More Thanksgiving options: Joe's, Simon L.A., Henry's Hat, Gus's BBQ, Josie and Larcmont Larder

Joe's Restaurant is offering a four-course Thanksgiving menu with several choices for each course, including sunchoke soup with smoked baby artichokes and hazelnuts; crispy sweetbreads with fall vegetables; Heritage Farms turkey breast and leg confit; Eastern monkfish and gulf shrimp with butter clam parsley broth; and pumpkin pie with pepita brittle and parsnip vanilla ice cream. $52 per person, $22 for children. 1023 Abbott Kinney Blvd., Venice; (310) 399-5811, www.joesrestaurant.com.

Henry's Hat opens Thanksgiving Day at 9 a.m., serving brunch all day long (including 2-for-1 mojitos and Bloody Marys, and bottomless mimosas and sangria). A Southern Thanksgiving buffet dinner starts at 2 p.m.: spinach salad; deep-fried turkey breast; brown butter and honey glazed ham; mashed potatoes; stuffing; roasted Brussels sprouts; coconut cream pie and pumpkin pie. $20 per person; children under 8 eat free. 3413 Cahuenga Blvd., Studio City; (323) 512-2500; www.henrys-hat.com.

Simon L.A. at the Sofitel Hotel is serving Thanksgiving, featuring free-range, organic turkey and trimmings such as sweet potatoes with caramelized walnuts, cornbread and sage stuffing, and buttermilk mashed potatoes. Kerry Simon's signature junk food platter: pumpkin cupcakes, orange coconut snowballs, pecan-date cookies, candy corn Rice Krispies treats, cranberry-orange sorbet, and pumpkin milkshake. Or you can have pumpkin pie. 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., $46 per person, $21 for children under 12. Sofitel L.A., 8555 Beverly Blvd., Los Angeles; (310) 358-3979; www.simonlarestaurant.com.

Small Bites: Brunch at Allston Yacht Club, free dessert at Shin, free drinks tonight at Magnolia for Britney Spears' ticket holders

Sunday brunch in the neighborhood: Allston Yacht Club, the friendly Echo Park neighborhood restaurant, has begun serving Sunday brunch from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The restaurant, known best for its  eclectic small-plates dinner menu and creative cocktails, will serve up tasty dishes including duck confit and sweet potato hash, biscuits and gravy, gravlax, organic house-made granola and yogurt and more. Need some hair of the dog? Try the AYC Ship to Shore bloody Mary, a classic Sazerac or mimosa. This new development should keep Echo Park locals from rushing to Silver Lake for their weekend-morning food fix. Allston Yacht Club, 1320 Echo Park Ave., Los Angeles. (213) 481-0454. www.allstonyachtclub.com.

Let them eat free cake! Simon Shin's hip Hollywood Korean barbecue restaurant, Shin, is celebrating its one year anniversary this month. To honor customers and generally make diners happy, the restaurant will be giving free "Shin Cake" to parties of four or more who have ordered the all-you-can-eat barbecue menu. (I recommend this option. At $25, it's a steal, and Shin's barbecue is particularly yummy, especially the beef short ribs.) "Shin Cake" is basically a green tea powder-infused rice flour pancake stuffed with cinnamon and brown sugar and topped with vanilla bean ice cream. Shin, 1600 Wilcox Blvd., Hollywood. (323) 465-4100. www.shinbbq.com.

Drink it up for Britney: Tonight only, if you are one of the lucky fans going to the Britney Spears concert at Staples Center, show your ticket to the folks at Magnolia downtown and get a free VeeV cocktail. Magnolia, 825 W. James Wood Blvd., L.A. (213) 362-0880.

-- Jessica Gelt

Photo: Gravlax at Allston Yacht Club. It's what's for brunch. Credit: Allston Yacht Club.

