The Brief

For many people, Thanksgiving may be synonymous with turkey, but for some of us, dry turkey breast doesn’t seem the right choice for a celebration. After all, it’s very likely that there was no turkey at all at the first Thanksgiving.

If you like to stick to turkey and stuffing, we figure you already know what to make or where to order it. Instead, we're focusing on restaurants beyond classic roasted turkey and offering something different.

Thanksgiving dine-in

Baekjeong 

Grilling meat together on a tabletop is always a great way to bond and celebrate, so why not for Thanksgiving, too? Korean BBQ favorite Baekjeong will be open during their normal hours on Thanksgiving Day, serving up their regular menu. With multiple locations around Southern California, it’s easy to enjoy some marinated galbi or pork jowl instead of turkey.

Crossroads Kitchen

Tal Ronnen’s plant-based Crossroads Kitchen will offer a four-course prix fixe menu for Thanksgiving supper. Instead of turkey, there will be breaded scallopini or pulled lion’s mane mushroom served with herbed gravy alongside sweet potato biscuits with maple “butter.” The menu costs $75 per person and will be available from 12-6 p.m.

Dog Haus

For those who do want to get turkey and all the trimmings in a different form, Dog Haus will be offering one in the form of Wurst Thanksgiving sausage, which is made with turkey, sweet potatoes, cranberries, stuffing, sage, thyme, rosemary, and maple. Select locations of Dog Haus will be open on Thanksgiving Day, so we suggest calling your nearest location to confirm.

Espelette

For those celebrating in style, Waldorf Astoria’s Espelette will be open from 1-8 p.m. and serving a three-course dinner along with live entertainment. The main course options include whole roasted lobster, wagyu beef tenderloin, and for the plant-based: ricotta ravioli with black truffles. A slew of starters, including langoustine papillote, will be served family-style. The prix fixe menu costs $175 per person ($75 for kids 12 years and younger).

Sugar Palm

The restaurant at Viceroy Santa Monica, Sugar Palm, will be open and offering a three-course menu for $125 per person ($50 per child). The entree options do include roasted turkey, but also leg of lamb in mole sauce and a blackened king salmon. Sugar Palm will be open on Thanksgiving Day from 2-10 p.m. A similar menu is also being served family-style for Friendsgiving on Nov. 15-22.

Il Moro

Il Moro will be open 4 - 8:30 p.m. on Thanksgiving and will be serving their regular menu, which means tagliatelle bolognese, grilled lamb chops, and pizzas instead of turkey. Il Moro also promises special dishes infused with Thanksgiving flavors throughout the night.

Fogo de Chao

Feasting with your stretchy pants on is a must. Brazilian churrascaria chain Fogo de Chao will be open for dine-in and takeout on Thanksgiving, serving their full all-you-can-eat (for dine-in) churrasco menu as well as holiday specials including roasted turkey, sweet potato casserole and a Brazilian sausage with apple dressing. For the holidays, they're also offering wagyu and other more luxurious cuts that can be added a la carte.

Lunasia

Dim sum is always great for group holiday lunching. Head to the San Gabriel Valley and you'll find quite a few Chinese restaurants open on Thanksgiving. One of the top spots in SGV, Lunasia, will be open all day and serving their regular menu. For those celebrating with a big group, Lunasia takes phone reservations for parties of eight or more.

The Peninsula Beverly Hills

The Peninsula will be hosting a three-course dinner (or lunch) at The Belvedere for Thanksgiving. The entree options do include roasted turkey, but there’s also a dry aged New York strip, seared diver scallops, and branzino. The Belvedere will be open 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. and the three-course meal costs $180 per person.

Saddle Peak Lodge

Dinner at this mountain spot feels like a mini getaway, so why not make the trip for Thanksgiving? Saddle Peak Lodge will be offering a four-course menu ($120/adult; $65/children 12 and under). Yes, there will be turkey as one of the main course options but you can opt for seared elk tenderloin or salmon instead.

