- Thanksgiving mashups are a big thing for area restaurants
- You can find the traditional Thanksgiving spread — turkey, stuffing, potatoes and cranberry sauce — stuffed in egg rolls, on top of pizza or piled high on a burger
- Baskin-Robbins even has a new ice cream inspired by Thanksgiving side dishes
BETHLEHEM, Pa. – At his restaurant in the Slate Belt, owner Jeff Coombs likes to get a little creative with his menu offerings in November.
That’s to say he takes one menu item and adds the traditional Thanksgiving spread — turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes and cranberry sauce — and stuffs it all into an egg roll.
Gravy, of course, gets poured over the top.
“These particular egg rolls are flying out of the restaurant,” Coombs said Friday, keenly aware that he’s just one of many restaurants in the Lehigh Valley getting in on the Thanksgiving act, mashing up items that combine all the favorite elements of the traditional holiday meal.
Coombs is the proprietor of Rustica Artisan, a catering business and eatery with lunch and dinner hours on select days. Dinner is offered Wednesday and Thursday from 4 to 8 p.m., and Friday from 4 to 9 p.m. at 1101 Allegheny Road in Mount Bethel, Northampton County.
“Last year, we did Thanksgiving Bombs,” Hailey Coombs, Jeff’s daughter, said enthusiastically.
“For the bombs, they were gravy and turkey in the center, mashed potatoes and a dry cornbread stuffing on the outside. They were deep fried, with cranberry sauce on the side.”
Hailey said the Thanksgiving Bombs were popular, but diners seem to prefer the egg rolls due to their crispness. She said they’ll be on the menu only during dinner hours, the week before Thanksgiving and the week after (and will likely stick around if they continue to prove popular).
“We don’t require reservations, but if you’re interested in them, call ahead to make sure we have them,” Hailey advised.
Calling all ‘Gobblerites’
At Palace Pizza Bar & Grill in Whitehall (3690 Lehigh St # F), the chatter is all about — what else? — the Thanksgiving pizza that has recently popped onto the menu.
A recent visit revealed a square pie covered in turkey, stuffing, gravy and cranberries available by the slice. Rumors of a Thanksgiving panini — with fries, an employee confirmed — also made their way around the bar.
And then there’s the sandwich available at McCall Collective Brewing Co. (102 E Susquehanna St, Allentown).
The new Crivellaro is a local beef patty piled high with cranberry aioli, smoked turkey, smoked gouda and lettuce on a potato bun.
“We’ve sold a ton of them already,” the owners confirmed on Friday.
And if you’re on the other side of the Valley, check out the turkey sandwich at Rod’s Dogs (325 Northampton Street inside the Easton Public Market).
“Hear ye hear Gobblerites near and far!!!! IT’S BACK!!!” a Facebook post said on November 1. “Get it while it lasts!”
The accompanying photo showed a toasted bun piled high with stuffing, turkey and cranberries.
“Best turkey sandwich around,” one of the comments said.
Thanksgiving ice cream – anyone?
Yes, you’ve read that right. Baskin-Robbins has a new ice cream flavor inspired by Thanksgiving side dishes.
Turkey Day Fixin’s combines the flavors of sweet potato and autumn spice and mixes in chunks of honey cornbread and swirls of cranberry sauce.
If you’re brave enough, you can try it all month long at Baskin-Robbins locations nationwide. (Locally, find it at the location at 5052 Cetronia Rd at the service plaza. Another location at 1870 Catasauqua Road in Hanover Township is temporarily closed).
If you’d rather your turkey, stuffing and mashed potatoes stay out of dessert, Capriotti’s Sandwich Shop (5585 Hamilton Blvd, Macungie) has two turkey subs — The Bobbie and The Hot Bobbie — filled with slow-roasted turkey and topped with cranberry sauce, handmade stuffing and mayo.
And, of course, there’s always the classic Wawa Gobbler hoagie, while the Hot Turkey Gobbler Bowl features a base of mac and cheese, roasted veggies, hot turkey and tart cranberry sauce.
Happy Thanksgiving, foodies.