Small Bites: DineLA's fall Restaurant Week, Bruni-o-rama, weekends at the Palihouse

Here we go again: DineLA will launch its first fall Restaurant Week in October, and if you've been following @dine_LA on Twitter, you may have noticed the list of participating restaurants getting longer and longer (see the current list below). The latest participants include Akasha, Spago Beverly Hills, the Foundry on Melrose and Campanile. It's no wonder that restaurants are jumping on the bandwagon when this year's earlier Restaurant Week was a hit with anyone (everyone) whose dining-out habits were squeezed by the recession. Participating restaurants offer special deals on three-course meals. "We’re thrilled with the response to the first-ever fall dineLA Restaurant Week," says Carrie Kommers, director of dineLA. "Obviously, there is still a demand from the restaurant community for a program that drives increased traffic to them and creates awareness of LA’s incredible dining scene. Doing this twice a year was an easy decision.”

All Bruni, all the time: (Former) New York Times restaurant critic Frank Bruni will appear on ABC's "Good Morning America" this morning at 7 a.m., following this week's interview on Nightline, in which he reviewed the Choco Taco. Bruni's been busy on the interview circuit, also discussing his book "Born Round: The Secret History of a Full-Time Eater" with the New Yorker and Time Out. 

Weekends at Palihouse: Brendan Collins, chef at the Hall at Palihouse Holloway, rolls out Saturday brunch, served 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Omelets, filet mignon and eggs, smoked salmon terrine and moules frites are on the menu. Earlier this summer, he started Roast Sunday Lunch, featuring roast beef and Yorkshire pudding, toad in the hole, fish & chips, and wild mushroom and potato pie -- and sticky toffee pudding and Canterbury burnt cream for dessert. 8465 Holloway Drive, West Hollywood, (323) 656-4020, www.thehallbrasserie.com. 

-- Betty Hallock

Photo credit: Spago Beverly Hills

Very Small Bites, Part II: Stefan's, Eva, Caffe Roma, Reservoir

"Top Chef" Season 5 runner-up Stefan Richter has officially opened his eponymous restaurant, Stefan's at L.A. Farm, a high-end industrial park packed with post-production and audio mixing companies. 3000 W. Olympic Blvd., Santa Monica. (310) 449-4000.

Eva, which is going into the former Hatfield's space, announced that Sundays will be a no-menu "Dinner Party" night. Chef Mark Gold will cook based on what he selects from farmers markets and serve everything family-style, "with free flowing wine." 7458 Beverly Blvd., L.A.

Newly renovated to give it more of a bistro feel, Caffe Roma has recently reopened. 350 N. Canon Drive, Beverly Hills. (310) 274-7834, www.cafferomabeverlyhills.com.

Reservoir begins serving brunch every Sunday from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on Aug. 16. Options include a BLTA served over a cheddar-and-chive waffle, a vegetarian chorizo scramble, Bloody Marys and more. 1700 Silver Lake Blvd., L.A. (323) 662-8655, www.silverlakereservoir.com.

-- Elina Shatkin

Photo: Guinness ice cream and chocolate cake at Reservoir in Silver Lake. Credit: Axel Koester / For The Times

8 food events you should know about: Summer festival weekend edition

FRIDAY

Wines of the people Join James Beard award-winning wine importer Terry Theise for a tasting of boutique Champagnes made by farmers (he calls them "Farmer Fizz") as well as a selection of Rieslings from a single vineyard. Pourtal Wine Tasting Bar, 104 Santa Monica Blvd., Santa Monica. 5 to 8 p.m. $33 for a flight of three. (310) 393-7693. www.pourtal.com.

Eating downtown Celebrate the downtown renaissance with the "Taste of dtownLA" festival. A feast cooked by downtown restaurants Magnolia, Provecho, Remedy, Maria's Italian Kitchen, Urth Caffe, the Daily Grill, Takami, Rock 'n Fish, Gram and Papas and Wokano will help celebrate the launch of dtownLA.com, which dubs itself "the only online fashion and lifestyle publication catering to downtown residents." There will also be cocktails and a silent auction benefiting the Midnight Mission. Brunswick Studio, 843 S. Los Angeles St., L.A. Food tasting, 6 to 9:30 p.m., tickets $40. Launch party, 10:30 p.m. to 2 a.m. $40, alcohol included. www.dtownla.com.

