Dining Review: Dining options after the turkey’s put away

Thanksgiving vacation is near. The family is coming to town. Thursday, everyone will be busy preparing food, talking and eating. What about Friday through Sunday? How will you keep them entertained?

A movie is always a great idea. Burbank’s AMC complex has 16 theaters to choose from. Uncle Harry can see “Interstellar,” while niece Isabella might go with cousins to “Big Hero 6.” Afterward, all can meet up at one of the many fast casual restaurants that line the Palm Avenue Promenade and San Fernando corridor right at the bottom of the movie complex escalator. Improvements to the Promenade are not finished yet — a large fountain and other fancy touches will be unveiled soon — but the Christmas tree is up and restaurants, some of them very new, are open for business.

Most people are familiar with the always tasty Chipotle and Cold Stone Creamery, Buffalo Wild Wings and Pinkberry. But have you heard of Asian Box? The Northern California mini-chain has brought its healthy, fast-dining concept to SoCal, opening eateries in Burbank and downtown L.A. Executive Chef Grace Nguyen, of Slanted Door and Bush Street OTD notoriety, developed the Vietnamese-influenced menu with a modern palate in mind. “Locally grown,” “gluten-free,” “sustainable” and “house-made” are the buzz words du jour here, words not often uttered in fast-dining establishments.

At Asian Box, customers build their own nutritious creations in compostable cardboard boxes. You start with rice, salad or rice noodles. Add your choice of marinated and cooked proteins such as lemongrass pork, Garlic and soy-glazed beef, six-spice chicken and coconut curry tofu. Pile on as many veggie “toppers” as you wish and add a sauce or two. Or three. I prefer the homemade sauces (peanut, tamarind vinaigrette and sriracha) on the side so I can build each bite individually. The beef is particularly delicious and well-prepared, more like slices of tenderloin. Be sure to request the crispy shallots with your toppers. And if you like it spicy, have them sprinkle on some “Asian Street Dust.” Boxes hover in the eight- to nine-dollar range and are surprisingly filling.

If some in your family are not into Asian flavors, head a couple doors down to the French Crepe Co. It’s like stepping over 5,000 miles of land and sea, traveling from Hanoi to Paris. The beef stroganoff crepe is fantastic. Decadent, creamy sauce, tender beef and mushrooms fill a large folded buckwheat crepe. This and other savory crepes warm the heart on a cool winter night. If you’re feeling very laissez faire, wanting no one to interfere in your affairs, order the Marie Antoinette where you decide what’s in your crepe. Or satisfy your sweet tooth with classics like La Metro with sugar and butter, La Versailles with ripe strawberries or La Chez Moi with warm Nutella. The outdoor cafe tables under umbrellas are charming.

For big families who want to eat together, the recently opened Tender Greens around the corner boasts large indoor and outdoor spaces with long, communal tables and healthy food for all. The tuna nicoise salad ($11.50) is pretty much perfect. Generous portions of gently seared ahi sit atop vibrant greens, potato, capers, green beans and olives with a delicate boiled quail egg to boot. The sherry vinaigrette complements the salad well, making the whole experience greater than the sum of its parts. The chefs at Tender Greens created a special falafel salad unique to the Burbank location. They may need to rethink that one. It is very simple and I left feeling hungry.

Beer and wine are available here as are fun soft drinks. Nutrition and allergen information are given for all menu items and everything can be customized. So long as you combine ingredients they offer, if you can conceive of it, they can make it.

Next time you’re in Burbank for a movie, think about skipping the large popcorn and soda and spending your $10 instead on a box of Vietnamese flavors, a warm crepe, or a salad with all your favorite fixings.

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LISA DUPUY welcomes suggestions and comments at LDupuy@aol.com.