Happy three day weekend everyone! This is a special post for all my fellow Americans living here in Ibaraki. Next week is Thanksgiving. The one day of the year where we come together to eat, drink and pass out from a food coma. Thanksgiving dinner is a special thing in the states. Turkey, mashed potatoes with gravy, cranberry sauce, ham and so many different delicious dishes that warms our souls that day. Myself, being from Miami, my family would always mix it up with American Thanksgiving and Cuban American Thanksgiving food. Lechon (pork) with turkey is a thing of beauty that I miss every year. But enough about me, what about Thanksgiving in Ibaraki? Where can I get some turkey? Where can I get a Thanksgiving meal? I hope this post can answer some of those questions and help you have the best Thanksgiving meal here in Ibaraki.
The Drunken Duck (Mito and Hitachinaka)
I have mentioned the Drunken Duck more than once on Ibaraki Eats and that is because I love the place. A few years after I had just moved to Japan, I was really bummed that I could not find a place that served a Thanksgiving meal. Then, my wife who was my girlfriend at the time, took me to the Duck and told me that the they had a Thanksgiving dinner dish for the week of Thanksgiving. And what a dish it is!
The Thanksgiving Dinner
This Thanksgiving dinner has everything you would want to feel like you are back home enjoying amazing Thanksgiving food. It has delicious and amazing slices of turkey cooked up by the master chefs at the Drunken Duck. Mashed potatoes which the Duck has on their original menu. I have had it many times and it never disappoints. Let's not forget that awesome gravy on those mashed potatoes that is just perfect. Oh! And what Thanksgiving dinner would not be complete without cranberry sauce. Mixing that cranberry sauce with the turkey slices is just heavenly. You also got some vegetables in the dinner to go with all the awesome food. The dinner usually runs from Thanksgiving day until the end of the weekend. I have confirmed that the Drunken Duck will be putting this Thanksgiving deliciousness on their special menu this year. If you want to do a Thanksgiving take out, that is also not a problem.
Quick side note, the Drunken Duck is having their Burger Fair this month and the burgers look amazing. I very much want to try the Cheese Lovers Burger and the wife wants to try the Bacon and Sweet Potato Burger. If you want to check out the delicious looking burgers for this year's Burger Fair, please go to the Drunken Duck's Facebook page.
As far as restaurants that serve Thanksgiving dinner, the Drunken Duck is the only place I know in Ibaraki. I haven't really found any other place in Ibaraki that even cooks turkey. But if you feel like cooking your own Thanksgiving feast, you have a few options.
The Meat Guy
Ok, I know the Meat Guy is not from Ibaraki but they do ship their products here. I have ordered from the Meat Guy before and I have always had a good experience. For turkey, I recommend the smoked turkey drumsticks. It is two delicious turkey drumsticks that are already cooked, so all you have to do is heat them up and they are ready to be devoured. I ordered the turkey drumsticks two Thanksgivings ago and the wife and I loved them. The Meat Guy also sells whole turkeys if your oven can fit a whole turkey. You can also buy some other Thanksgiving goodies like cranberry sauce, stuffing mix and all kinds of spices to season your turkey.
If you order a turkey or any kind of meat from the Meat Guy and do not know how to cook it, The Meat Guy has you covered. The Meat Guy's website has instructions on how to thaw your newly selected meat and suggestions on how to cook it. It is really quite convenient.
Costco
If you have the means and oven space at your place, you can always buy a gigantic turkey from Costco in Tsukuba. I was in Costco recently and checked out the turkeys. One of these gigantic turkeys will cost you close to 4000 yen. This being Japan though, must of us don't really have the oven space for these huge birds. I have yet to buy a Costco turkey but if I get a big oven one day, I am most definitely buying one.
Great News
Costco Tsukuba has pumpkin pie in November! Usually, Costco Japan has pumpkin pie only during October but I went to Costco today, November 20th, and bought myself one. This means we can all enjoy pumpkin pie during Thanksgiving week!
I wish I could give you more options in Ibaraki but this is all I know for now. If you know any place here in Ibaraki that have a Thanksgiving platter or sells Thanksgiving food, I would love to hear from you. Oh! I also heard that Kaldi sells cranberry sauce but I have yet to fully confirm that.
I know it can be kind of hard to celebrate Thanksgiving here in Japan, especially since it is a work day and turkey is hard to find, but with good family, friends, food and booze, any place in the world can be a great Thanksgiving celebration. So next week, either on Thanksgiving day or on the weekend, I hope you can celebrate and enjoy this special turkey day. Be it at the Drunken Duck or at your home surrounded by good food and friends. Happy Thanksgiving!
For more information on the Drunken Duck, please check out their website:
And for more information on the Meat Guy, please check out their website:
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