SATURDAY

Deepak thoughts If you've wondered what kind of mystical calm Deepak Chopra lives in, you can find out at a dinner hosted at his 2-acre Palos Verdes estate, which is fashioned after a Tuscan villa. "Dancing With the Stars" dancer Jonathan Roberts will show off his moves and chef Enrico Glaudo of Frascati Ristorante in Rolling Hills Estates will prepare an Italian-themed menu of pizza, quiche, pork medallions, caprese salad and more. Proceeds benefit the nonprofit Palos Verdes Art Center. Time and address provided with reservation. (310) 541-2479. www.pvartcenter.org.

Cajun fun It's time for the 16th-annual Long Beach Crawfish festival featuring dancing, live Cajun, Brazilian and Zydeco music as well as plenty of delicious crawfish, red baby potatoes, corn on the cob and remoulade dipping sauce. Rainbow Lagoon, 400-403 Shoreline Village Drive, Long Beach. Sat. noon to 11 p.m.; Sun. noon to 10 p.m. $13 in advance, $15 at the gate. www.longbeachcrawfishfestival.com.

Tasting San Pedro Another festival is upon us: the 21st-annual Taste in San Pedro, which features food and drink from many of the area's favorite restaurants as well as live music, dancing, fireworks, face painting, photo booths and a Ferris wheel with gorgeous ocean views. Point Fermin Park at Gaffey and Paseo del Mar, San Pedro. Sat. 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Sun. 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. $10, adults; $7 seniors; $5 children 6 to 17. (310) 832-7272. www.tasteinsanpedro.com.

Sharpest knife in the drawer Get your knives, scissors and garden tools professionally sharpened while you shop at Red Carpet Wine & Spirits Merchants. They'll have a pro on hand in the parking lot and during that time you'll also get 10% off your purchases. Red Carpet Wine & Spirit Merchants, 400 E. Glenoaks Blvd., Glendale. 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Knives $5, scissors $8, gardening tools $6 to $9. (818) 247-5544.

Cooking at the market Join JoAnn Cianciulli, the author of "L.A.'s Original Farmers Market Cookbook," for a showcase of her summer grilling recipes. She'll heat up the grill to make grilled barbecue chicken pizza, skirt steak tacos and avocado-corn salsa. Samples will go out to the crowd and she'll sign copies of her new book "Barbecues Galore." Farmers Market Plaza, 6333 W. 3rd St., L.A. 5 to 7 p.m. Free.

SUNDAY

Brunch for singles If you're looking for Mr. or Ms. Right, you may enjoy the "Stylish & Single in the City" brunch at Catherine Malandrino Cafe. Celebrity stylist Marcella Reynolds will be there to dish out advice on appearance so wear or bring a photo of your favorite outfit for dates, and "dating expert" Evan Marc Katz will provide mini-consultations to the first 15 RSVPs. A complimentary 100-calorie TY KU cocktail will be served with brunch, so you can get boozy and watch your figure all at once. Catherine Malandrino Cafe, 651-653 N. La Cienega Blvd., West Hollywood. 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. $30. (310) 652-0078.

-- Jessica Gelt

Photo: A pile of shellfish rubble sits on the table where seafood lovers spend the evening shucking crawfish, crab and shrimp at the Boiling Crab, a popular Little Saigon eatery. Credit: Los Angeles Times  

Bacon: It's what's for brunch at FIG

Ah ... brunch. A perfect and perfectly civilized mix of bacon and pre-Happy Hour drinking. When FIG Restaurant began serving brunch on June 28, chef Ray Garcia didn't skimp on either.

Nearly a quarter of the menu is devoted to a section called "Bacon & Sausage," which offers a pancetta burger ($17); corn fritters in a bacon crème anglaise ($17); bacon grits with prawns and habanero marmalade; a bacon waffle served with Trockenbeerenauslese syrup and (what else?) bacon ice cream ($16); and the pièce de resistance: bacon-wrapped bacon ($17). That would be thinly sliced smoked bacon wrapped around braised pork belly that's crisped to order then served on top of berry bread pudding. Think of it as an upscale version of the Bacon Explosion.

What do you drink with that much bacon? More bacon. We've already noted the Bacontini at Bigfoot Lodge. Now, FIG offers the Bloody Maria ($13) made with fresh tomatillos, heirloom tomatoes and Gran Centenario Reposado tequila, then dusted with a rim of a bacon salt and served with a strip of Applewood-smoked bacon. While the Eggs and Bacon ($12) mixes bacon-infused gin, lemon juice and egg whites. It's pork you can drink.

