By Chris Murphy & the View Crew
Turkey and so much more.
Thanksgiving is all about gathering, friendship, taking a break and pause to reflect on what we are grateful and thankful for. It’s for family times and if you are a new family, building new traditions and experiences that bring you back home in comfort. Obviously, it’s NOT about shopping.
Thanksgiving means different things to different people and this time of year, we especially looks to what comfort and friendship are and this usually revolves around a big turkey dinner, stuffing, and all of the fixins. We all know that this is a really big deal and everyone becomes a turkey expert. Our intrepid ViewCrew has found a few places that do a nice turkey dinner year-round. We also have one very special turkey dinner that that truly brings our whole community together. I am sure that there are a few more, but we have tried and tested these and you will like them. If you know of others, please email me at chrism@modestoview.com so we can add them to the list.
The Fruit Yard – East Modesto
Modesto is lucky to have great full-service restaurants, and one of the most legendary has got to The Fruit Yard. Long-timers know, if you want the best salad bar, this is where you go. Do you want crab on the weekends or big prime rib dinners? Bell Pepper soup on Wednesday? Fruit Yard. Old school cocktails? Fruit Yard. Big breakfasts with the local farmers? Fruit Yard. Turkey Dinner? Yes, friends the Fruit Yard. Every Thursday, all year, you can enjoy turkey and the fixins. We are talking roasted tender sliced turkey, just like at home. Served with cranberry sauce, baked vegetables and here is the surprise. Under the turkey, a delicious house made cranberry and raisin stuffing. This is amazing and I asked for more. The best part, no clean up? You can wash down that last piece of pie with a spiked coffee and you are done. While I as there, many people were ordering the turkey special and they roast more than three turkeys each Thursday. If you haven’t been to the Fruit Yard lately, you are missing out.
On Thanksgiving, you can celebrate at the Fruit Yard. There will be a Thanksgiving buffet from 11 am to 7 pm for $69.99. Regular breakfast starts at 6 am. You can also pre-order a complete Thanksgiving dinner for 10-12 people for $199.
The Fruit Yard
7408 Yosemite Blvd, Modesto 209-577-3093
www.thefruityard.com
Noah’s Hof Brau – Downtown Modesto
Another great turkey option can be found right downtown next to the State Theatre. Many Modestans know Noah’s Hof Brau, located at 1311 J Street, as a go-to downtown destination for tasty counter-serve Chinese food. But, as the restaurant’s name and origins suggest, it is still serving the comfort food classic: hof brau plate, complete with anything needed for a Thanksgiving meal, any time of the year! While you get your choice of meat from roast turkey, roast beef, baked ham, corned beef, and BBQ pork, the hof brau lunch plate comes with mashed potatoes, stuffing, green beans all smothered in gravy, with bread and butter. The View Crew opted for the roast turkey, which is hand carved and piled high to order, and we washed it down with a sparkling apple cider!
Noah’s
1311 J Street, Modesto 209-527-1090
11 am – 7 pm daily ex Sunday
Mil’s Diner – Patterson
Even if you aren’t from Patterson, Mil’s Bar and Grill, located at 100 S. Del Puerto Avenue, is known as the spot in town for delicious omelets all day and mouth-watering specials. One of these specials, available only on Thursdays, is the full turkey dinner plate! Mashed potatoes and gravy, corn, stuffing, and a hearty serving of turkey make for a lunch-time feast. Oh yeah, and the garlic sourdough toast is not to be overlooked! The View Crew recommends you find yourself in Patterson on a Thursday sometime soon to enjoy the amazing Thanksgiving meal special for $ 18.95, and keep an eye out as we get closer to the holiday – the team at Mil’s can help you be prepared on the big day with a turkey dinner package-to-go, ready to cook at home!
100 S Del Puerto Ave, Patterson 209-892-2100
Open 7 am Fri, Sat & Sun, 6 am M – Th
Community Thanks4giving Meal
By Chris Murphy
For 39 years, Dan and Denise Costa have been hosting a Community Thanksgiving Meal. This is truly a unique event as it offers a special restaurant-quality Turkey dinner to those in the community that are in need, without food, or even have no Thanksgiving dinner to go to.
Growing up, even when times were very tough, Dan’s mom was holiday fanatic to make things special, so even when they didn’t have anything and were without food, they had to go to the Salvation Army. Dan wanted to create a meal that was special, like his mom would do. In 1983, this event was created to serve a nice Thanksgiving for the Salvation Army at the Velvet / Mallards commissary warehouse in downtown Modesto. Today, the Thanks4giving dinner serves nearly 2,000 people annually and is an important fundraiser for Salvation Army.
Here is how you can help.
Funds are needed to prepare the lunch and funds above go directly to the Salvation Army and Dan & Denise match whatever is raised. There is no cap. So please, donate whatever you can and any thing is welcome. If you want to volunteer for prep, set up or serving, please contact the Salvation Army directly. Make your tax deductible checks out to Salvation Army and mail to Denise Costa, 4300 Spyres Way, Modesto, Ca 95356. Please donate to this address so they know how much to match.
Thanks4Giving Dinner
November 28
Modesto Center Plaza
12 – 3 pm
Free
