Escape from Cooking (and Cleaning) on T-Day

Each week, Patch tells you about one great idea to give you a much deserved break, and make your life a little easier, maybe a whole lot more fun.

This week, instead of giving you an escape from the everyday—because with the holidays approaching, lots of things are not the same everyday—we decided to give you an escape from the one activity many of us do of at Thanksgiving time: the cooking and _ maybe even worse — the big cleanup.

We have compiled information about several local restaurants and their plans for full Thanksgiving feasts on Nov. 24.

Don't feel like cooking for the holiday? Treat your families to some of these great options around Somerset County!

• Reservations are required for a special Thanksgiving dinner at the Olde Mill Inn and The Grain House Restaurant in Basking Ridge. Aside from a special children’s menu, information about Thanksgiving dinner can be found here. Seatings begin at 11:30 a.m.
• Tbones at the Bridgewater Marriott is offering a special Thanksgiving Buffet from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. Nov. 24, with a salad and cold food display that includes a harvest salad, antipasto display, cured meats and fresh grilled vegetables. There is also a selection of artesian bread, a children’s station, a hot food display—with harvest vegetables, butternut squash bisque and spinach stuffed gnocchi, among other items—and a carving station with turkey, rib eye, chicken, duck, bacon and other items. The buffet also offers a warm beverage bar and an assortment of desserts. The buffet is $43 for adults and $18 for children ages 3 to 11 years.
• The Bernards Inn at 27 Mine Brook Road in Bernardsville, always a special dining experience, is open on Thanksgiving. Call 908-766-0002 for reservations. An a la carte, prix fix Thanksgiving dinner is $75 for adults and $35 for children 12 and under. A Thanksgiving buffet is $59 for adults, $29 for children 5 to 12 and $15 for children ages 2 to 4. Under 2 are free.
• Pheasants Landing on Amwell Road in Hillsborough recommends that patrons make reservations now for a special a la carte and prix fix menu to be offered specifically on Thanksgiving Day. The menu, with a fixed price of $26, includes a choice of soup or salad, followed by oven-roasted turkey with apple pecan stuffing, giblet gravy, mashed potatoes, candied yams and string beans almandine. This is followed by a choice of either home-baked warm apple strudel with vanilla sauce, pumpkin pie or hot raspberries over vanilla ice cream with whipped cream. The a la carte selections, available on the website, offer a few more choices, as well as a kids menu, and is not a fixed price.
• Who says Thanksgiving has to mean turkey? For a flavorful alternative, at 937 S. Finley Ave. in the Lyons Mall in Basking Ridge will be open for its regular Indian buffet from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., with dinner to be served from the regular menu from 4:30 to 9 p.m. on Thanksgiving. So far, Doon isn't contemplating turkey with the trimmings! Here is the restaurant's website, and a from earlier this year. 
• Maestro 206 on Route 206 in Hillsborough will be having a special menu for the Thanksgiving Day crowd Nov. 24.
• ADDED: Rolf's, at 65 Stirling Road in Warren, steps away from its German-centric menu to offer a Thanksgiving dinner with Thyme-roasted turkey, honey glazed ham, top round and chicken, and, of course, all the trimmings. The dessert table will be laden with pies, pies and more pies—and cookies. Dinner will be served between noon and 5 p.m. and is $25.95 for adults, $13.95 for children.

Know of any other restaurants offering delicious Thanksgiving meals in the area? Let us know in the comments!