Thanksgiving Dinner at Craft?

[wienermobile]

Have done wonderful Thanksgiving dinners at Saddle Peak Lodge, Scarpetta, Fig, Fogo de Chao, Napa Rose and this year I am thinking of trying Craft Los Angeles. Has anyone tried the holiday dinner at Craft? Thanks so much for any feedback and may I be the first to wish you happy holidays 2012.

[wienermobile]

Had a wonderful Thanksgiving meal tonight at Craft. Had the turkey, scallops and the short ribs as our mains. The apps, sides and deserts were all served to the table family style. GREAT FOOD & GREAT SERVICE... expensive yes but after all it is Thanksgiving and happy Thanksgiving to all.

[J.L.]

So awesome to hear that a restaurant delivered as promised, and that you had a nice Thanksgiving!

I'm thankful for all the hardworking people in the restaurant industry who have to go to work on Thanksgiving so us Chowhounds can have to so many dining options even on this holiday!

[dgusanz]

We also loved it. The cheesy-flaky biscuits and mini cornbread (very garlicy) muffins in the bread basket were sooooo good too. The turkey wings and legs were confited and the breast-thigh perfectly roasted. The service was as exceptional as the food. I am so thankful for all those people who worked to prepare and serve us this truly wonderful TG meal. We took home lots of leftovers - enough for a 2nd meal. We will be back next year for a 3rd time.

[wienermobile]

Craft's Thanksgiving menu just came out this morning and I'm real looking forward to it:

(for the table)

Smoked Cod, Pickled Cauliflower & Carrots

Kale Salad, Roasted Beets, Crispy Shallots & Mustard Vinaigrette

Venison Carpaccio, Pears & Chestnuts

Main Course

(choose one)

Organic Free Range Turkey

Diver Sea Scallops

Salmon

Beef Short Ribs

Berkshire Pork Loin

Japanese Yam Agnolotti

Sides

(for the table)

Sausage & Raisin Stuffing

Mixed Roasted Vegetables

Potato Purée

Assorted Mushrooms

Cranberry Sauce

Desserts

(for the table)

Pecan Pie

Pumpkin Pavlova & Quince

Chocolate Bread Pudding & Armagnac Prunes

Cost $95 Children 5 and under free. Served 2-8pm

[dgusanz]

We just booked for Thanksgiving. Menu not out yet - they said they will post it next week.

Most importantly, you can bring your own wine. Corkage is $25 for a regular bottle and $50 for a magnum. No corkage charge if you bring a wine of your own and order a bottle from their list as well. NOTE - re my previous post on this topic - I may have misremembered (confused them with another place, maybe) about last year on Corkage

[TonyC]

This sounds 200% more pleasant than suffering through all that cleaning/cooking/stress at home... Also of note, Waterloo & City is doing a T-giving dinner (at same price level as well), but I do love me some Craft.

[Dirtywextraolives]

Though it wasn't a major holiday, we spent Fathers Day at Craft, and had an exceptional meal. I cannot imagine their Thanksgiving dinner will be anything but spectacular......please let us know how it was if you decide to go.

[wienermobile]

I will definitely report back in about 30 days.

[Jack Flash]

We had a great T-day dinner at Craft two years ago.

[wienermobile]

Jack Flash please tell me more. Was it family style? What dishes did you try?

[Jack Flash]

Everything was served family style. Each diner got to choose a main course from a selection that included turkey, ham, beef (I think it was sirloin), or something vegetarian. I had the turkey, my wife had the ham, I believe, and my stepdaughter had the beef. All were expertly prepared.

Craft is one of my favorite restaurants, and they did not disappoint. I remember being impressed with the amount of food they served. I seem to recall being told that if we wanted more of the side dishes, all we needed to do was ask. It was the first time I'd ever gone to a restaurant for Thanksgiving after 40 consecutive holidays at home (or at the home of either my grandparents or our cousins), and I was a bit skeptical because, for me, the best part of TG is having the leftovers. Well, we finished all of our starters, mains & sides (didn't ask for more), but there was enough food that I didn't have room for all of the desserts they served, and happily brought home the leftovers of those.

I would have gone again last year without protest, but other members of the family shamed me back into doing it all by myself at home.

Everything else was typical Craft: top notch service, interesting cocktails, etc.

[wienermobile]

Thanks so much, you've really helped me with my decision.

[Porthos]

I would have gone again last year without protest, but other members of the family shamed me back into doing it all by myself at home
====================
Easy for them to do probably because you have to do all the cooking! ;)

Having said that, it's probably one of the easier meals to make if you get enough people to do the prep work.

[dgusanz]

Agreee with Jack Flash. We went last year and it is was great - food, service, drinks, ambience. Only minor issue was that we could not bring our own wine and pay corkage. We both had turkey and had lots of leftover turkey and desserts to bring home. They did not mention we could get more of the sides but we really did not need more so did not matter. The service was also great but we felt sorry for our server working on Thanksgiving until he told us that all the staff's families were coming in for dinner after they closed to the public. We plan to reapeat this year.

[Porthos]

Only minor issue was that we could not bring our own wine and pay corkage.
======================================
Would be a major issue and deal breaker for me.

[Servorg]

I like to look at no corkage policies as the same way I would if I was going to dinner at a friend's house and they were serving a wine they picked out for the meal they were serving (and hell, at the restaurant I even have a choice of wines to pick from). I might like my wine better, but I won't let it deter me from having a great evening. Craft can certainly deliver on wine well enough for one to enjoy their Thanksgiving dinner.

[Porthos]

I'm sure your friend wouldn't object if you brought a very nice aged Grand Cru burgundy or 2 to dinner.

Plus, there is the issue that most wine lists in LA are too young and often too expensive with a hefty 3x markup. Charge me $40 corkage to make up for the lost revenue. I'll gladly pay it. And on a night like Thanksgiving, of course I would bring enough to share.

[Jack Flash]

How odd about the wine; IIRC, Craft's normal (i.e., non-holiday) corkage policy allows you to bring in your own wine (for a rather high corkage fee) as long as it's not on the restaurant's wine list.

[Servorg]

Just for fun I looked up Craft's T-Day menu from 2011: http://www.craftrestaurantsinc.com/cr...

[wienermobile]

Thanks, this years menu is not up yet but they said it would be similar to 2011 but $10 more.