, but no one was able to tell me how much it would be when I called the other day. It shouldn't be much more than their daily menu, though.
posted by brujita at 12:03 PM on November 20, 2010

It doesn't have to be American: Indian, Japanese, Ethiopian, Senegalese.....
posted by brujita at 9:28 PM on November 20, 2010

Pink Tea Cup's dinner will be $50 a head and too pricey.
posted by brujita at 11:38 AM on November 22, 2010

And... now I can't do this anymore because I have to save up money for a cleaning person so that I won't have any more mouse problems. :(

Next year, folks!
posted by TrishaLynn at 4:56 AM on November 23, 2010

Yeah, I pretty much gots to be up at 7 the next day, so my best bet is to get quietly, seethingly drunk by myself and set 3 alarm clocks. And smoke huge bingers.
posted by vrakatar at 8:42 PM on November 23, 2010

So looks like myself, the young roper rider, her partner, (and possibly defenestration and fuq?) are planning to do the $15 Thanksgiving special at Dallas BBQ in Chelsea.

Anyone who wants to come, memail for a phone number and/or be there at 2pm!

It's way too late & last minute for me to figure out how to work IRL for this, so hopefully any mefites left in the city & hungry are following this thread....

_{$15! Including pumpkin pie!}
posted by Juicy Avenger at 10:59 PM on November 24, 2010

_{also, brujita... I just happened to pass by the Pink Teacup last night and holy christ is that place CUTE. I'm definitely going to propose a MeFi tea party meet up just as an excuse to wear crinolene & lady gloves.}
posted by Juicy Avenger at 11:05 PM on November 24, 2010

Thread updated with location and date, but contact Juicy Avenger for coordination details.
posted by TrishaLynn at 9:01 AM on November 25, 2010

thanks TrishaLynn! Happy Thanksgiving Metafilter
posted by Juicy Avenger at 9:09 AM on November 25, 2010

Okay, we are here, sitting on the bench to the right of the entrance. Happy Thanksgiving, everyone.
posted by the young rope-rider at 11:03 AM on November 25, 2010

I just found out. No, I didn't want to eat at Dallas BBQ, but I really did NOT want to be alone for the second year in a row. The venue should have been picked earlier than 12 hours beforehand.
posted by brujita at 2:09 PM on November 25, 2010