Want to enjoy a delicious Thanksgiving dinner with relatively no effort? Reserve a full turkey (or tofurkey) at your local deli counter. When all is said and done, pre-made dinners are about as cost effective as making food yourself, and all you need are two functional arms to put the food in the oven. Reserve quickly.
Elephant's Deli - 13 NW 23rd Place
Order a whole turkey, a turkey breast, a pint of stuffing, a quart of stuffing, and as many veggie sides as you want. Elephant's does customized turkey-day orders, which cost as little or as much as you're willing to spend. Order forms at www.elephantsdeli.com
Fred Meyer is somewhat impossible to get a hold of by telephone, so go by your local store and reserve a dinner. They offer ham, prime rib, low carb, etc. Stop in and check out a brochure. Traditional dinner for 6-8 is $24.99.
New Seasons dinners include free-range turkey, gravy, stuffing, potatoes, and cranberry sauce, plus a choice of a vegetable and dessert. $69.99 for dinner for 4-6, $89.99 for 6-8. Place orders at www.newseasonsmarket.com
Safeway offers a turkey, prime rib, or spiral ham dinners with green bean casserole, mashed potatoes, and the rest of the fixings. $34.99 feeds 6-8. Check www.safeway.com for store locations and phone numbers, or stop by the Safeway deli to reserve a dinner package.
Wild Oats offers a slightly pricey (but top-notch) holiday spread, including all-natural turkey or celebration roast (vegetarian), yams, mashed potatoes, pumpkin pie, and more. $39.99 dinner for 2, $79.99 for 6-8. Check www.wildoats.com
Zupan's Markets whip up dinner for eight including a fully cooked turkey, potatoes, stuffing, cranberry sauce, rolls, yams or green bean casserole and choice of pie--all for $119.00. Contact the deli at local Zupan's: 3301 SE Belmont, 239-3720; 2340 W Burnside, 497-1088, 7221 SW Macadam, 244-5666, 8225 SW Apple Way (Raleigh Hills), 203-5962
Eating Out
If you don't want to cook and you really don't want to settle on Chinese food, these local eateries are open for business.
Heathman Hotel -- 1001 SW Broadway, 790-7752
Choose from either a four-course Thanksgiving meal downstairs, or a buffet upstairs.
Both cost $41 a person and require reservations. Open 11- 4 pm.
Portland City Grill -- 111 SW 5th, 450-0030
Impress out-of-towners with the gorgeous view, and gorge on their reasonably priced turkey dinner.
$18.95, or parties of 6 or more can enjoy the buffet for $29.95. Reservations recommended. 12-8 pm
Todai Restaurant -- 340 SW Morrison, atop the Pioneer Place Shopping Center
It's not super cheap (between $15-25 per person) but the buffet offers over 40 different kinds of sushi, crab legs and lobster, plus an assortment of noodles, fruit, and pretty little desserts like green tea cheesecake. Even if you have friends who don't like sushi, they'll be tickled pink by the big selection of cooked seafood and other treats. MLS
Open Thanksgiving & Christmas Day from 11:45 am-3pm, then again from 5:15 pm to 8:45 pm.
Wildwood -- 1221 NW 21st, 248-9663
Wildwood has a specific menu for Thanksgiving that offers plenty of side and entrée options, like pork, salmon and of course, turkey. Entrees run from $19-29. 2 pm-7:30. Call for reservations.
Holiday Drinking
Holiday party or no, I always feel like hitting the bar after a long day of eating and lounging. Check these local watering holes--all of them open on the holidays--if you're in the same boat.
Bonfire -- 2821 SE Stark, 232-3704
If you're looking for someone to lay you this holiday season--or just some attractive neighborhood folk to mingle with--this hipster lounge is open.
C-bar -- 2880 SE Gladstone, 230-8808
Sip wine and play tabletop Galaga this Thanksgiving or X-mas eve.
Club Paragon -- 815 N Killingsworth, 289-0888
Revel in the plumes of smoke, hefty cocktails, pool tables, and guaranteed holiday crowd.
Sandy Hut -- 1430 NE Sandy, 235-7972
I spent last Christmas at the Sandy Hut and it was slammin'. Just make sure you eat before you go--I had chicken tenders and fries for Christmas dinner, and I must say, it was a bit of a letdown.
Slow Bar -- 533 SE Grand, 230-7767
Open Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve, this is a good place to grab some food if you're starving, celebrate with some champagne if you're celebrating, or just drink yourself silly.
XV -- 15 SW 2nd, 790-9090
After enjoying a turkey-filled dinner at the Heathman, swing by XV for a nightcap.
