For Those Who Want to Feast, Not Fuss in Kitchen

If you’ve closed your kitchen for Thanksgiving this year, there are plenty of restaurants only too happy to prepare the entire spread for you. But hurry up and reserve right away; restaurants are booked up early. Nobody wants to miss out on this biggest food holiday of the year.

Truly Yours restaurants in Tarzana and Northridge are offering a truly good deal, especially for families with small children. A three-course traditional turkey dinner costs only $13.95, and for every adult at the table, a child gets to eat free.

Joe Miller, chef-owner of the cozy Joe’s in Venice, includes hor d’oeuvres for the table and choice of turkey breast with wild rice or the traditional roast turkey with mashed potatoes and stuffing in the four-course, prix fixe ($28) menu he has put together for the holiday.

Other options include the Players in Beverly Hills ($22.95), St. Moritz Restaurant at the Toluca Lake Tennis Club ($25), Les Freres Taix on Sunset ($11.95), Silver Grille in Beverly Hills ($19.95), Duet in Glendale ($17.95) and Chez Melange in Redondo Beach ($16.95).

As usual, chef-owner Joachim Splichal’s Patina on Melrose offers a more elaborate Thanksgiving feast, this year for $40 per person. Besides roast turkey with gingered yams, he’s making Virginia ham with caramelized mango, whitefish with polenta, John Dory with lentils and beef tenderloin with shallots and chanterelle mushrooms. (Bear in mind, though, that Patina is not allowing customers to bring their own wines, however illustrious, on this holiday.) Always the businessman, Splichal will also prepare the meal for take out.

DC3 at the Santa Monica Airport also offers turkey to carry out ($69.95, serves 6 to 8) or eat in at $29.95 per person. On the holiday, 72 Market St. will be closed for dining, but, if you order ahead, a roast turkey and all the fixings can be picked up Thursday between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. A 10-12-pound bird with all the trimmings goes for $119; a 20-22 pounder, $169. BG to Go, the Bistro Garden’s takeout shop in Studio City, will also provide turkey to go at $17.50 per person with 24-hour advance notice.

Keep in mind that tourist hot spots such as Universal Studios, Disneyland and Knott’s Berry Farm also offer Thanksgiving dinners. And most hotels do, too.

At Loews Santa Monica Beach Hotel, in addition to all the traditional Thanksgiving foods, you can load up on ham and roast beef, a seafood and pasta, and all sorts of desserts.

Other hotels offering Thanksgiving dinner include Pasadena’s Ritz-Carlton Huntington Hotel, JW Marriott in Century City and Hotel Bel-Air. Also Azalea Restaurant & Bar at the New Otani Hotel downtown and Le Meridien Newport Beach both offer Thanksgiving buffets.

For vegetarians, the Inn of the Seventh Ray in Topanga Canyon has planned a complete meatless Thanksgiving meal of hors d’oeuvres, soup, vegetables and macrobiotic “turkey” for $29.

Openings: Sonora Cafe reopened at its new location on Wednesday. After unsuccessfully trying to negotiate a new lease with his downtown landlord, owner Ron Salisbury took over what once was City Restaurant on La Brea and completely gutted the space. “I don’t usually get excited about things,” Salisbury says, “but I think it turned out wonderful.” . . . El Gallo Giro has cloned itself in City of Commerce. The Mexican mini-chain features tacos, tamales and tortas, all made from scratch.

Trader Vic’s Restaurant Group, which celebrates its 60th anniversary this year, plans to go casual and inexpensive with a series of Island Bistro restaurants in various parts of the country. The family-style chain will feature a blend of French, Creole and Asian cuisine.