Page 54 - South Mississippi Living - November, 2018

DINING gobble gobble CASINOS SERVING
SPECIALS story by Lori Beth Susman
It’s no secret that Thanksgiving dining is all about the turkey. But, is that turkey oven roasted, smoked or
Cajun deep fried? And is that a whole turkey or deboned turkey breasts? And what about stuffing, veggies
and, of course, dessert? There is much more to this harvest feast than just turkey — especially when the meal is created by talented chefs at Gulf Coast casinos.
From Bay St. Louis to Gulfport, in Biloxi and D’Iberville, casinos will host Thanksgiving specials in their buffets, cafes and in some of their fine dining restaurants. While turkey prepared in a number of ways is the No. 1 favorite for the holiday, it is no surprise seafood comes in a close second, according to David Crabtree, executive chef at Island View Casino Resort in Gulfport. “Shrimp are huge, and at night people come for the crab legs,” he said.
Dean Kronauer, buffet chef at Palace Casino Resort, said at the Biloxi resort, prime rib comes in a close second following turkey, with their barbecue meats coming in third.
Green bean casserole and carrot souffle are favorite sides, but potatoes take the lead. There are mashed potatoes, fried potatoes, sauteed potatoes, baked potatoes, roasted potatoes and, a Thanksgiving must-have, baked sweet potatoes and sweet potato casserole. Everyone loves potatoes.
Cornbread dressing, which Crabtree called “an everyday favorite that people must have on holidays” is also the top dressing at both casino buffets, with oyster dressing coming in second at Island View.
And, what is turkey without cranberry sauce? The question here: straight from a can or something a little fancier? “We proudly make fresh cranberry sauce,” said Kronauer, adding, “We do have the canned sauce for guests requesting it. However, we think fresh is always better.”
Added Crabtree, “We serve the jellied version daily in our buffet with deep-fried turkey. But, during the holidays we make a fresh compote.” Giblet gravy is the only other condiment paired with turkey, he said.
No Thanksgiving meal is complete without dessert. Both chefs agree the No. 1 pie served for Thanksgiving is pecan. Pumpkin and
sweet potato pie come in a close second/third. For those who want something a little different, try a piece of
peanut butter or banana split pie, both
of which can be found at Palace Casino. At Island View, Chef Crabtree said, “Our
bakery produces about 250 assorted pies for Thanksgiving,” so there is always a favorite
for everyone.
54 SOUTH MISSISSIPPI Living • November 2018
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Thanksgiving