Thanksgiving meals on and off The Strip

By Allison Duck

Tuesday, Nov. 23, 2010 | 9:33 p.m.

If your idea of the perfect Thanksgiving dinner is relaxing while other chefs slave over a hot stove to serve you scrumptious food, then you are in luck. For those who wish to hang up their aprons Thursday, Las Vegas restaurants have pulled out all the stops to offer some of the most delicious and creative Thanksgiving fare.

There will be turkey, mashed potatoes and pumpkin pie galore, but also be on the lookout for Atlantic King salmon, roasted pheasant and pasta fagioli soup. There is no need to stick to the basics or stay in your own kitchen with the options available at local buffets and restaurants on and off The Strip.

Buffets:

The buffets at the Coast Casinos feature traditional Thanksgiving favorites like roasted turkey with all the trimmings and baked ham, plus all the seafood specialties, soups, salads, fruits and vegetables from the usual buffet offerings. The price is $13.99 for B Connected cardholders and $15.99 for all other customers.

• The French Market Buffet at The Orleans will be open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.

• The St. Tropez Buffet at the Suncoast will be open from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.

• The Ports O’ Call Buffet at the Gold Coast will be open from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.

• The Firelight Buffet at Sam’s Town will be open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.

• The Paradise Buffet at the Fremont Hotel & Casino will be open from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.

• The Garden Court Buffet at Main Street Station will be open from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.

The Station Casinos Feast and Festival Buffets will offer a variety of dining options. The “Traditional” menu is available for $12.99 for Boarding Pass or Amigo Club Card holders, or $14.99 for non-cardholders and is available at the following casinos:

• Palace Station, 367-2411.

• Texas Station, 631-1000.

• Fiesta Rancho, 631-7000.

• Fiesta Henderson, 558-7000.

The following Station Casino locations will offer the “Classic” menu priced at $14.99 for Boarding Pass cardholders and $16.99 for non-cardholders:

• Boulder Station, 432-7777.

• Sunset Station, 547-7777.

• Santa Fe Station, 658-4900.

• Aliante Station, 692-7777.

The following Station Casino locations will offer the “Gourmet” menu, featuring all your Thanksgiving favorites, plus seafood and sushi, priced at $21.99 for Boarding Pass cardholders and $23.99 for non-cardholders:

• Green Valley Ranch, 617-7777.

• Red Rock Resort, 797-7777.

Palms: The Bistro Buffet is priced at $16.99 with your All-star, MVP or Hall of Famer card, or $19.99 without the card. Special menu items include pumpkin soup, caramel apple salad, pumpkin bulgar salad, smashed cheddar potatoes, Granny Smith apple stuffing, maple roasted yams plus nontraditional items like eggplant parmesan, tortellini with braised short rib ragu, sea bass filet Oscar-style, opaka olive tapenade and Tio’s meatloaf with ancho chili sauce.

The Mirage: The Cravings Buffet will offer a traditional Thanksgiving meal from 3 to 10 p.m. for $34.95.

Bellagio: In addition to the standard buffet offerings, the Bellagio Buffet will feature Alaskan king and snow crab legs, made to order salads, sushi, steak, beef wellington, cooked seafood and traditional Thanksgiving items. Brunch is served from 7 a.m. until 2 p.m. and is $31.95, or 37.95 with champagne.

Wynn: The buffet at Wynn offers brunch from 8 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. for $36.95, or $48.95 for the VIP option. Dinner service runs from 1 to 10 p.m. and $45.95, or $57.95 for the VIP option. The VIP package includes two rounds of sangria, mimosas or champagne, VIP line access and a 10 percent discount on the next regular priced buffet with proof of purchase of the VIP package.

Paris: Chef Robert Derwinski offers traditional specialties at the Le Village Buffet, priced at $29.99 for lunch served from 11 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. and $29.99 for dinner, served from 3:30 to 10:30 p.m.

Planet Hollywood: Chef Eduardo Ruiz offers traditional specialties at The Spice Market Buffet, priced at $29.99 for lunch served from 11 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. and $29.99 for dinner served from 3:30 to 10:30 p.m.

Aria: In addition to the standard buffet offerings, the Aria Buffet will feature traditional Thanksgiving items. Alaskan king crab legs, a variety of sushi, pasta made to order, carved turkey and roasted salmon, ham, prime rib and an Indian menu. Brunch will be served from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. and is priced at $30.95, or $36.95 with champagne and bloody marys.

