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Where to Eat Thanksgiving Dinner in Portland, 2013

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All photos courtesy Avila/EPDX

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Everyone has a Thanksgiving Day tradition, and for some, said tradition doesn't involve deep-frying a turkey, hand-rolling pie crusts, or setting out the special silverware — why bother when some restaurants are willing to do it all for you? In a departure from the usual Thanksgiving round-up, Eater scoured the menus of restaurants serving Thanksgiving dinner in 2013, studying each spot's gorge factor and determining Eater's ideal holiday meal at each. Reservations fill up quickly, so do get a head start with these options (and we'll add more as the date approaches):

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Gorge Factor: A three-course prix fixe dinner starting at 1p.m.; the menu itself is a laundry list of tapas, entrees, and desserts.Cost: $55, kids $27.50Eater's ideal meal: ceviche; tres ajies-rubbed turkey with quinoa-hazelnut stuffing and mache salad; goat-cheese flan.

Bluehour

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Gorge Factor: A three-course prix fixe dinner, with chef Dolan Lane offering four or five options within each course.Cost: $50Eater's ideal meal: pan-fried oysters with celery and apple slaw; a cider-brined pork chop served with sweet potato gnocchi and brussels sprouts; and pumpkin mousse torte.

Country Cat Dinnerhouse & Bar

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Gorge Factor: Chefs Adam and Jackie Sappington will cook up a four-course prix fixe dinner, with three or four options for the appetizer, entree, and dessert courses.Cost: $50, kids $15Eater's ideal meal: chanterelle mushroom, hazelnut, and pumpkin soup; turkey with stuffing, mashed potatoes, and cranberry sauce; apple-cranberry crisp.

Gracie's

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Gorge Factor: Unlimited; the menu (a combination of Gracie's familiar small plates and new holiday specials) is available a la carte.Cost: VariesEater's ideal meal: pumpkin soup with sage oil; roasted turkey with butternut squash bread pudding and mashed potatoes; vanilla creme brulee.

The Heathman Restaurant & Bar

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Gorge Factor: Epic. Thanksgiving afternoon (11:30a.m.-5p.m.) is served buffet style; check out the menu here. Cost: $47, kids $18Eater's ideal meal: the entire "Grand Seafood Display" (crab claws, oysters, smoked trout, salmon pate); turkey from the carving station; mushroom-stuffed sole; sage chestnut stuffing; seafood vol au vent. [Photo]

Imperial

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Gorge Factor: Unlimited; the menu (a combination of usual favorites and holiday specials) is available a la carte.Cost: VariesEater's ideal meal: kale and raw vegetable salad; lamb loin chop and belly with freekeh; a side of oyster stuffing; a Vieux Carre from the bar.

Interurban

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Gorge Factor: High, and untraditional. Chef Drew Sprouse plans a Mexican-inspired menu offering a la carte tacos, Frito pie, and pulled pork.Cost: VariesEater's ideal meal: shrimp ceviche, Frito pie, Dr. pepper pulled pork with cabbage and mole.

McMenamins Kennedy School

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Gorge Factor: High. This one's a buffet featuring all the Thanksgiving classics.Cost: $24, kids $12, seniors $19.Eater's ideal meal: cider-braised pork, green beans with brown butter and roasted garlic, roasted sweet potatoes, apple crisp. [Photo]

The Original

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Gorge Factor: Chef David Anderson harks back to old-school TV dinners with the Original's Thanksgiving menu, offering a "TV dinner tray" that guests can heap with their choice of main course, three side dishes, and dessert.Cost: $27Eater's ideal meal: roasted turkey, mushroom and kale stuffing, maple glazed sweet potatoes, caramelized Brussels sprouts with bacon, and pumpkin pie. [Photo]

Portobello Vegan Trattoria

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Gorge Factor: A three-course, all-vegan prix fixe dinner, with chef Aaron Adams offering two options within each course.Cost: $35, $55 with wine pairingEater's ideal meal: cornbread to start; pumpkin soup with chestnut ravioli; portobello stuffed with wild rice and cremini stuffing; sweet potato mousse with nog cream.

