Thanksgiving: Comfort Food --Out

If Thanksgiving holiday caught you up short --your "plans" didn't get final in time, here's some ideas to make it all better....

Comfort Food & Laughs
If this has been 'one of those years' --home alone doesn't sound amusing --you need a giggle and some company:
Free Thanksgiving dinner and comedy show
If you've lived in LA a long time, you remember it, and if you don't: Laugh Factory started their tradition of offering free dinner on Thanksgiving --to struggling writers, actors, any creative person alone on turkey day, the year after an unemployed struggling comic couldn't face the holiday. Now the Laugh Factory gives anyone who wants some company, the gift. Mind where you park, street signs rigidly enforced, and just get in line, full traditional meal, eat hearty, enjoy:
The Laugh Factory
8001 Sunset Blvd., Hollywood, CA 90046 (323) 656-1336 x1
www.laughfactory.com
Seatings are at 1, 3, 5 and 7 pm. Call 323-656-1336 x1 for reservations
The Laugh Factory provides a free Thanksgiving dinner and live comedy show every year to comedians, actors, writers and anyone else who is alone for the holidays.

Comfort Food - Dessert
You can search the world for world's greatest pie recipe --splurge the day's budget on some exec chef's version of 'traditional' pie, but Los Angelenos know: the place to get pie --eat in or take out, Dupar's, for past 70 years, it's our tradition. --You should have reserved one day's ago, but call, they make extras --make sure they will hold one --of anything, before you go. The pies change with the season, season's best at
Dupar's
at Farmer's Market, 3rd x Fairfax
Dupar's also serves: classic Thanksgiving dinner --good price, call ahead for that also

Comfort Food - Quality
The "hot" chef in the "hot" place with 'cold' wait staff won't do on Thanksgiving Day...the cozy, the booth, the elegance, the classic meal in one of LA's best, that's the ticket. The old families, the insiders, the socialites, the movers & shakers (and they won't tell you, but nearly every US president of 20th century), the ones who appreciate quality, have dined at Pacific Dining Car, for decades, for good reason. You can too: from noon up to 8-ish PM (--the later the less will be available); the menu sounded so good, I decided to list it:
Cheese biscuits & Endive salad
Roast turkey with giblet stuffing & tarragon au jus (or if you must: ham)
Celery root - Spaghetti squash - Cranberry sauce
Butternut squash pie or whole chestnut souffle, vanilla sauce
Dinner $80 - 90 per person, and will be worth it; half that for children
Pacific Dining Car
1310 West 6th Street x Witmer
Park: in their lot
If you're new to LA: Pacific Dining Car, among other things, is unique because it is open round the clock --24/7 it never closes

Comfort Food - Bargain
If you didn't make plans --you were sure 'something would turn up' cuz you're a casual type who likes traditional Thanksgiving Day fare, but not fussy dressing that usually goes with it, head over to probably best bargain in LA:
The Pantry
All the usual items you expect --at a price you won't: with tip, about $26. --you couldn't buy a turkey for that; ex Mayor Riordan liked it so much he bought it, still owns it; it's been around so long, it used to be in a crummy neighborhood, but downtown has changed so much, it's now surrounded by 'beauties' --in what is becoming the priciest area in LA; no reservations, just get in line --for booth or counter, fancy dress-up not required; besides homey and slightly scruffy, it's other claim to fame: it never closes, open every day/night of the year

Originally I wanted to publish several days ago --but the wi fi went weird, the router stopped routing, the phone --went dead??? --three times, killing any 'research time' with restaurants; so some comfort food I know best, in the daVine neighborhood, 'floated' to the top...and maybe it was meant to be...whether you're solo, alone in a crowd --couldn't go 'home' or worried about The Market, eat something good, be nice to you, be in gratitude --smile at a stranger --make a donation, any amount, to a food pantry or a Meals-on-Wheels charity --cuz you know: things could be sooo much worse. Happy Thanksgiving, bon appetite,
Silver Lake daVine