Friendsgiving shouldnt be a lot of work. There shouldnt be so much cooking and cleaning before everyone arrives that it becomes difficult to enjoy the meal and the company. Thats just not what Friendsgiving is about.
Broadway 10 Bar & Chophouse co-owner Aaron Soward said he loves hosting at his home, though there can be drawbacks.
I love cooking. We do it at my house every year, Soward said. And I love that my family can be relaxed and enjoy it.
What he doesnt love is he and his wife being relegated to the kitchen before and after the meal while everyone else enjoys quality time. The same is true for Friendsgiving parties, but staff at Broadway 10 Bar & Chophouse, 1101 N. Broadway Ave., help make holiday gatherings easier for everyone by putting together group meals they can serve to people on the go.
Its something we could even deliver, Soward said.
Customers can put the responsibility of making sure everything is cooked correctly and tastes great on the capable shoulders of his kitchen staff.
Youre getting a product that is failproof. It takes all the doubt out of it, Soward said.
The Midtown District Italian restaurant, 1201 N. Walker Ave., is a favorite for Friendsgiving groups, Aust said, because the chefs are so eager to work with customers.
Depending on the size of the party, we can do a limited menu, where people can choose from four entrees, soup or salad and two desserts, or we can have a buffet-style service, she said.Stellas largest room can hold about 50 while the second-largest can serve up to 28, she said. Of course, dinner parties dont have to be huge to be fun. Inside Paseo Grill, 2909 Paseo Drive, there are options for private and semiprivate spaces, said co-owner Lesley Rawlinson. It also runs The Reserve, a full-service dining room across the street from the restaurant for groups of up to 50 guests.
For smaller parties, there are easily curtained-off areas to keep dinner feeling more intimate. Small groups get access to the full menu, while Rawlinson suggests a pre-set menu for bigger gatherings.
The execution is a little easier that way, Rawlinson said. It takes a little more thinking out of it.
One of the citys most interesting private dining spaces is the giant round table at Sushi Neko, 4318 N. Western Ave. Guests remove their shoes and sit on mats before sharing plates of sashimi and maki rolls.
Few places in the metro can match James E. McNellies Public House, 1100 Classen Drive, for beer selection and space. The three-story restaurant serves Irish pub fare in a laid-back environment that is equally friendly to the wallet and taste buds.
Wherever they choose to go, Aaron Soward said the best treat for hosts who take their celebrations to a restaurant isnt the gourmet food or selection of cocktails. Its that they dont have to clean up when the party is over.
Nobody likes being stuck cleaning up, he said.
Broadway 10 Bar & Chophouse
1101 N. Broadway Ave.
405-212-3949
Hefner Grill
9201 Lake Hefner Parkway
405-748-6113
J. Bruners at The Haunted House
7101 Miramar Blvd.
405-478-1417
James E. McNellies Public House
1100 Classen Drive
405-601-7468
The Meat Market Refectory
2920 NW 63rd St.
405-608-8866
Paseo Grill
2909 Paseo Drive, Suite A
405-601-1079
Red PrimeSteak
504 N. Broadway Ave.
405-232-2626
Stella Modern Italian Cuisine
1201 N. Walker Ave.
405-235-2200
Sushi Neko
4318 N. Western Ave.
405-528-8862
Print Headline: Buddy love: Friendsgiving is about losing the traditions that dont work and celebrating new ones that do. Whether you celebrate with three people or 30, its important to focus on enjoying each other.