It may not be home but you can still celebrate Thanksgiving in Hong Kong in style. Assemble friends and family and make for these restaurants for the season’s best Thanksgiving feasts.
Thanksgiving, as the first of the western festive trifecta – along with Christmas and New Year’s Eve – is often the first chance we get to catch up with family and friends that we’ve not seen in what seems like an age. And there’s no doubt that 2020 and all this ridiculous year has thrown at us, is going to be a little different. Travel has become something we used to do, social gatherings over broadband have become the norm, and the uncertainty of 2021 will be lingering over the festive season like a specter.
However, that doesn’t mean you can’t make the most of the occasion; charge up those powerbanks, schedule your family Zoom calls, and be sure to book one of these great Thanksgiving feasts to make the most of a Thanksgiving unlike any other.
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Big Sur
You know a Southern Cali-themed restaurant is going to take Thanksgiving seriously and at Soho’s Big Sur, there’s a feast that will soothe the soul and fill the belly. The restaurant’s Thanksgiving Set Menu is available November 26 – 29 and is priced at HK$2,500+10% per set, which should feed 6-8 hungry souls.
In addition to your hefty brined and herd-smoked turkey – with sourdough gravy, and plum and cranberry sauce – you’ll enjoy grilled Brussel sprouts with creamed spinach; smoked garlic and chives mashed potato; honey roasted heritage carrots and parsnips; and cheddar and jalapeño cornbread. Finish off with family-style Dulce de Leche pumpkin pie and bite-size pecan pies, best washed down with the venue’s Young Master craft beers or Mezcal selection. Be sure to book in advance as they have sold out of birds in previous years.
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Smoke & Barrel
Hong Kong’s newest smokehouse, Smoke & Barrel, has Thanksgiving covered. There’s a Thanksgiving Dinner (November 26-27; HK$488++ per person) that includes brisket “tartare” served with house spice, pickled zucchini, and fresh herbs salad; smoked mozzarella salad with marinated organic tomato, corn, and avocado; and a choice of smoked turkey cooked in “The Beast”; blackened catfish with okra salsa, baked rice, and lemon-cream sauce; or vegetarian smoked local pumpkin with BBQ sauce vinaigrette, California raisins, and cave-aged cheese.
Traditional Thanksgiving sides include creamy mashed potato, Brussels sprouts and ponzu, Grandma’s baked stuffing, and cranberry sauce and are followed by apple pie crumble with soft-serve ice cream and toasted hazelnut, and New Orleans Beignets with salted caramel sauce, poached plums, and ginger.
There’s also a Thanksgiving Weekend Brunch (November 28-29; HK$388++ per person) with highlights including baked beans with pulled pork and fried egg; and homemade cornbread with tabasco butter. For mains, choose from a selection of smoked turkey with cranberry jus and all your favorite sides; avocado toast with sourdough, crab salad, and furikake spice; Carolina Pulled Pork Beni with chipotle mayonnaise; an S&B Smoked Meats platter of brisket, pulled pork, ribs, tots, and mac n’ cheese; buttermilk pancakes with caramel popcorn, banana, and granola; and blackened catfish with okra salsa and baked rice.
Read our recent review of Smoke & Barrel here.
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Henry
Make for the Dark Side and the Rosewood Hong Kong for a time-honoured American Thanksgiving feast with all the trimmings at Henry. Chef Nate Green serves up a spectacular three-course spread (HK$1,198++ per person) that kicks off with a choice of Fine de Claire oysters with pumpkin velouté, chestnut-smoked shallot, and bourbon mignonette; lobster bisque; the butcher’s shop terrine with house chutney and cornichons; cold-smoked steak tartare with egg yolk puree; and burrata with hazelnut pesto and aged balsamic.
From there you move on to even harder decisions, with mains including smoked turkey with cranberry stuffing; a 400g Brandt USDA Prime ribeye, or 250g 44 Farms tenderloin; Spanish red prawns with fresh tagliatelle; halibut with field mushrooms, Jerusalem artichokes, and pig trotters; and pumpkin, chestnut, and black truffle risotto. You’ll also enjoy a host of sides and pumpkin or pecan pie, chocolate fondant, or cheesecake to finish. Not too shabby!
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Buenos Aires Polo Club
If you’re looking to add a Latin leaning to your Thanksgiving celebrations, head to the Buenos Aires Polo Club, which will be presenting an indulgent family-style spread (HK$498++ per person, min of 4 pax) featuring heaping portions of mascarpone and brown butter whipped mashed potatoes, a creamy green bean casserole with crispy shallots and rich mac & cheese with fontina and provolone served alongside a traditional whole-roasted turkey with spiced cranberry sauce and rosemary gravy. Perfect for any group looking for a lavish shared feast this Thanksgiving, Buenos Aires Polo Club’s Thanksgiving feast will take place on November 26 from 6 pm.
