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Chicken may rule the roost when it comes to takeout, but Jive Turkey makes a strong case for gobbling something different. After frying fowl in her Brooklyn backyard, former publicist Aricka Westbrooks opened this tiny take-away to serve a growing flock of fans. With those justifiably famous turkeys as the key ingredient, Jive Turkey trots out sliced breast, meatloaf, wraps, sandwiches, and salads, along with flawless homemade mashed potatoes, beans, stuffing, and coleslaw. Meal combos are prepared in the morning, packed in plastic serving trays, and chilled in refrigerator cases from which customers serve themselves. Westbrooks insists her turkeys hold up to microwaving—the method of reheating if you eat at the small counter—but beware: Zapping slackens the flesh and skin. Better to order a whole bird and savor its complex flavor and textural integrity at home. The tiny, immaculate shop, all blond wood with blue accents, doesn’t invite lingering, though whimsical touches like turkey-shaped candleholders add warmth. If the down-home menu triggers your sweet tooth, Jive Turkey also offers homemade cookies and brownies. — Michael Kaminer

Whole turkeys here require at least 24 hours notice and a 50-percent deposit. Around Thanksgiving and Christmas, Jive Turkey sells birds on a first-come, first-served basis; prepare to line up around the block, since the shop holds just fifteen customers at a time. Whole fried turkeys start at $55.50, with a $20 surcharge at holidays. Costs rise for variations like Zinfandel, Mole, and Peking turkey.