How to Avoid the Kitchen on Thanksgiving

This year, why not let someone else fret over Thanksgiving dinner? That way, you’ll have more time to be thankful. Restaurants rarely detour from the traditional. But there are some exceptions, including an Asian-inspired pumpkin soup with ginger cream and a labor-intensive entree (layers of duck, turkey and chicken) that is roasted and even looks like a turkey.

Here’s how some restaurants on Nov. 28 will translate America’s most hallowed meal. Prices do not include tax, gratuity or wine. Reservations are required. Children’s price is for kids under 12, unless otherwise noted.

* Les Freres Taix Restaurant offers a budget-wise five-course menu that includes turkey with all the trimmings, appetizer, soup, tossed green salad, sourdough bread, pumpkin pie or pumpkin ice cream. Noon to 8 p.m. Les Freres Taix Restaurant, 1911 Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles. (213) 484-1265. $13.95; $7.95, children.

* Tailor the appetite at La Cachette. Three courses at lunch and more for dinner invite diners to try the butternut squash soup with corn, celery root salad, white bean salad with mint, turkey with mushroom gravy and chestnut stuffing, mashed yams, gratin of corn, pumpkin tart with caramel sauce or pecan pie. Lunch: Noon to 3 p.m.; dinner: 5 to 9 p.m. La Cachette, 10506 Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angeles. (310) 470-4992. Lunch, $30; dinner, $38; $25, children.

* Fend off ocean breezes with a sweater for an alfresco Thanksgiving at Geoffrey’s/Malibu. Roast turkey roulade or glazed ham, corn bread stuffing, cranberry relish and sweet potato are followed by pie. Noon to 10 p.m. Geoffrey’s/Malibu, 27400 Pacific Coast Highway, Malibu. (310) 457-1519. $24; children may split entrees.

* Wine Bistro in Studio City opens its doors at 5 p.m. with plenty of choices, including fresh corn soup, roast turkey with cranberry sauce or duck with raspberry sauce, poached salmon or lobster linguine. Pastries or house coupe glacee ends the feast. 5 to 10 p.m. Wine Bistro, 11915 Ventura Blvd., Studio City. (818) 766-6233. $20.95; $14.95, children.

* The stars come out at Cicada where Italian touches include pumpkin ravioli, asparagus salad with lemon basil dressing, roast turkey and dolci. 4 to 9 p.m. Cicada, 8478 Melrose Ave., West Hollywood. (213) 655-5559. $28; $16, children.

* Japanese pumpkin soup with ginger cream tops the four-course menu of Pangaea Restaurant. Warm oyster and leeks on salmon pillared attends turkey with all the trimmings, roasted loin of pork over herb spaetzle or sauteed Chilean bass. A harvest berry cobbler or pecan tart with cinnamon ice cream tag for the finish. Noon to 8 p.m. Pangaea Restaurant & Bar, Hotel Nikko, 465 S. La Cienega Blvd., Los Angeles. (310) 246-2100. $43; $22, children.

* Don your pilgrim garb. Early Jamestown and Pocahontas set the theme for Thanksgiving at Disneyland Hotel. The all-you-can-eat buffet menu holds no surprises (roast turkey, glazed ham or roast beef), salads, fruits and pastries. Children’s buffet includes macaroni and cheese, chicken fingers and hot dogs. Noon to 7 p.m. The Grand Ballroom, Disneyland Hotel, 1150 W. Cerritos Ave., Anaheim. (714) 956-6413. $39.75; $13.50, children; complimentary for children under 3.

* At Hotel Bel-Air chef Gary Clauson offers roast turkey with chestnut stuffing plus soup, appetizers, desserts, coffee and even petit fours. Four seatings from 11:45 a.m. One seating on the Terrace, at 1 p.m. The Restaurant and Lounge, Hotel Bel-Air, 701 Stone Canyon Road, Los Angeles. (310) 472-1211. $65; $35, children.

* What’s a 28-page recipe that takes 12 hours to make? Turducken, the Cajun-inspired centerpiece of Orleans’ Thanksgiving feast. The layered affair of boneless turkey, duck, chicken and sage stuffing even looks like ol’ Tom. Be thankful you’re not the galley slave. 1 to 7:30 p.m. Orleans, 11705 National Blvd., West Los Angeles. (310) 479-4187. $19; $9.50, children.

* The Beverly Hills Hotel offers special menus for lunch and dinner at both the Polo Lounge and Polo Grill. Variations on the pumpkin soup with toasted pine nuts, turkey with pecan thyme dressing, mashed potatoes and cranberry compote reign. Lunch: 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.; 3 to 11 p.m. The Beverly Hills Hotel, 9641 Sunset Blvd., Beverly Hills. (310) 276-2251, Ext. 2525. $41; $20.50, children.

* Let your imagination sail to Europe at the Chelsea restaurant on the historic Queen Mary. The three-course meal includes pheasant ravioli with cranberry Port sauce, cream of butternut squash soup, roast turkey with walnut dressing, candied sweet potato, peas and pearl onions, pumpkin pie. 5 to 9 p.m. Queen Mary Seaport, 1126 Queens Highway, Long Beach. (310) 435-3511. $18; $9.95 for children under 11.

* Pinot at the Chronicle offers a four-course menu with four choices for mains, such as turkey with sun-dried cranberry dressing, beef rib roast, marinated pork loin with braised red cabbage and pan-seared salmon. Sweets include chocolate pecan pie with caramel bourbon sauce and pumpkin pie with cranberry-orange compote. 3 to 9 p.m. Pinot at the Chronicle, 897 Granite Drive, Pasadena. (818) 792-1179. $29.95; $19, children.

* Roast goose, braised cabbage and mashed potatoes are among the entrees (besides turkey, of course) at 72 Market Street Oyster Bar & Grill’s celebration. Pies (apple, pecan or pumpkin) come a la mode. 3 to 9 p.m. 72 Market Street Oyster Bar & Grill, 72 Market St., Venice. (310) 392-8720. $35 three courses; $45 four courses; $19, children.

* The Belvedere mixes the unconventional--warm Muscovy duck cake, apple-curry smoked salmon, basil-marinated Pacific halibut, wild rice risotto--with the traditional: sweet potato bisque with lobster cream, roast turkey with chestnut bread pudding, garlic mashed potatoes and classic desserts. Noon to 8 p.m. The Belvedere Restaurant in the Peninsula Beverly Hills, 9882 Little Santa Monica Blvd., Beverly Hills. (310) 788-2306. Four-course menu, $58; $25, children.

* Patina’s four-course menu offers five choices per course. New England clam chowder, turkey chop with Brussels sprouts, cabbage roll with pheasant and crumble berry pie with almond sauce combine tradition with innovation. 3 to 9 p.m. Patina Restaurant, 5955 Melrose Ave., Los Angeles. (213) 467-1108. $48; $58 five courses including lobster; $25, children.

* How about a train trip for the turkey feast? Located adjacent to the Amtrak and Metrolink Station is Capistrano Depot Restaurant in San Juan Capistrano. The menu is appealingly traditional: bourbon glazed ham or turkey, giblet gravy, cranberry relish sage stuffing, mashed potatoes and pies (apple, pumpkin or pecan). Noon to 7 p.m. Capistrano Depot Restaurant, 26701 Verdugo St., San Juan Capistrano. (714) 488-7600. $18.95; $12.95, children.

For more restaurant coverage, see First Impressions on F28