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Porterhouse
You’ll know this California Tower hotspot for its delectable namesake steaks but this Thanksgiving, Porterhouse is also celebrating in style this November 26 with the Thanksgiving Sharing Feast (HK$2,000++ per set), which includes a whole roast turkey, and a small army of traditional sides, from mashed potato, and roast pumpkin with smoked paprika, to Brussel sprouts. For something a little more elegant, try the five-course Thanksgiving Dinner (HK$588++ per person), which includes the likes of turkey leg roll, USDA prime beef tartare, and pumpkin pie.
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Kinship
Elegant neighbourhood eatery Kinship celebrates Thanksgiving in a big way from November 26-29 with both a dine-in dinner and a weekend brunch. Inspired by executive chef Chris Grare’s New Jersey upbringing, the Thanksgiving Dinner Menu (HK$488++ per person) will be available on November 26 & 27, with highlights including ricotta and nutmeg agnolotti with butternut squash, crispy leeks, and candied pecans; Louisiana-style crayfish salad with marinated organic tomato, corn, and avocado; and smoked turkey served with hazelnut-cauliflower puree and cranberry jus. Nostalgic sides include creamy mashed potato, and Brussels and ponzu, followed by home-style Apple Pie Crumble with roasted almond ice cream and vanilla crème, and Salted Caramel S’mores.
Alternatively, the Thanksgiving Weekend Brunch (HK$388++ per person) will be offered on November 28 & 29 and will include a host of sharing dishes ranging from smashed avocado with crayfish salad and salsa verde; and corned beef hash with caramelized onion and dill; to watermelon salad with smoke and barrel sauce and queso fresco; Thanksgiving smoked turkey with cranberry jus; nd hot and sweet Fried Chicken & Waffles.
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Duck & Waffle
Talking of waffles, Duck & Waffle is also celebrating this classic American holiday with a Thanksgiving feast (HK$2,300++ per set) available November 20-26. The meal is suited to 4-6 diners and requires a three-day advance reservation. The turkey set includes a roasted whole turkey from New Zealand that weighs 3kg, and which is served with gravy, chestnut stuffing, and cranberry jelly. Other side dishes include maple-glazed cornbread; roasted cauliflower with gremolata; glazed carrots with star anise; soy roasted sprouts with chestnut and chilli; mashed potato; and creamed greens.
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Mr Brown
Popular neighbourhood smoke and grill house Mr Brown will help you sate your appetite for Thanksgiving cheer with a delightful menu (HK$488++ per person) that celebrates the best flavours and produce of the season. Adhering to the restaurant’s culinary ethos of straightforward sharing dishes fresh off the grill, Mr Brown’s festive menus feature a host of inventive dishes that are designed to be enjoyed by the whole table.
Starters include clams on toast with n’duja and tomato; and smoked meatballs with barbecue chipotle; and are followed by turkey with all the traditional accompaniments: pecan and bacon stuffing, maple glazed sweet potato, and smoked pork brussel sprouts. Rounding out the meal, dessert is a decadent apple and pecan pie served with vanilla bourbon cream, and best paired with a traditional hot buttered rum, or signature pickle back. The Thanksgiving menu is available for dinner only on 26 November and must be reserved in advance.
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Okra
Promising a Thanksgiving that’s a little unusual, Sai Ying Pun izakaya Okra invites everyone for a unique Thanksgiving dinner (November 26-28, HK$1,400++ for two) of stuffing, spices, and of course, sake. To start, chef Max Levy’s homemade shichimi, comprised of seven spices, coats fresh prawns in the unusual but delightful Shichimi Prawn Cocktail, served with lush autumn greens.
The main event is a Smoked Yu An Yaki Duck, taking the place of a typical turkey centrepiece. The duck is dried for over five days before being brushed with yu an yaki sauce, which is similar to teriyaki. Charcoal-grilled in true Okra fashion, the duck is then left to simmer in its juices overnight and is finally served with Ma La XO, a blend of piquant spices, pork fat, and scallop oil. The star of the table is accompanied by a Ma La Dirty Rice Stuffing, signature Crispy Brussels Sprouts, and lightly-battered and fried-to-perfection Japanese squash, plated with salted plum. The meal is capped off with The Bitch sake, made in collaboration with Hong Kong renowned filmmaker Tsui Hark and hand-selected by sommelier Izaskun Levy.
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