Earlier this month, I was invited down to Chinatown in Los Angeles for a media-comped meal at the Plum Tree Inn. The purpose of the dinner was to introduce a dining alternative to the usual turkey and stuffing offerings found on most Thanksgiving tables. As such, if you’re looking for something new and untraditional (or better yet — you just don’t want to slave away in the kitchen), take a look at what the Plum Tree Inn has on deck for Turkey Day.
Pics after the jump…
The Plum Tree Inn has a decidedly ’80s look about it: pastel lighting, touches of neon, a glass block wall. It sort of made me feel like I was in Miami Vice, which I kind of dug.
Some of the appetizers: shrimp toast and steak on a stick.
Instead of turkey, how about Peking Duck? This is probably one of my very favorite Chinese dishes, and I would not complain if it became a Thanksgiving standard.
No Thanksgiving meal is complete without a bevy of side dishes. The following are all items that we were served:
Minced chicken in lettuce cups.
“Lion’s Head.” No actual lion meat is involved. It’s more like Chinese meatballs (swimming in a sea of cabbage and sauce).
More Lion’s Head. I wouldn’t classify this as my favorite dish of the night.
Shrimp, two-ways: “sautéed sweet and pungent.” Advantage: the red side.
Crispy beef.
Duck soup (made from the remains of the Peking Duck).
“Kon Pao Three Delicacies” — shrimp, fish, and scallops.
Asparagus and mushrooms.
If these dishes excite you, feel free to head over to Plum Tree Inn, located in scenic Chinatown.
Plum Tree Inn
913 N Broadway
Los Angeles, CA 90012
(213) 613-1819
www.plumtreeinn.com