How to Stuff a Wild Appetite

Deliverance.

Deliverance from the hours of preparation and the mop-up of Thanksgiving dinner. It’s waiting for you at many Orange County restaurants, where you can either sit down to a full-scale holiday dinner or get it to bring home. And the best news is that this year, the prices in a number of places are remarkably low.

The Thanksgiving Harvest Feast at Studio Cafe in Corona del Mar offers oven-roasted turkey, honey-glazed ham, cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes and gravy, sauteed vegetables, a relish tray, hot rolls, apple pie a la mode and fresh pumpkin pie for $11.95. The meal will be served 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at 3201 E. Coast Highway; (714) 675-7575.

A newcomer to the Thanksgiving scene is Hans Prager’s the Ritz, which for the first time in its nine years will be serving Thanksgiving dinner, noon to 8 p.m. The menu will include holiday appetizers, Maine lobster bisque or sugar snap pea soup, a choice of entrees (roast turkey, poached Norwegian salmon, broiled center cut pork chop or pot roast) and a choice of four desserts. It’s $25 for adults, $12.50 for those under 12. The address is 880 Newport Center Drive, Newport Beach; (714) 720-1800.

At the Dana Point Resort, chef Peter Striffolino will prepare a buffet with myriad cold delicacies and turkey, roast pork, lamb and grilled salmon. The buffet will be available from noon to 9 p.m. Prices are $32 for adults, $16 for children under 12. If you’d like to stay over, holiday packages begin at $56 per person per night, including the Thanksgiving buffet. The address is 25135 Street of the Park Lantern, Dana Point; (714) 661-5000.

For dinner with a panoramic view of Newport Harbor and the peaks of Saddleback, Newport Landing is your spot. The selection of entrees will include traditional roast turkey with apple-pecan dressing; orange glazed yams; vegetables and mashed potatoes with giblet gravy; grilled lemon-ginger swordfish with a rice medley and vegetables, and hickory smoked prime rib with vegetable and mashed potatoes. Each entree will be accompanied by soup or salad, with pumpkin pie for dessert. Prices are $15.95 for adults, $7.95 for children 10 and under. Dinner will be served from 1 to 7 p.m. The restaurant is at 503 E. Edgewater Ave., Newport Beach; (714) 675-2373.

The Disneyland Hotel will re-create the first Thanksgiving with a Disney flavor. Are you ready for Goofy as a Pilgrim? And animated vegetables mingling with the guests? It’ll all happen in the resort’s Grand Ballroom, with musical entertainment from noon to 7 p.m. The food? An all-you-can-eat array of ham, roasted turkey, carved round of beef, salads, fruits, fresh vegetables and holiday desserts. Prices are $29.50 for adults, $12.50 for children under 12. Reservations: (714) 956-6709. If you’d rather have a whole turkey family-style and you’re part of a party of four of more, you can try the hotel’s “Carve Your Own Turkey” dinner in the Caffe Villa Verde from 1 to 9 p.m. You will get a whole roasted turkey, corn, dressings and a choice of pumpkin or apple pie or double fudge cake. It’s $19.95 for adults, $9.95 for children under 12. Reservations: (714) 956-6403. The resort is at 1150 W. Cerritos Ave., Anaheim.

Gustaf Anders in South Coast Plaza Village will offer a several-course meal on Thanksgiving Day. It will begin with a choice of appetizers that will include smoked reindeer with horseradish sauce; pumpkin soup, and Caesar salad. Roasted turkey with four accompaniments, venison with Lingonberry truffle sauce or poached salmon with dill Chardonnay sauce and golden caviar make up the entree menu. Dessert and coffee are included. It will be served continuously from noon to 9 p.m., and the tab will be $39 per person. Reservations: (714) 668-1737. South Coast Plaza Village is at Sunflower Avenue and Plaza Drive, Santa Ana.

Monique Restaurant will give a New Orleans twist to Thanksgiving in a meal that will begin with chicken and andouille sausage gumbo and a salad with bay shrimp. For an entree, you can select from blackened Louisiana sea bass, roast leg of lamb with fresh mint sauce, roast tom turkey with oyster pecan dressing and ginger snap gravy, or roast prime rib of beef. The dessert selections will include sweet potato pecan pie and bread pudding with bourbon sauce. The meal will be served from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Prices: adults, $19.95; children under 12, $9.95. The restaurant is at 31727 Coast Highway, Laguna Beach; (714) 499-5359.

