LET SOMEONE ELSE COOK THE BIRD >>>
I am a woman of noble intent. Last year, during my two weeks of vacation I demanded, I fully intended to wallpaper our bathroom - after, of course, I had cleaned the guest bedroom and finished canning my last jar of pickles for Christmas presents. I had every intention of making my own wrapping paper, embossed with vegetable-dye prints of my cat's feet - after, of course, I had recovered from my two marathons in one month feat. This year, I intend on sending the Christmas cards I bought last November, and next year, I am sure I will knit mittens for my niece; using the yarn I bought last September. Any weekend now, I'll whip up some saffron fettuccine in the pasta machine I bought that makes dough I may never knead.
Oh well, none of these losses is very great, in and of itself. The world is tough for those of us who believe we can, and should, do it all ourselves. It's tough to suffer under the delusion you can tackle everything and still have impassable style. Instead, we rush through life like clowns on America's Got Talent, juggling plates, tossing poodles and shouting, "I've got it! I've got it!" The result frequently isn't very stylish at all, and living with a fiend who will never relax, especially during the holidays, certainly isn't a very pleasant experience for our loved ones.
I love the idea of taking the time to make an occasion special, to do something right. But there's the rub: the doing rightly of the thing. It is not right for your family to live in fear of your moods and temper, your disappointment at not fulfilling your unmanageable obligations. Sometimes the doing rightly of the thing means knowing not to do it yourself. Sometimes your smartest move is to get a little help or, maybe, a lot of help.
If your intentions are truly noble, maybe you could let someone else do some of the cooking, someone whose been paid to do it. You can let your family enjoy your company for a change. The following establishments require advance booking. Do yourself a favor and book now. This holiday could be your most impressive one ever. It could be the one your spend enjoying yourself and your family.
Babblin' Babs Bistro
Once again,the intimate gourmet restaurant in Tacoma's Proctor District will serve outside the box offering a turkey-free menu of pork tenderloin with mushrooms, Greek grilled-eggplant lasagna, roasted Alaskan cod loin with cabbage and Grand Marnier chicken with mission figs - plus apricot pistachio goat cheese triangles, potato-leek-arugula soup and pear salad. Your meal ends with pumpkin bread pudding and cookies.
[11 a.m. to 4 p.m., $65, 2724 N. Proctor St., Tacoma, 253.761.9099]
Brix 25
Let's start off with the wine.Brix 25 put heavy research in to find the best Oregon Pinot Noirs to go with its traditional turkey dinner. The Gig Harbor fancy restaurant will offer an ala carte menu of citrus-brined turkey with roasted squash and pumpkins, prime rib with Brussels sprouts, fig stuffing and bourbon gravy, as well as olive oil mashed potatoes and whipped horseradish butter, bacon lardons, roasted suckling pig with a puree of celeriac, spiced pears and a port wine caramel sauce.
[1-8 p.m., $20-$30, 7707 Pioneer Way, Gig Harbor, 253.858.6626]
C.I. Shenanigans
For as long as we can remember this Tacoma waterfront restaurant has been serving a Thanksgiving dinner. Naturally, its traditional turkey buffet dinner will include oysters, crab legs, oysters, mussels and salmon.
[11 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., $12.99-$28.99, 3017 Ruston Way, Tacoma, 253.752.8811]
Lobster Shop at Commencement Bay
If you're a fan of the Lobster Shop's Sunday brunch buffet, its Thanksgiving buffet won't disappoint. They'll bust out a bevy of meats, includingturkey, ham, prime rib, salmon, pork loin and strip loin, pork loin. Back to the beginning of the line, expect, mashed potatoes and gravy, sage stuffing, rice pilaf, candied yams, salads, chilled Dungeness crab, vegetables, cranberry relish and desserts.
[11 a.m. to 6 p.m., $16.95-$32.95, 4015 Ruston Way, Tacoma, 253.759.2165]
Pacific Grill
Downtown Tacoma's fancy restaurant, as well as voted Best Restaurant in Tacoma this year, Pacific Grill will offer up aprix-fixe menu of sage-roasted turkey, wild mushroom stuffing, mashed potatoes and gravy, cranberry sauce, green bean casserole and crispy onions, as well as an herb-crusted roasted prime rib with garlic mashed potatoes, glazed baby carrots, au jus and creamed horseradish sauce and a Dover sole with wild chanterelle mushrooms and truffled mashed potatoes. For those who love pot pie for Thanksgiving, PG has a wild mushroom and lentil version with your name on it. Dessert is on the menu, too.
[2-7 p.m., $15.95-$34.95, 1502 Pacific Ave., Tacoma, 253.627.3535]
Stanley & Seafort's
The fine dining restaurant up on the hill will skip the buffet line and serve a sit-down meal of free-range turkey with apple-sausage stuffing, mashed potatoes, vegetables and turkey gravy. It will also offer an herb-crusted prime rib, filet mignon Wellington, hand-cut rib eye steak, Dungeness crab cakes, chile smoked Tiger prawns and salmon dinners.
[11 a.m. to 8 p.m., $25-$39, 115 E. 34th St., Tacoma, 253.473.7300]
Chime in with the restaurant I missed.
Pitchers of Sangria launched the sharings. Red sangria (Merlot, brandy and fresh mixed berries) and pink sangria (Zinfandel and fresh-cut melons) were the options. I went red, which happened to pair nice with the first appetizer of the night, doughnut holes.
With the sangria pitchers emptying quickly (natch!), the room of 25 naturally or unnaturally came roaring to life. Raring for their first dishes, Social didn't disappoint. The way to this guy's heart is definitely shrimp, and that's what was delivered. The sautéed prawns in shells were a first for me. I didn't mind spending a couple extra seconds peeling off the shell, which helped trap that delicious flavor I adore. Delicious sautéed mushrooms with a paprika sauce, clams in Riesling and rustic bread, accompanied the prawns. 
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