Thanksgiving at Home with a French, Italian or American Sensibility
By • November 11, 2021 0 702
This year Georgetowners looking forward to celebrating the holidays with family and friends are likely to gather with folks they haven’t seen for some time. Anticipating that many of these festive gatherings will be in private homes, some local restaurants are offering ready-to-heat, complete Thanksgiving dinners (or seasonal sides and desserts) for advance pickup. Three such restaurants are seasoning tradition with French, Italian and classic American sensibility, respectively.
Bistrot Lepic – This Parisian stalwart on Wisconsin Avenue is offering a holiday meal with Gallic flavors. Yes, the French do eat turkey, Cyrille Brenac, the restaurant’s managing partner, confirms. The roasted turkey breast entrée on the menu is a traditional French preparation. It will be accompanied by sweet potato in a classic gratin. However, there is no need to limit one’s choices to Gallic versions of typical Thanksgiving fare. A hearty cassoulet made with duck, gizzards, garlic sausage and white beans in the style of Languedoc is another possibility – as is braised beef with mashed potatoes or classic coq au vin. Appetizers include boudin blanc or vegetable soup au pistou, and there are familiar French desserts. Diners can mix and match American and French traditions by ordering an array of dishes or dinners. Pickup on Wednesday, Nov. 24. For more information go to https://bistrotlepic.com/#homePage.
I Ricchi – The ready-to-heat Thanksgiving dinner offered by chef/owner Christine Ricchi’s classy Italian restaurant is inspired by the holiday meals she helped her Italian-born grandmother and her mother prepare. “The only way to learn how to make these classic recipes,” she explains, “was to cook with them; it’s all experienced based.” As was traditional in her family, the menu begins an antipasti selection, followed by the family’s meaty lasagna. The roast turkey breast comes with her mother’s sausage and bread stuffing, gravy, vegetables and a cranberry sauce that’s given an Italian savor with sour cherries and walnuts. For dessert, there’s a choice of pumpkin ricotta crème cannoli or a personal apple crumb pie. Pickup on Wednesday, Nov. 24, 3-7 p.m. For more information go to https://www.iricchifoodclub.com/blogs/news/thanksgiving-abbondanza-november-24-2021.
1310 Kitchen & Bar – Chef/owner Jenn Crovato believes that the “general public really craves traditional Thanksgiving sides.” In this spirit, she is offering mashed potatoes, gravy, two kinds of stuffing, apple cranberry sauce and an array of seasonal vegetable dishes for pickup before the holiday. While some vegetable choices like the blanched green beans “are a bit healthier” (than the classics), she declares the savory sweet potatoes offered “are far from fat free,” even though they “don’t have any added sugar or marshmallows on top.” As for the brussels sprouts, she dresses them up with caramelized shallots and bacon. The apple crumb and pumpkin pies are indulgent. Pickup on November 23, 24 and 25. For more information go to https://www.1310kitchendc.com/thanksgiving-side-orders
Bistrot Lepic and I Ricchi will be closed Thanksgiving Day. 1310 Kitchen & Bar will be open for brunch from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m.