M Resort: The Studio B Buffet will offer an all-day special holiday buffet with beer and wine included from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. for $29.99 for adults and $22.99 for children ages 5 to 8. The menu includes roasted turkey breast, Yukon gold mashed potatoes, oysters on the half shell, roasted lamb loin, Lyonnaise potatoes, cream corn, grilled New York steaks au poivre and mahi mahi with pineapple salsa.

The Rio: The Carnival World Buffet offers a special menu featuring sweet potato and chili soup, a carving station with maple honey glazed ham, roasted turkey breast, roasted prime rib of Black Canyon beef and Cajun spice-rubbed pork loin. For dessert, enjoy bananas foster, pumpkin pie, pecan pie and pumpkin cheesecake.

Loews at Lake Las Vegas: From 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., enjoy brunch stations including antipasta, smoked salmon, a seafood bar, Marrakesh salad station, soups, kid’s carving station, a traditional Thanksgiving carving station with cider-brined turkey with truffled giblet gravy, Brazilian grilling station, 20-plus dessert options including a funnel cake station, plus sashimi, nigiri and sushi rolls. Reservations are recommended; 567-6000. The buffet is $46.95 for adults, $23.95 for children ages 6 to 10 and free for children 5 and younger.

Restaurants on The Strip:

•The Sporting House Bar and Grill inside New York-New York: The new restaurant will offer a mixed green salad to start followed by a traditional Thanksgiving dinner with roasted turkey, mashed potatoes and giblet gravy, sage stuffing, candied yams and fresh green beans plus pumpkin pie with Chantilly cream for dessert. The cost is $19.99 per adult and $8.99 for children under 12. Please call 740-6766 for reservations.

• All restaurants at Wynn and Encore will be open and will offer vegan menu options in addition to their standard menus and special holiday menus.

• Alex at Wynn: Chef Alex Stratta offers a three-course prix fixe menu from 5 to 9 p.m. featuring dishes like Nantucket Bay scallops with Brussels sprouts, confit pear and toasted hazelnut puree and more traditional items like turkey breast with turkey roulade, cranberry compote, haricots verts and stuffing. The cost is $145 per person.

• Bartolotta Ristorante di Mare at Wynn: Chef Paul Bartolotta applies Mediterranean touches to traditional holiday dishes with his four-course menu, offered in addition to the standard a la carte menu. The price for the Thanksgiving specialty menu is $85 per person. Please call 770-3305 for reservations.

• Botero at Wynn: Chef Mark LoRusso offers a special five-course Chef's Thanksgiving Tasting menu of items including roasted kabocha squash and fennel soup with candied pecans. Enjoy finishing touches from Pastry Chef Sara Steele. The cost is $90 per person, and the restaurant is open from 4:30 to 9:30 p.m. Please call 770-5310 for reservations.

• Society Cafe at Encore: For $39 per person, Chef Kim Canteenwalla offers a special three-course Thanksgiving menu including kabocha squash soup with cinnamon dusted gala apple chips, along with traditional dishes such as slow-roasted free range turkey with pancetta and sage stuffing, Yukon gold mashed potato, root vegetables and cranberry compote. Please call 770-5300 for reservations.

• Delmonico Steakhouse at The Venetian: In addition to the nightly dinner menu, Chef Emeril Lagasse’s Delmonico offers a traditional turkey dinner from 3 to 9 p.m. with roast free range turkey, cornbread dressing, stewed green beans, wild mushroom gravy and homemade cranberry sauce for $38. Please call 414-1992 for reservations.

• Pinot Brasserie at The Venetian: The French restaurant will offer a three-course menu for $55, a four-course menu for $65 and a children’s menu for $15.95. Highlights include pumpkin soup, roasted quail, crispy potato galette, creamy lobster bisque cappuccino, pan-seared scallops, Atlantic King salmon, grilled petit filet, and for dessert choose from a warm apple tart tatin with brown butter ice cream, croissant chocolate pudding with a wild turkey sauce or a chocolate souffle. Please call 414-8888 for reservations.

• Postrio at The Venetian: For $39 per person, guest can enjoy a three-course dinner including puree of pumpkin soup, turkey with all the trimmings and triple silken pumpkin pie with cranberries and spiced creme fraiche cream. The traditional turkey dinner with the trimmings is available a la carte for $27. Please call 796-1110 for reservations.

• Valentino at The Venetian: For $79 per person, Valentino offers a buffet featuring delicata squash, panacotta with steamed spanner crab and celery root puree, stuffed quail with mushroom polenta and quail demi sauce, montasio cheese stuffed bucatini with walnut cream sauce, smoked free range turkey breast and sausage with potato gratin, haricot vert and apple soufflé and fried pumpkin pie gelato with caramel sauce. Please call 414-3000 for reservations.

