Five Great Unturkeys

Jan Newberry

Roasted squab at Bodega Bistro
The crisp-skinned roasted squab at this Tenderloin Vietnamese restaurant is lacquered with a salt-and-pepper sauce and served "Chinese style," which means that the bird's head is still in place. 607 Larkin St., S.F., 415-921-1218.

Poussin at Incanto
Chef Chris Cosentino would rather serve these whole young chickens than parts of more mature birds. 1550 Church St., S.F., 415-641-4500.

Wild turkey at Manka's Inverness Lodge
Not even the eccentric Margaret Grade is willing to forgo turkey on her Thanksgiving menu. But she does mix things up with a few wild birds with a flavor far more interesting than a conventional turkey's. 30 Callender Way, Inverness, 415-669-1034.

Guinea hen at Oliveto
Chef Paul Canales likes to treat these gamy birds to a slow braise in a sweet bath of vin santo. Look for them on the restaurant's menu all autumn long. 5655 College Ave., Oakland, 510-547-5356.

Quail at Rincón Tarasco
Quail are all the rage in parts of Michoacán, a state on the western edge of Mexico. Here in the Bay Area, Rincón Tarasco pays homage by deep-frying the little guys, then coating them with a zingy tomatillo salsa. 3200 Middlefield Rd., Menlo Park, 650-364-6413.