Leña

The Argentine-inspired Leña inside Sendero is offering a four-course feast with panoramic views of downtown. The $90 dinner will start with celery root blini and caviar followed by squash and crab bisque. There is a turkey ballotine as one of the main course options, but they’re also offering dry aged salmon en croute or Australian wagyu rib. The restaurant will open from 3-9 p.m.

Fig

FIG at the Fairmont Miramar is offering a prix-fixe menu for $89 per person. Start with half a dozen oysters or chicken liver parfait with poached persimmons before moving on to the main course with options ranging from roasted sea scallops to braised short rib to butternut squash tortellini.

Thanksgiving take-out

Angelini Osteria

Angelini Osteria is offering large trays of their Italian favorites for the holidays. Look for lasagna verde, eggplant alla parmigiana and a whole leg of pork porchetta. Order must be picked up on Wednesday, Nov. 22. Note that some items (including porchetta and beef tenderloin roast) must be pre-ordered at least five days in advance. Check the website for the full catering menu and ordering instructions.

Kuya Lord

Kuya Lord has gained a brick-and-mortar space since the last time we did this guide, but they’ll still be offering their Pamilya Tray for Thanksgiving takeout. The tray feeds 4-6 and includes lucenachon (slow roasted, rolled pork belly), wood-grilled Hiramasa collar, pancit chami, and more. Order must be placed by Nov 17 and can be picked up on Thanksgiving Day.

Holy Basil

DTLA Thai street food pickup spot Holy Basil is offering a Thanksgiving package they’re calling the Holy Tray. The tray costs $150 and feeds 4-6 people with a seafood curry that includes live local rock crab, half slab of moo krob (crispy pork belly), half of a fried Jidori chicken, and a whole tamarind rockfish. Each item is also available to order a la carte. Orders must be picked up on Thursday, Nov. 23 between 10 and 2 p.m.

Chimmelier

The Korean fried chicken specialist Chimmelier is offering a special Thanksgiving package with tongdak (a deep fried whole chicken), collard green kimchi, potato egg salad, and K-ole slaw. The feast costs $75 and will feed three to four people. Pre-order on Tock

Bar Ama

Bar Ama is offering a turkey dinner but with a Tex-Mex twist. Expect a Tex-Mex turkey roulade with gravy, stuffing with hoja santa, cornbread Johnny cakes and brussels sprouts with chicken chorizo and cotija cheese. The feast costs $300 for four people minimum and can be picked up on Nov. 22. Pie, cocktails and select items are also available à la carte. Pre-order on Tock.

Ms. Chi Cafe

Chef Shirley Chung's Culver City Chinese spot, Ms. Chi Cafe, is offering a couple of different Thanksgiving takeout feasts and we're having a hard time choosing between them. One features a whole tea-smoked duck while the other showcases Peking turkey breast served with chili sauce. Both come with salads and sides including duck fat sticky rice stuffing and sweet potato mochi cobbler. Order on Tock and pick up on Wednesday, Nov. 22.

Photo:

Augie’s on Main

Josiah Citrin’s Augie’s on Main will be offering two different takeout packages for Thanksgiving. The first features Augie’s dirty chicken with the classic Thanksgiving sides including stuffing, pecan yams, and cranberry sauce plus other sides like Szechuan Brussels sprouts and chopped salad. There’s also a prime rib version of the same pack and each package serves two people. Pre-order on Tock.

Vinh Loi Tofu

Long-time vegan Vietnamese spot Vinh Loi Tofu is offering vegan turkey made from faux meat, and it’s even shaped like a turkey and has a hole for stuffing. The faux turkey costs $60. Customers must pre-order by texting the owner and his phone number can be found on Instagram - hurry, though, there is a limited amount available.

Sampa

Sampa is a Filipino-American pop-up taking a residency at KAVIAR in downtown LA through the holidays and they’ll be offering their favorite dishes in half or full trays for Thanksgiving. Dishes like spicy calamansi-glazed chicken wings, lechon fried rice, crispy duck pancit or ube cheesecake can be ordered a la carte. Pick up on Thanksgiving Day at KAVIAR. Pre-order on Tock.