Raven & Rose

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Gorge Factor: A three-course prix-fixe dinner menu. If "dessert" means "more food," the upstairs Rookery Bar will serve its full regular menu all evening. Cost: $50, kids $25Eater's ideal meal: rabbit Caesar salad; turkey with traditional fixings; butterscotch pudding with toasted streusel.

Ruth's Chris Steak House

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Gorge Factor: A three-course prix-fixe with little wiggle room. Entree (turkey) and dessert (pumpkin pie) are givens; diners can choose between three appetizers and four sides.Cost: $38, kids $13Eater's ideal meal: steak house salad; turkey with all the fix ins; creamed spinach; pumpkin pie. [Photo]

Salty's on the Columbia

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Gorge Factor: High. This one's a buffet.Cost: $50 (or $60 with unlimited Champagne), kids $1.50 per year of their ageEater's ideal meal: our weight in cocktail shrimp and oysters; garlic bread stuffing; turkey with chanterelle gravy. [Photo]

Songbird Cafe

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Gorge Factor: Mt. Tabor's cozy neighborhood cafe Songbird will serve a traditional three-course Thanksgiving meal, featuring turkey and all the trimmings.Cost: $45, kids $20Eater's ideal meal: turkey, candied yams, stuffing, whipped potatoes, and apple pie. [Photo]

Urban Farmer

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Gorge Factor: A three-course prix fixe dinner, with several choices within each course. All sides (like cornbread stuffing and candied yams) are also included and served family style).Cost: $52, separate kid's menu available.Eater's ideal meal: oxtail agnolotti with salsify and hedgehog mushrooms; bone-in Painted Hills tenderloin; pecan bread pudding with bourbon ice cream. [Photo]

Wildwood Restaurant & Bar

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Gorge Factor: It's up to you; the special 13-item Thanksgiving menu is available a la carte.Cost: Varies.Eater's ideal meal: smoked potato and clam chowder; braised octopus with shell beans and bagna cauda; slow-roasted prime rib with creamed spinach, horseradish, and pomme frites.

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Andina

Gorge Factor: A three-course prix fixe dinner starting at 1p.m.; the menu itself is a laundry list of tapas, entrees, and desserts.Cost: $55, kids $27.50Eater's ideal meal: ceviche; tres ajies-rubbed turkey with quinoa-hazelnut stuffing and mache salad; goat-cheese flan.

Bluehour

Gorge Factor: A three-course prix fixe dinner, with chef Dolan Lane offering four or five options within each course.Cost: $50Eater's ideal meal: pan-fried oysters with celery and apple slaw; a cider-brined pork chop served with sweet potato gnocchi and brussels sprouts; and pumpkin mousse torte.

Country Cat Dinnerhouse & Bar

Gorge Factor: Chefs Adam and Jackie Sappington will cook up a four-course prix fixe dinner, with three or four options for the appetizer, entree, and dessert courses.Cost: $50, kids $15Eater's ideal meal: chanterelle mushroom, hazelnut, and pumpkin soup; turkey with stuffing, mashed potatoes, and cranberry sauce; apple-cranberry crisp.

Gracie's

Gorge Factor: Unlimited; the menu (a combination of Gracie's familiar small plates and new holiday specials) is available a la carte.Cost: VariesEater's ideal meal: pumpkin soup with sage oil; roasted turkey with butternut squash bread pudding and mashed potatoes; vanilla creme brulee.