The pilgrims shared their first Thanksgiving with American Indians. If you want to celebrate East Indian style, though, the Clay Oven is offering a champagne brunch buffet with tandoori turkey and lamb marinated in spices, along with other Indian delicacies, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. for $10.95. The address is 15435 Jeffrey Road at Alton Parkway, Irvine; (714) 552-2851.

Three Marriott Hotels in Orange County are promising a cornucopia of Thanksgiving festivities. JW’s Sea Grill in the Newport Beach Marriott Hotel and Tennis Club will offer a champagne brunch menu that will feature turkey, swordfish Parmesan, medallions of pork, roasted duck breast; a salad bar; domestic and imported cheeses, and pastries and desserts. Hours will be 11:30 a.m. to 4:30 p. Prices are $21.95 for adults, $16.95 for senior citizens, $12.95 for children ages 7 to 12, free for those 6 and under. A limited dinner menu will also be available from 5 to 10 p.m. The hotel is at 900 Newport Center Drive; (714) 729-3565.

The Anaheim Marriott will have two offerings: a Thanksgiving buffet at the La Plaza restaurant and a traditional family-style Thanksgiving dinner featuring a whole turkey in the hotel ballroom. The buffet will have turkey with the trimmings, a salad bar and a dessert table. It will be available from noon to 8:45 p.m. Prices are $14.95 for adults, $11.95 for for those 62 and older, and $6.95 for children 12 and under (tax and gratuity will be added). Parties of four or more may order the family-style meal in the ballroom. A whole turkey will be carved tableside and presented with a relish tray, fruit bowl, tossed green salad and trimmings. Service will be offered from noon to 6 p.m. Prices are $21 for adults, $15.75 for those 62 and older, and $9 for children 12 and under (tax and gratuity will be added). Reservations: (714) 750-8000, Ext. 5210; after 5 p.m., call Ext. 117. Garage self-parking will be free to all guests with dinner reservations. The hotel is at 700 W. Convention Way, Anaheim.

JW’s Sea Grill in the Irvine Marriott will serve whole turkeys with the trimmings carved tableside. The meal will also include tossed salad, corn bread, cranberry muffins, and pumpkin and mincemeat pies. There will be four seatings: noon, 2, 4:30 and 7 p.m. Prices are $18.95 for adults, $15.95 for senior citizens, $10.95 for children ages 4 to 12, and free for children 3 and under (tax and 15% gratuity will be added). Parking will be free. The hotel is at 18000 Von Karman Ave.; (714) 553-0100, Ext. 6684.

Mr. Stox in Anaheim will be offering holiday dinners with a choice of entrees: roast turkey with apple-walnut stuffing and cranberry relish; baked country ham with rum raisin sauce; mesquite grilled round of swordfish with stir-fried vegetables in a rosemary cream sauce, and roast prime rib of beef. First courses will be cream of mushroom and broccoli soup and a salad. To finish it all off, there will be a choice of desserts. Hours will be 1 to 8 p.m. Prices: $15.95 to $18.50 for adults, and $9.95 for children under 12. The restaurant is at 1105 E. Katella Ave.; (714) 634-2994.

Both Orange County Velvet Turtle restaurants will serve Thanksgiving turkey with apple-almond stuffing, rum-glazed yams, cranberry relish, green peas, potatoes and giblet gravy. With it will be a choice of soup or a mixed green or Caesar salad, and with pumpkin pie with whipped cream. At $10.95, it just might be the county’s best buy. The Velvet Turtle at 23732 El Toro Road, El Toro, will serve the dinner from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.; (714) 859-7885. The Velvet Turtle at 1450 N. Harbor Blvd., Fullerton, will offer it from 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.; (714) 871-9340.

Bistro 201 diners will have several entree choices, among them roast turkey with corn bread and tarragon stuffing; prime rib of beef with horseradish cream au jus; roast goose with Michigan sun-dried sour cherry sauce, and grilled filet of salmon with basil-tomato hollandaise. Appetizers and desserts will also be offered. Hours will be 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., and the prices will be $19.95 for adults, $8.95 for children. The restaurant is at 18201 Von Karman Ave., Irvine; (714) 553-9201.

