Immigrant Chefs Will Prepare Feast on Their 1st Turkey Day

This is a nation of immigrants, and on Thanksgiving, America and its immigrants celebrate the great bounty of this land with a feast--the biggest of the year, and American to the core.

So how does this grab you? Next week celebrate the holiday at the Moonlight in Sherman Oaks with two immigrant chefs so new to America that this will be their first Thanksgiving.

The chefs are Stephane Grange, who hails from France, and Tali, who uses no last name and is from Israel. They were hired earlier this month by Gui Burguin, owner of the Moonlight supper club in Sherman Oaks, where they will serve up a big Thanksgiving meal at two seatings next Thursday at 4 and 7 p.m.

On the menu: two entrees--roast range turkey with giblet gravy or roast prime rib with horseradish sauce--plus Louisiana-style sweet potatoes, a homemade green bean casserole, scalloped potatoes, sausage and sage dressing, and cranberry sauce, all for $17.95.

Moonlight is at 13730 Ventura Blvd., west of Woodman Avenue in Sherman Oaks, (818) 788-2000. Many Valley restaurants offer Thanksgiving feasts, among them:

* Signature Grill--turkey dinner with sage stuffing, mashed potatoes and gravy, roasted corn casserole, whipped sweet potatoes and orange cranberry sauce; or sliced leg of lamb with rosemary and mashed potatoes and Provencale tomatoes; or baked salmon Wellington with julienne vegetables, caramelized onions, and sauteed asparagus. $23.95 for adults, $15.75 for children. Signature Grill is at 14755 Ventura Blvd., west of Van Nuys Boulevard in Sherman Oaks, (818) 788-5200.

* The Bistro Garden at Coldwater--roast turkey with a harvest stuffing and horseradish mashed potatoes, candied yams and Brussels sprouts; or honey-baked ham with horseradish mashed potatoes and glazed carrots; or a filet mignon with a brandied peppercorn sauce; or poached Norwegian salmon with a chardonnay dill sauce. $34 per person. The Bistro Garden is at 12950 Ventura Blvd., just west of Coldwater Canyon Road in Studio City, (818) 501-0202.

* Sisley Italian Kitchens--roast turkey with an herb-nut stuffing, jeweled yams, cranberry relish, and roasted green beans and onions, $14.95 for adults, $7.95 for children; or turkey lasagna with cranberry sauce, $13.95; or ravioli stuffed with butternut squash and served with a brown butter sauce, $11.95. Also, for $49.95 you can order a take-out 10-pound turkey with all the fixings and a pumpkin pie. Sisley Italian Kitchens is at 15300 Ventura Blvd., in Sherman Oaks, (818) 905-8444, and at 24201 W. Valencia Blvd. in Valencia, (805) 287-4444.

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Juan Hovey writes about the restaurant scene in the San Fernando Valley and outlying points. He can be reached at (805) 492-7909 or fax (805) 492-5139 or via e-mail at jhovey@gte.net.