The Heathman Restaurant & Bar

Gorge Factor: Epic. Thanksgiving afternoon (11:30a.m.-5p.m.) is served buffet style; check out the menu here. Cost: $47, kids $18Eater's ideal meal: the entire "Grand Seafood Display" (crab claws, oysters, smoked trout, salmon pate); turkey from the carving station; mushroom-stuffed sole; sage chestnut stuffing; seafood vol au vent. [Photo]

Imperial

Gorge Factor: Unlimited; the menu (a combination of usual favorites and holiday specials) is available a la carte.Cost: VariesEater's ideal meal: kale and raw vegetable salad; lamb loin chop and belly with freekeh; a side of oyster stuffing; a Vieux Carre from the bar.

Interurban

Gorge Factor: High, and untraditional. Chef Drew Sprouse plans a Mexican-inspired menu offering a la carte tacos, Frito pie, and pulled pork.Cost: VariesEater's ideal meal: shrimp ceviche, Frito pie, Dr. pepper pulled pork with cabbage and mole.

McMenamins Kennedy School

Gorge Factor: High. This one's a buffet featuring all the Thanksgiving classics.Cost: $24, kids $12, seniors $19.Eater's ideal meal: cider-braised pork, green beans with brown butter and roasted garlic, roasted sweet potatoes, apple crisp. [Photo]

The Original

Gorge Factor: Chef David Anderson harks back to old-school TV dinners with the Original's Thanksgiving menu, offering a "TV dinner tray" that guests can heap with their choice of main course, three side dishes, and dessert.Cost: $27Eater's ideal meal: roasted turkey, mushroom and kale stuffing, maple glazed sweet potatoes, caramelized Brussels sprouts with bacon, and pumpkin pie. [Photo]

Portobello Vegan Trattoria

Gorge Factor: A three-course, all-vegan prix fixe dinner, with chef Aaron Adams offering two options within each course.Cost: $35, $55 with wine pairingEater's ideal meal: cornbread to start; pumpkin soup with chestnut ravioli; portobello stuffed with wild rice and cremini stuffing; sweet potato mousse with nog cream.

Raven & Rose

Gorge Factor: A three-course prix-fixe dinner menu. If "dessert" means "more food," the upstairs Rookery Bar will serve its full regular menu all evening. Cost: $50, kids $25Eater's ideal meal: rabbit Caesar salad; turkey with traditional fixings; butterscotch pudding with toasted streusel.

Ruth's Chris Steak House

Gorge Factor: A three-course prix-fixe with little wiggle room. Entree (turkey) and dessert (pumpkin pie) are givens; diners can choose between three appetizers and four sides.Cost: $38, kids $13Eater's ideal meal: steak house salad; turkey with all the fix ins; creamed spinach; pumpkin pie. [Photo]

Salty's on the Columbia

Gorge Factor: High. This one's a buffet.Cost: $50 (or $60 with unlimited Champagne), kids $1.50 per year of their ageEater's ideal meal: our weight in cocktail shrimp and oysters; garlic bread stuffing; turkey with chanterelle gravy. [Photo]

Songbird Cafe

Gorge Factor: Mt. Tabor's cozy neighborhood cafe Songbird will serve a traditional three-course Thanksgiving meal, featuring turkey and all the trimmings.Cost: $45, kids $20Eater's ideal meal: turkey, candied yams, stuffing, whipped potatoes, and apple pie. [Photo]

Urban Farmer

Gorge Factor: A three-course prix fixe dinner, with several choices within each course. All sides (like cornbread stuffing and candied yams) are also included and served family style).Cost: $52, separate kid's menu available.Eater's ideal meal: oxtail agnolotti with salsify and hedgehog mushrooms; bone-in Painted Hills tenderloin; pecan bread pudding with bourbon ice cream. [Photo]

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Wildwood Restaurant & Bar

Gorge Factor: It's up to you; the special 13-item Thanksgiving menu is available a la carte.Cost: Varies.Eater's ideal meal: smoked potato and clam chowder; braised octopus with shell beans and bagna cauda; slow-roasted prime rib with creamed spinach, horseradish, and pomme frites.

Related Maps