Thanksgiving sparks enough family drama that food should not be among the battles waged. Plenty of area restaurants offer multicourse Thanksgiving feasts, and, even better, chances to bypass that famed bird. Guests may never walk out of Michel Richard Citronelle having tasted so much food for so few dollars: At $85 a person, the French restaurant’s buffet boasts robust flavors from its perennially acclaimed kitchen, including a chestnut soup, rack of lamb, and Brussels sprouts with bacon. Swap one native creature for another at Charlie Palmer Steak, where the Pennsylvania-sourced venison is served with butternut squash and flavored with citrus and juniper, the crispy pig trotters (feet) are positively on-trend, the smoked ricotta ravioli sates vegetarians, and the whole three-course affair comes to $70 a head. On the cheaper side, the sleek, recently refurbished Ardeo + Bardeo will roll out a $45 three-course offering with options, including wild mushroom risotto, seven-hour braised suckling pig, and olive oil-poached cod. Let this be the Thanksgiving where you remember the food, not the fights. The buffet at Michel Richard Citronelle is open from 2 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at 3000 M St. NW. (202) 625-2150. Charlie Palmer Steak serves dinner from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. at 101 Constitution Ave. NW. (202) 625-2150. Ardeo + Bardeo serves dinner from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. at 3311 Connecticut Ave. NW. (202) 244-6750.