DINING REVIEW

Stephen Santacroce

As a child, Thanksgiving didn’t really rank high on my list of

holidays. Christmas, of course, was the biggie, as my sister and I

eagerly awaited Santa’s arrival and all the fun toys that came with it.

Halloween was a close second; who could resist all that candy, even if

my dad did eat most of it after mom put it away so we wouldn’t get

stomachaches? Easter was next on the list. Searching the house for the

little chocolate eggs my parents hid was always something to look forward

to, even if a few seemed to be ones from last year that hadn’t been

found.

Thanksgiving, on the other hand, seemed kind of boring. Sure, we

learned all the stories in school about the pilgrims and Indians and the

harsh winter; and growing up in New England, we felt a kinship to some of

our stalwart forefathers. But the idea of sitting around a table eating

all day, well that seemed pretty boring, all we wanted to do was go and

play.

As I’ve grown older, I’ve come to appreciate Thanksgiving more and

more. The commercial excesses of Christmas are still weeks away (although

the retailers seem intent on forcing them on us earlier and earlier), and

I rather enjoy the idea of a holiday whose main event is to sit around a

table eating and enjoying the company of family or good friends.

Many of us will be enjoying the holiday at a relative’s or friend’s

home, watching the whirlwind of activity in the kitchen and hoping the

turkey doesn’t come out dry like last year. But for many others,

Thanksgiving is a day of rest for the meal makers, a time to relax in one

of the area’s fine restaurants while letting someone else do all the

work.

Newport Beach diners have been thankful for many years that Hans

Prager chose to open The Ritz restaurant in their fine city and have

enjoyed many special holiday meals amid its rich, continental

surroundings.

The Ritz (880 Newport Center Drive, Newport Beach, [949] 720-1800),

which will be changing hands early next year, is offering a typically

elegant menu for a fixed price of $39.50 that features a choice of

appetizers, including a butternut squash soup or Ritz salad with endive

and bay shrimp, followed by Diestel Ranch free-range turkey with a pecan

brioche dressing, candied yams and cranberry relish.

Other entree choices include prime rib chops of smoked pork with

lingonberries, or a filet of Atlantic salmon poached in champagne. Finish

your holiday feast with a traditional slice of pumpkin pie, or perhaps a

raspberry creme brulee, or warm apple and pear strudel.

Another Newport staple, The Arches (3334 W. Coast Highway, Newport

Beach, [949] 645-7077) will serve its regular menu with a special

addition of traditional turkey with all the fixings in a typical

Arches-style portion for $19.95. Owner Danny Marciano has his own unique

way of celebrating the holiday. He’ll be riding up and down Coast Highway

on his Harley dressed in a tuxedo. Those who can’t resist that last bit

of turkey as a midnight snack take note: The Arches will serve dinner

until 1 a.m.

Pavilion at the Four Seasons (690 Newport Center Drive, Newport Beach,

[949] 760-4920) has always had a reputation as a premium spot to

celebrate a special event, and they’ve made no exception with their

Thanksgiving menu. Diners who can be thankful that they have $58 each to

spend will enjoy a feast that starts with a roasted butternut squash soup

with nutmeg custard, followed by either a romaine salad or smoked salmon

terrine with tomato vinaigrette.

The turkey entree will be offered with a chestnut stuffing and

traditional garnishes, and diners who prefer something different can

chose either salmon with pumpkin risotto, or pan-seared beef tenderloin

with a green peppercorn crust and Washington cherry sauce.

Finish your meal with a trio of desserts that includes pumpkin creme

brulee, a mini-lintzer tart and a white chocolate Charlotte.

The owners of Bayside restaurant (900 Bayside Drive, Newport Beach,

[949] 721-1222) have something to be thankful for during this holiday

season: They’ve recently celebrated their second anniversary. In addition

to limited selections from their regular menu, Bayside is offering a

prix-fixe dinner for $29.75 that features a butternut squash soup

(apparently the “in” soup this year) and roasted turkey with an aromatic

vegetable stuffing, buttermilk mashed potatoes and a cranberry orange

chutney. Desert choices include a pecan tart or warm chocolate souffle

cake, but, surprisingly, no pumpkin pie.

Many diners face the dilemma of not wanting to cook but wanting to

dine at home. While some may opt for the Swanson frozen turkey TV dinner

option, Pascal Ohlats offers a more elegant choice at his Pascal Epicerie

(1000 N. Bristol St., Newport Beach [949] 591-9041) takeout boutique. For

$120, Pascal will cook a feast that serves 6 to 8 and includes a 16-pound

roasted free-range turkey (do turkeys really need a whole range to run

free on? How far can they get?), gravy, and four pounds of apple, walnut

and sausage stuffing. Side dishes are also available, including green

been salad ($6.95 per pound), grilled squash ($6.50 per pound) or

Pascal’s famous potato au gratin ($3.75 per serving). Orders can be

placed up until noon Wednesday.

If you’re looking for a butternut squash soup on Five Crowns’ (3801 E.

Coast Highway, Corona Del Mar [949] 760-0331) menu, you won’t be

disappointed. This area staple is offering a two-course menu that

features a choice of appetizer, including the seemingly obligatory soup,

hearts of romaine and stilton salad or an anchovy-laced Caesar.

Diners can then choose from roasted turkey ($26.95) with all the

traditional side dishes, Five Crowns’ prime rib in either the traditional

cut ($33.95) or the generous Henry VIII cut ($36.95), roast ducking on a

compote of apples and prunes ($29.95) or broiled salmon (29.95) with dill

caper butter, as well as several other entrees.

Pumpkin pie ($5.50) will be offered to finish the meal, as will the

restaurant’s delicious English trifle ($5.95), a rum and brandy-laced

cake layered with strawberries, custard and whipped cream.

Gustaf Anders (3851 Bear St., South Coast Village, [714] 668-1737),

the Scandinavian favorite, also will be serving a fixed-price menu for

$39 per person. The five-course menu will feature fresh oysters or smoked

venison ravioli among the appetizers choices, followed by a soup course.

Butternut squash you think? Nope, Gustaf is bucking the trend and

offering a celery root soup instead, followed by a traditional Caesar

salad.

Entrees include the traditional turkey, or a choice of salmon with

chardonnay sauce and caviar or venison loin with a lingonberry sauce and

parsnip timbale.

Wherever one chooses to spend the holiday, let’s all reflect this

year, amid seemingly unthinkable tragedies, on all the things that we

still have to be thankful for. Whether you’re celebrating at home or at

one of our finer restaurants, have a safe and happy holiday.

* STEPHEN SANTACROCE’S restaurant reviews appear every other Thursday.

Send him your comments at [email protected].