I’m sure it’s a surprise to no one that food-centric Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. While I love all the traditional foods like roast turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce and pumpkin pie, I also like to shake it up a bit and eat things that are twists on holiday classics. I’ve written before about places to buy candied yam ice cream and turkey gravy cupcakes, and this year I recommend spicing up your Turkey Day dinner with special Thanksgiving-inspired Mexican side dishes from Loteria Grill.
Loteria Grill is one of my favorite Mexican restaurants in the city. What started as just a stall in the Original Farmers Market on Fairfax, has grown into a chain of five restaurants that serve some of the tastiest gourmet Mexican grub this side of the border. I’m prettty much addicted to their spicy salsa, and their Chicharron de Queso (crispy griddled cheese which looks like a large party hat) is incredible!
This year, Loteria’s owner and executive chef Jimmy Shaw has put together a menu of special Thanksgiving side dishes and desserts for take-out to serve at your holiday dinner. These are not your grandmother’s Thanksgiving dishes (unless perhaps you call your grandmother “abuela”), but they do include many of the same ingredients you find in the holiday classics. My favorites are the Mashed Roasted Sweet Potatos al Chipotle served in hollowed out orange rinds, the Jalapeno Corn Bread and the Almond and Apple Tart with Goat’s Milk Cajeta. Happy Thanksgiving, amigos!
Loteria Grill is located in Hollywood, Santa Monica, Studio City, Westlake Village and the Original Farmers Market on Fairfax.
Mashed Roasted Sweet Potatoes al Chipotle
Jalapeno Cornbread
Chiles Rellenos de Requeson, Manzana y Nuez
Calabacitas Rellenas
Esquites (Toasted Corn Off the Cob)
Pastel del Elote con Rajas de Chile Poblano a la Crema
Rajas con Crema, Elote y Queso
Roasted Fingerling Potatoes with Chile Poblano
Almond and Apple Tart with Goat’s Milk Cajeta
Pumpkin Mini Cake with Piloncillo Sauce and Ice Cream