Osteria Mamma

Neighborhood classic Osteria Mamma is offering a takeout feast throughout the holiday season, and while they’re closed on Thanksgiving Day, the dinner-for-two package can be picked up on November 22 and the restaurant will provide heating instructions. The feast costs $69 for two or $120 for four and includes classics like tagliatelle with Bolognese sauce, frittura mista and each order includes a bottle of wine.

The U.S. Department of Justice has attempted to use a number of tactics in recent weeks to remove California voters they say are likely noncitizens from state voter rolls — despite the voting process having already begun.

Election security experts told LAist, however, that the federal government’s case is unlikely to succeed, and that voters should proceed filling out their ballots as normal.

“I don't think most people in the L.A. area or beyond will actually encounter any of the disruption that the administration is trying to project,” Loyola Law School professor Justin Levitt said.

The backstory

Last week, Department of Justice election officials sent a list of 20,000 California voters it says it has “high confidence” are not citizens. (L.A. County election officials said they received records on a thumb drive, which they could not open for security reasons.) Two days later, the Trump administration sued California for not complying with its request to use the list to remove any noncitizens from local voter rolls.

California on Tuesday filed an extensive response to the DOJ lawsuit, saying it “borders on the absurd.”

Separately this week, the DOJ announced it had filed charges against 28 people, accusing them of registering to vote as noncitizens.

What is the DOJ claiming?

DOJ representatives said Monday they are attempting to keep U.S. citizens’ votes from being canceled out by noncitizens.

“We have an election coming up next month,” Bill Essayli, first assistant U.S. attorney, said. “Our biggest priority is to safeguard the integrity of the election.”

Essayli suggested he may prosecute election officials who knowingly process ballots “once we’ve informed them who the non-citizens are” and indicated the DOJ is working on “many more cases.”

Regarding the list sent to state and local officials, DOJ officials also said they have “high confidence” — not complete certainty — that the people on the federal government’s list are noncitizens.

“There may be some names on there who it turns out ultimately are citizens,” Trent McCotter, acting deputy attorney general, said Monday. “We're not perfect, and that's why we've asked California to cooperate with us.”

In a court declaration filed today, L.A. County Assistant Registrar Monica Flores said the DOJ’s list is “unreliable.” Analyzing a sample of 200 records, she said a majority are not active voters, and nearly 40% of the records indicate the individual was born in the U.S.

The L.A. County registrar of voters said officials here did not comply with the request to use the federal list and began coordinating with state officials — a point DOJ officials stressed on Monday, with McCotter saying this is “an emergency of their own [California’s] creation.”

Rick Hasen, a UCLA law professor who runs the school’s Safeguarding Democracy Project, disagreed.

“The federal government didn't produce its list of voters or its methodology to California until just a few days ago, so this is not an emergency of California's own making,” Hasen said. “It is not the federal government's job to decide who is on voting rolls. That is a job that is given to states.”

A DOJ spokesperson declined to comment for this article beyond pointing to Essayli’s X social media feed.

What role will local election officials play?

In large part, Hasen and Levitt said officials will play the same role that they always have, even though more eyes will be on them. County election officials send out ballots, process and verify signatures, and reach out to voters if there are any outstanding issues. The registrar then has 13 days to report on ballots to the state, including provisional ballots and same-day registration ballots, and 30 days to finish counting them.

That said, Hasen said Essayli’s threat of possible criminal prosecution against election officials is “really dangerous” — even though he said these cases are also unlikely to succeed.

“We've got a threat of criminal prosecution against election administrators for not being aggressive enough in policing voting rolls to the Trump administration's liking,” Hasen said. “Even if they were negligent in how they policed their voting rolls, there's no criminal liability here.”

What should voters do?

Levitt, who previously worked on voting rights at the Justice Department, said he doesn’t think Trump’s DOJ is serious about the legal merits of their lawsuit against California.

“I can completely understand that people may be freaked out,” he said. “Part of what DOJ is doing is an attempt to freak people out.”

For their part, local officials have reassured voters that they should proceed to cast their ballots. In a statement, L.A. County Supervisor Janice Hahn called the DOJ’s actions “voter intimidation and a blatant attempt to undermine trust in our midterm elections.”