FIG Restaurant: 101 Wilshire Blvd., Santa Monica. (310) 319-3111, www.figsantamonica.com.

--Elina Shatkin

Photo: The Bloody Maria. Courtesy of FIG Restaurant.

Small Bites: Katsuya No. 4, Crabfest IV, more

A Katsuya teaser: SBE's Katsuya Downtown is slated to open late next month at L.A. Live. It's the fourth Sam Nazarian-Katsuya Uechi-Philippe Starck collaboration (following Brentwood, Hollywood and Glendale). The 7,500-square-foot restaurant is, according to a release, an "homage to the traditional bento box." Some design details: At the center of the restaurant will be a large, rectangular, noren-crowned sushi bar. The restaurant also will feature a private lounge, an outdoor dining patio and a 33-foot-long bar. You'll recognize the oversized images of the eyes and lips of the Katsuya geisha. Surprise, surprise, expect lounge-y. 800 W. Olympic Blvd, Los Angeles, (213) 747-9797, www.sbe.com/katsuya.

Hungry Cat goings-on: The Hungry Cat announces Crabfest IV, June 21, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Here's the menu: a crab roll amuse; crab soup with bacon fat cornbread; pan-roasted soft-shell crab with corn and haricots verts salad and pancetta butter; steamed crabs (6 to the order, additional charge for more) with marinated tomatoes and coleslaw; and stone fruit cobbler. $60 per person. Also, a prix fixe lunch starts May 26, 12 to 3 p.m. Monday to Friday, $20. And finally, happy hour has been extended, now noon to 6 p.m. instead of 3 to 6 p.m. 1535 N. Vine St., Hollywood, (323) 462 2155, www.thehungrycat.com.

Bistro LQ's new digs: Chef Laurent Quenioux will open Bistro LQ in the Mimosa space at 8009 Beverly Blvd. in West Hollywood, in mid-July.

An extra FYI: Little Next Door says it will be open on Monday, Memorial Day, in case you were wondering. 8142 W. 3rd St., Los Angeles, (310) 951-1010, www.thelittledoor.com.

-- Betty Hallock

Image courtesy of SBE

Small Bites: BoHo brunch & Lago libations

Bohemian brunch: This Sunday, BoHo begins offering Chef Andre Guerrero's Sunday brunch (11:30 a.m.-3 p.m.). In addition to the usual eggs, bacon and potatoes, he's whipped up house-cured corned beef hash, pulled pork with cheddar biscuits, ricotta pancakes with lemon curd and blueberries, brioche French toast with bing cherries and Cointreau, and house-smoked salmon with egg salad. Bottomless cocktails cost $14 with brunch items: Champagne, mimosa, Bloody Mary, screwdriver or raspberry sunrise. BoHo: 6372 W. Sunset Blvd., L.A. (323) 465-8500, www.bohorestaurant.com.

Fetch the carafe: Santa Monica restaurant Lago is putting its libations in the limelight with a slew of deals. Happy Hour (4-7 p.m.) now runs seven days a week (and all evening Tuesdays), featuring $3 beers, $4 house wines and half-price appetizers and pizzas. Pay no corkage fee on BYOB Mondays, and get half-off of wine on Wednesdays. Lago recently began an Artisanal Cocktail Menu, featuring cocktails made from Santa Monica Farmers' Market ingredients and organic liquors: the Meyer Limonata (Meyer lemons, açaí liqueur and prosecco), the Sage Mist (sage, cucumber vodka, prosecco) and Lago's signature Caprese (cherry tomato, basil, tomato vodka, balsamic). $12 on the rocks or $28 for a 1-liter carafe. Lago: 231 Arizona Ave., Santa Monica. (310) 451-3525, www.lagosantamonica.com.

— Elina Shatkin

Photo: Top: Vintage furniture in the dining room of BoHo in Hollywood. Credit: Ringo H.W. Chiu / Los Angeles Times. Bottom: The Caprese cocktail at Lago. Credit: Megan Sheehy.