FOOD SECTION - RESTAURANT JOURNAL
Wednesday, November 15, 2006

On T-day, so many choices!
By: Betty Hallock

Spiced-Pecan rack of lamb, roasted pork loin with baked apples, Maine lobster rovili. These dishes are more are on the menu for those who participate In that other great Thanksgiving tradition: eating out.

More than I in 10 Americans dine out for the holiday, according to the National Restaurant Assn But calling around to every restaurant in town to see which of your favorites (or the places you’ve always wanted to try) are open for Thanksgiving sounds like about as much fun as shelling favas.

OpenTable.com, the company that has cornered the market on online dinner reservations, steps up each year with a handy tool — a list of area restaurants open on the holiday, along with descriptions of their Thanksgiving menus, prices and operating hours.

So far this year, OpenTable’s LA-area Thanksgiving restaurant list numbers about 120, up from about 65 last year. The site lists only places that subscribe to the OpenTable service, so it doesn’t, of course, include all restaurants that are open. (Click on Los Angeles/Orange County. Then all regions and select Nov 23 or go to www.opentable.com/thanksgiving)

 Among those on this year’s list are Jar, La Terra and Simon LA in West Hollywood; Minx In Glendale; Dakota In Hollywood;

Opentable’s list isn’t comprehensive because it doesn’t include restaurants that are open for Thanksgiving but either don’t subscribe to the service or require reservations made by phone and a credit card number to hold a table. And there are glitches, so once you decide to make a reservation, it’s a good idea to double- check by calling the restaurant directly. Don’t show up, for example, at Hama Sushi In Venice expecting California rolls and tuna sashimi Although OpenTablle recently took Thanksgiving reservations for the restaurant, it will be closed Nov. 23.

ALL THE FIXINGS: At Dakota in Hollywood, tuck into a traditional Thanksgiving meal, or maybe a sirloin steak.