[nONIE]

Normally we have a great dinner at Nancy Lopez but Thanksgiving dinner was definitely the exception! The Turkey was not fresh and tasted like processed frozen cooked turkey you get in the grocery store !

Needless to say I will never go back there on any Holiday for dinner. Shame shame on them, they have always had a wonderful reputation for good food, this was a huge disappointment!

[villages07]

Sorry to hear that Nonie.... very Un-nancy-like. Were you there late in the day?

Something similar happened to us at Havana last year... we went late (about 7pm) and they must have run out of "real" Turkey. We got two slabs of processed turkey with a couple of morsels of real turkey on top to disguise it. Sad to say, have not had a meal at Havana since then.

This year, we went to Palmer for TG dinner and it was excellent!!! Wonderful, moist turkey, tasty stuffing, delicious mashed potates, and green bean casserole...all with ample portions for $16. Price did not include salad or dessert (but the bread was marvelous). Great meal.

Oh well, either way, it beats all that cooking!!!

[Tom Hannon]

I find, going out to eat on holidays such as Thanksgiving and Easter and Christmas are bad decisions. Aside from the price being increased, the food becomes more of a production chain and the food is below the quailty you'd expect from a good eatery. I make it a point to say away at holidays.

The Thanksgiving dinner at Red Sauce a few days ago was quite good. We went around three in the afternoon. A few years ago we had Thanksgiving dinner at about the same time at Arnold Palmer Country Club. This was also good but not as good as Red Sauce this year.

[Autoshow]

Originally Posted by Tom Hannon

I find, going out to eat on holidays such as Thanksgiving and Easter and Christmas are bad decisions. Aside from the price being increased, the food becomes more of a production chain and the food is below the quailty you'd expect from a good eatery. I make it a point to say away at holidays.

My thoughts exactly

[golf2140]

We went to Havana at 7 P.M. on Thanksgiving. The food was great, service was great and a large portion.

[zcaveman]

Originally Posted by Tom Hannon

I find, going out to eat on holidays such as Thanksgiving and Easter and Christmas are bad decisions. Aside from the price being increased, the food becomes more of a production chain and the food is below the quailty you'd expect from a good eatery. I make it a point to say away at holidays.

I need my leftover turkey sandwich and a side of cranberry sauce on the day after Thanksgiving. I went out once or twice on Thanksgiving and found out that the fresh turkey breast from a deli is not the same.

[graciegirl]

Originally Posted by autoshow

My thoughts exactly

If I could, I would cook Thanksgiving dinner for all who would like to attend.

I love cooking Thanksgiving dinner.

[Niels]

Sorry to hear about the bad experience at Nancy Lopez. As you noted, usually their dinners are good. My wife and I were considering having Thanksgiving dinner there but then we got invited to our neighbors for dinner. We had great food, great company and we even got some leftovers to take home!

Originally Posted by Tom Hannon

I find, going out to eat on holidays such as Thanksgiving and Easter and Christmas are bad decisions. Aside from the price being increased, the food becomes more of a production chain and the food is below the quailty you'd expect from a good eatery. I make it a point to say away at holidays.

Well said.Last year we went to cattle Baron's for thanksgiving & were disappointed.I don't think the food was bad it just doesn't measure up to what we are all accustomed to for the holidays.For a holiday meal there's no place like home!!

[Tweety Bird]

Originally Posted by graciegirl

If I could, I would cook Thanksgiving dinner for all who would like to attend.

I love cooking Thanksgiving dinner.

Ok Gracie! Put me and hubby on the list for next year!!!!!! This year I did ALL the work (due to my own choice) and I found it exhausting. The only part I didn't like was when I sat down and Hubby asks "where's the salt and pepper" and the guests ask "do you have any napkins"? I had to get up and find the items. This was after my first fork-full in the mouth. Now, you'd think I would have had these items in place????

Now, the leftovers are great..but, I overeat and I become the stuffed turkey!!!

Broth diet...here I come......

[mac9]

Gracie, I agree with you. I love cooking holiday meals. This year we had 24 at our table. I believe that no one should be alone for a holiday so all of our neighbors and friends that either had no family here or did not go away came on over. We ate, sipped some wine and either gabbed or watched football. It was great. We've been doing every year since we've been here and will continue to do so.

[cherylncliff]

for the holidays! We plan to move down to TV sometime this spring/summer and if we are there for Thanksgivning next fall we would love to have a large gathering of our neighbors/friends for dinner - turkey, stuffing, potato kugel, and ALL the fixin's! Everyone's invited! We'll be in Buttonwood and the door will be open!

[Pookirgirl]

I guess all of THE VILLAGES restaurants must use the same food supplier. We had Thanksgiving at Glenview and we also experienced processed turkey for dinner. What ever happened to real turkey??? Next year.. I cook!

[sunday]

What it sounds like to me is these restaurants are purchasing de-boned birds (white meat-only). Many outfits do this...including to my absolute certainty based on personal Turkey-Day experience; Ritz-Carlton, Four Seasons, and The Breakers.
When a restaurant anticipates serving several hundred turkey dinners, it is cost/space/time prohibitave to use whole birds. They pay a premium to obtain these turkeys that have had all of the un-needed parts removed. The boneless 100% real turkey is typically seared and slow cooked for optimum tenderness and flavor at the restaurant, carved then served.
I think this is more a situation for Lopez and Glenview that some people think turkey should be dry and crusty... that is how it turns out for them at home or their parents prepared it that way, who knows. JMHO