• Dos Caminos at Palazzo offers a pre fixe menu for $38 per person or an a la carte menu featuring spiced pumpkin soup, duck carintas tamales, wild mushroom and huitlacoche sopes, herb roasted turkey and turkey carnitas with wild mushroom stuffing, piloncillo-glazed sweet potatoes, chipotle-cranberry salsita and for dessert pumpkin pie with pampantla vanilla ice cream or warm apple crepas with cajeta caramel sauce and canela ice cream. Please call 577-9600 for reservations.

• First Food & Bar in the Palazzo: The holiday menu includes roasted pumpkin corn bisque, roasted beet salad, a family style Pilgrim dinner with turkey with giblet gravy, mashed potatoes, whipped sweet potatoes, green bean almondine, homemade cranberry sauce, First stuffing, alternative prime rib or roast salmon, plus a pie bar with all your favorites for desserts. The price is $39 for adults, half off for children and free for those younger than 5. Please call 607-3478 for reservations.

• Morels French Steakhouse & Bistro at Palazzo: Enjoy a complimentary glass of Sparkling Lucien Albrecht, Blanc de Blancs Cremant d'Alsace to start your meal, which will include roasted butternut squash soup, oven roasted free range turkey, chorizo and brioche stuffing, glazed autumn root vegetables, Yukon gold mashed potatoes with giblet gravy and homemade cranberry compote, plus a spiced pumpkin tart for dessert. The cost is $65 per person. Please call 607-6333 for reservations.

• CUT at Palazzo: Special menu items, available from 4 to 9 p.m., include butternut squash soup with cranberry-quince compote and Amaretto, maple glazed kurobuta pork shank with honey crisp apples and red kuri squash and corvina venison loin served with Brussels sprout leaves and roasted chestnuts. For dessert, enjoy pumpkin spiced doughnuts with maple whipped cream and pumpkin ice cream. Please call 607-6300 for reservations.

• Wolfgang Puck Bar & Grill at MGM Grand: The Thanksgiving prix fixe menu served from 4 p.m. until midnight includes a three-course meal of kabocha pumpkin soup with cardamom creme fraiche and cranberry chutney, traditional oven roasted turkey with a sweet potato puree, haricot vert, cornbread stuffing and turkey gravy. For dessert, enjoy triple layer pumpkin pie served with cranberries and creme fraiche ice cream. Please call 891-3000 for reservations.

• Craftsteak at MGM: The $85 set menu includes 12 items including appetizers, grilled Vermont quail, free range turkey, cranberry orange relish with candied ginger, poached oyster and celery root chowder and a variety of desserts. Please call 891-7318 for reservations.

• Fiamma at MGM: The $60 turkey dinner includes four courses featuring butternut squash gnocchi and stuffed turkey with chestnuts and black truffle. Please call 891-7600 for reservations.

• Picasso at Bellagio: The holiday menu, priced at $150 per person, will be served from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. It features poached oysters, Maine lobster salad, grilled filet of swordfish, roasted prime short rib, roasted veal chop, prime filet mignon, supreme roasted pheasant, brioche stuffing and cranberry sauce. Please call 693-7223 for reservations.

• Circo at Bellagio: The holiday set menu is served from 5:30 to 10 p.m. and costs $85 per person. It features a turkey platter with traditional sides, plus braised salted cod, pumpkin souffle, pumpkin pie and vanilla ice cream. Please call 693-8150 for reservations.

Restaurants off The Strip:

• Simon at Palms Place: Chef Kerry Simon has prepared an adventurous Thanksgiving meal. Guests will receive warm brie cheese mushrooms and roasted cashews crispy sage as an amuse-bouche followed by a first course of endive salad or mixed greens salad. Next up are sides like creamy mashed potatoes, brioche dressing with dried pears, spicy Italian sausage, apple and pretzel bread stuffing, slow-roasted baby cauliflowers with crushed pecans, herbed bread crumbs and a lemon zest. The carving station will include roasted free range organic turkey and giblet gravy, braised turkey leg, carved brown sugar and maple-glazed ham, or warm smoked winter king salmon with creamed leeks, trumpet mushrooms and reduced zinfandel. Dessert options include pumpkin cupcakes with cream cheese frosting, apple, pecan or pumpkin pie and oatmeal cookies with cranberries. The feast is priced at $40 per adult, $15 for children 12 year and under and will be served from 1 until 8 p.m. Please call 942-3292 for reservations.