Gulliver’s will be serving up prime rib or turkey on Thanksgiving Day. The beef dinner, at $21.50, will come with Yorkshire pudding, spinach and creamed corn; the turkey, at $17.95, with cranberry sauce, yams and stuffing. Both dinners will include a choice of soup or salad. The restaurant will also offer turkey or beef child’s plates for $14.50 each. Service will be from noon to 9 p.m. at 18482 MacArthur Blvd., Irvine; (714) 833-8411.

If you like the ambience of your own home but would rather not do all the cooking yourself, you can order something to bring home--but you’d be well advised to make your order as soon as you can. Here are a few suggestions:

A Thanksgiving movable feast has become a tradition at Trees in Corona del Mar. You can get a whole fresh-roasted turkey with corn bread stuffing, mashed potatoes, a sweet potato casserole, creamed corn, peas, giblet gravy, cranberry sauce, rolls and butter. Three sizes of birds are available: a dinner with a 12- to 14-pound turkey (serves 10 to 12) is $125; 14 to 16 pounds (serves 12 to 15), $150; 18 to 20 pounds (serves 18 to 20), $200. Orders may be picked up from noon until 8 p.m. Thanksgiving Day. Trees is at 440 Heliotrope Ave.; (714) 673-0910.

If you hate carving, you’ll appreciate the whole boned roasted turkey breast (with pecan stuffing and gravy) the Ritz is offering. It serves 12, and the price is $50. (You’ll have to do the rest, though.) To order, call (714) 720-1800, and pick up before 8 p.m. Thanksgiving Day.

If you want to treat yourself or guests to something exotic, you can get a tandoori turkey from the Clay Oven. You can order a skinless 10- to 12-pound butterball that will be roasted and marinated in tandoori spices, stuffed with basmatti rice, vegetables, raisins and nuts. It will come with cranberry chutney. The price is $34.95. Orders will be accepted until 4 p.m. Wednesday, and may be picked up either Wednesday or Thursday between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m.; (714) 552-2851.

The Golden Truffle has a slightly different take on Thanksgiving turkey takeout. You pick up an oven-ready farm-raised bird by 5 p.m. the day before Thanksgiving and, using the accompanying instructions, cook it yourself. The order includes apricot sausage stuffing, Cape Cod pumpkin ginger soup, mixed winter field greens with poached pears and walnut Gorgonzola vinaigrette, baked Vermont candied yams with pecans, wild rice timbales, green beans with slivered almonds, cranberry-sour apple chutney, and gravy. It will serve 10 and costs $145. The address is 1767 Newport Blvd., Costa Mesa; (714) 645-9858.

A Thanksgiving to go from the Westin South Coast Plaza means a whole roast turkey with dressing, gravy and cranberry relish; a Waldorf salad; sweet and mashed potatoes, vegetables and rolls; and a choice of apple, pecan, pumpkin or mincemeat pie. Prices for the complete dinner range from $45 for two persons to $215 for 12. You may also order the turkey alone with dressing, gravy and cranberry relish. Orders must be received by noon Tuesday and picked up between 11 a.m. and 6 p.m. Thanksgiving Day. The hotel is at 666 Anton Blvd., Costa Mesa; (714) 662-6694.

Bistro 201 will pack an entire dinner: a relish tray with sweet red pepper aioli; a roasted turkey with giblet gravy and corn bread-pine nut stuffing; mashed potatoes; green beans with garlic butter; a carrot and yam puree; cranberry relish; rustic herb bread and a pumpkin maple pie with whipped cream. A dinner with a 10- to 12-pound turkey serving up to 10 is $125; with a 14- to 16-pounder serving up to 16, $160. Orders must be placed by Monday, and picked up up by 10 a.m. Thanksgiving Day. Phone (714) 553-9201.

Le Meridien in Newport Beach will prepare a turkey with corn bread stuffing and cranberry sauce, yams, Brussels sprouts and pumpkin pie for as many as eight people. The price for a four-person dinner is $60; for up to eight people, $120. Takeout orders must be received before noon Tuesday. The hotel is at 4500 Mac Arthur Blvd.; (714) 476-2001, Ext. 2194.