Levitt recommended voting as early as possible to give voters time to check their registration and resolve any issues. If you have concerns, he recommended visiting an early voting center in person.

Hasen encouraged voters to double-check the status of their ballots to ensure they’ve been processed and counted.

“We have very good ballot tracking,” Hasen said. “California is not going to simply start throwing out ballots from people who are on an unvetted federal list of supposed noncitizen voters.”

What’s the future of this lawsuit?

Hasen and Levitt said the legal problems with the federal government’s arguments can be traced back to federal law and the Constitution.

“The Constitution gives states the power to run elections subject to Congress passing laws that can override that,” Hasen said. “There's no congressional override that would give the federal government the authority to do this.”

That makes the DOJ’s case unlikely to succeed, the professors agreed.

“It's possible that a court might not even really deal with it at all,” Levitt said.

What about the people accused of voting fraud?

The charges announced this week against 28 people accused of registering or voting as noncitizens, however, may be more successful, depending on the evidence presented in each case.

“Isolated cases of alleged voter fraud occur in red and blue states alike, and they should be prosecuted wherever they occur,” a spokesperson for California Attorney General Rob Bonta said in a statement.

But Bonta noted that the 28 people charged represent 0.0001% of California’s registered voters. The percentage is about the same in L.A. County: The 12 L.A. County residents charged this week make up roughly 0.0002% of people on the voter rolls.

The Los Angeles Unified School District is preparing for possible “Super El Niño” storms that could damage schools and lead to closures, the district announced in a media release Tuesday.

District staff are clearing drains, trimming trees and checking roofs, windows and doors. LAUSD is also testing emergency equipment, including pumps and emergency lighting systems, and stocking supplies such as flashlights and drinking water.

“Preparing for severe weather starts well before the first raindrop,” Superintendent Andrés Chait said in a statement. “We can’t control the weather, but we can take steps now to protect our students and employees and help our schools stay ready.”

The district will monitor weather patterns using information from the National Weather Service and local emergency officials, it said.

LAUSD encouraged families to update their contact information to ensure they receive district calls, texts and emails. Families should also monitor weather alerts, follow emergency officials’ instructions, avoid flooded roads and review safe routes to and from school, according to the release.

“Preparing for a storm is a shared effort — from the crews maintaining school buildings to the principals reviewing emergency plans and the families making sure they can receive critical updates,” LAUSD said in the release. “By taking these steps before the rain begins, Los Angeles Unified is working to help students and employees stay safe and keep school communities as prepared as possible for the winter ahead.”

Southern California is likely in for a solid dose of rain this week, just days after heat and Santa Ana winds helped fuel several wildfires across the region.

Forecasters expect the bulk of the rain to roll into the Los Angeles basin Wednesday night and continue into Thursday morning, with a small chance of thunderstorms and hail.

The San Fernando Valley, San Gabriel Valley and coastal areas across L.A. and Orange counties could get around an inch over the next few days. Hills and mountains could get up to 3 inches.

“We could see some pretty high rain rates,” said National Weather Service meteorologist Mike Wofford. “It's a good storm for this time of year — it's a little stronger than what we would see normally.”

The possibility of significant rain in the mountains raises concerns about flooding in areas recently burned in wildfires, particularly around the Bryson Fire burn scar near Malibu, which is only a few days old. Burn scars can’t absorb heavy rainfall and are susceptible to landslides.

The National Weather Service has issued a flood watch for the Santa Monica Mountains and surrounding communities from Wednesday afternoon through Thursday. That means heavy rain there could flood streets, creeks and rivers. The flood watch area includes both the Bryson Fire and Palisades Fire burn scars.

This will also be the first nontropical storm of the season, meaning it’s moving into the region from the north. Most storms that hit Southern California follow a similar path, especially during the winter, unlike the tropical storms that formed off the coast of Mexico and brought muggy weather to the region this summer.

Nontropical storms also bring cold air to the region. On Wednesday and Thursday, forecasters expect highs in the 60s and 70s. High elevations will be even cooler.