• Ago at the Hard Rock Hotel: Ago welcomes locals and guests alike for a family-style Thanksgiving dinner. Priced at $39 per person, dinner includes butternut squash tortelloni, sauteed turkey scaloppini with pumpkin polenta and cranberry pannacotta with orange sorbet. For $49, guests can enjoy a pairing with selected wines. The special dinner menu will be offered from 5 to 10:30 p.m. Please call 693-4440 for reservations.

• Rare 120 at the Hard Rock Hotel: The special Thanksgiving menu, available for $49.99, features roasted pumpkin and lobster bisque, maple roasted organic turkey, apple cobbler, bread pudding and pumpkin pie. The menu will be offered from 5 to 10:30 p.m. Please call 693-5500 for reservations.

• Texas de Brazil in Town Square: The Brazilian steakhouse will serve its regular dinner menu featuring14 cuts of beef, chicken, lamb, pork and Brazilian sausage and a 50-plus item salad bar from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., plus a few extras including roasted turkey breast, sweet potato casserole and a pumpkin cheesecake. Special holiday cocktails include the pumpkin pie martini, turkey-tini and cran-bubbles. Dinner is $46.99 per person, half off for children ages 7 to 12 and free for those younger than 7. Please call 614-0080 for reservations.

• Claim Jumper, various locations: Claim Jumper will serve a limited menu including a traditional turkey supper, prime rib dinner, salmon dinner and a vegetarian meal option from 11 a.m. until 6 p.m. Children can enjoy a turkey dinner, macaroni and cheese or chicken nuggets. All dinners are served as a three-course meal with soup or salad, an entree and a slice of pumpkin or apple pie.

• PBR Rock Bar at the Miracle Mile Shops: Guests can enjoy sliced turkey breast served over traditional stuffing with gravy and cranberry sauce, along with mashed potatoes and one side of their choice: creamed corn, creamed spinach or green beans, priced at $19 per person. While dining, football fanatics can watch the New England Patriots take on the Detroit Lions on any of the 105 HD televisions lining the walls. Please call 750-1685 for reservations.

• Ferraro’s across from the Hard Rock Hotel: Ferraro’s offers a traditional turkey dinner with all the trimmings, plus some Italian touches like an appetizer of penne pesto or rigatoni pomodoro, pasta fagioli soup, cannoli and tiramisu. The meal is priced at $39.95 for adults and $14.95 for children younger than 12. Please call 364-5300 for reservations.

• Hash House a Go Go: The Imperial Palace and M Resort locations will be open and serving a special menu of items priced from $5.95 to $22.95. These dishes include pumpkin bisque with sea salt toasted almonds, roasted turkey breast with rosemary gravy, fresh mash, old-school stuffing and baby green beans, grilled pork tenderloin with barbeque cream, brown sugar mashed yams and fried leeks, linguine pasta in pumpkin cream with grilled Big O shrimp, asparagus and roasted pumpkin seeds and fresh apple cobbler and pumpkin bread pudding for dessert.

• Marnelli’s at M Resort: Marnelli’s will offer a special a la carte menu featuring roasted chestnut soup with porcini mushrooms & crispy pancetta, roasted butternut squash ravioli with toasted walnuts, brown butter sage sauce and shaved parmesan, potato-crusted Atlantic halibut served with prosciutto-wrapped asparagus, oven dried tomatoes and a lemon beurre blanc, plus the more traditional roasted turkey breast with dried fruit stuffing, green beans with almonds, orange cranberry relish, Yukon gold mashed potatoes and giblet gravy. Please call 797-1000 for reservations.

• Hank’s at Green Valley Ranch: From 4 to 6 p.m., Hank’s offers an a la carte menu featuring butternut squash bisque with hazelnut creme fraiche, pear salad, organic free range roasted turkey with homemade stuffing, candied yams, mashed potatoes with wild mushroom gravy and cranberry sauce, plus pumpkin mousse parfaits with whiskey cream and a ginger cookie for dessert. Please call 617-7075 for reservations.

• T Bones at Red Rock Resort: From 3 to 9 p.m., T Bones offers an a la carte menu featuring seared foie gras with savory pumpkin bread pudding and pomegranate coulis, organic free range roasted turkey with all trimmings, maple glazed salmon and sweet potato pie with brown sugar buttermilk ice cream for dessert. Please call 797-7576 for reservations.