As we arrived at the restaurant, I once again remembered how amazing this place is. The wooden pergola separates the large interior into manageable spaces and the huge windows offer panoramic mountain views. There’s a large patio for summer drinks, and one of the best happy hours in town. This is not your average hotel-restaurant. In fact, you instantly forget the restaurant is in the Coast Hotel the moment you walk through the door!

We sat right away. As usual, the service was second to none, and our server got us started with Wild G & T’s, made with specialty gin from local Wild Life Distillery. Delicious. When it came time to order food, we could choose from the Thanksgiving Dinner choices, or opt for something from the regular menu. Being a traditionalist about this holiday, I ordered the special. Roast Butternut Squash Soup, Roast Turkey, and Bourbon Pumpkin Tart. There were other options for this meal, but I wanted turkey for Thanksgiving.

The squash soup was homemade, hot and delicious. It mixed the perfect taste of the season with just the right heartiness for an appetizer. The Beet Salad, another option for this dinner, had a beautiful presentation and added a splash of colour to the table.

I have high expectations for turkey. Is it one of my favourite fall and winter meals. I also spent much of my childhood learning how to cook the perfect turkey from my mother. I have to say: I’m picky. The turkey at Table Food + Drink was worthy of my mother’s passed-down high standards. With a nice mixture of light and dark meat, and with all the sides involved, there were enough leftovers for a couple of turkey sandwiches. Because it’s just not a turkey dinner without leftover sandwich meat!

There was no way I had room for dessert. But it was included, so I really didn’t have much of a choice. I could have taken it to go, but this is Thanksgiving, and overeating is part of the tradition. Enter the Bourbon Pumpkin Tart with homemade brown sugar cinnamon ice cream and fresh berries. Wow. That tart didn’t stand a chance! The delightful homemade ice cream accentuated the flavours of the meal topper. The fresh berries and whipped cream meant I could pretend it wasn’t all sugar and spice.

At the end of the night, I truly felt as though I had eaten a home-cooked Thanksgiving dinner. It was an excellent way to celebrate the holiday while leaving just enough leftovers for the next day. I don’t know when I’ll have a turkey dinner again, but I do know I can’t wait to return to Table Food + Drink.