Next week, dining room tables across the UK and beyond will be groaning under the weight of traditional Christmas fare. Deliciously crisp roast potatoes, tender brussel sprouts, parsnips, cranberry sauce, pints of gravy, and lest we forget – the driest, least flavoursome bird that money can buy. We admit that if you pack it full of stuffing and wrap it in bacon, you might actually get it to taste like something but does anyone really want it?
If you'd rather not spent Christmas morning up to your elbows in gizzards or plucking out stubborn feathers with your Mum's tweezers, here are ten of the best alternative Christmas menus on offer in London this year. There's a cuisine and price to suit everyone and not a turkey in sight!
1) One of our favourites - The Establishment in Parsons Green - is serving up a great British Christmas menu until December 23rd. At lunchtime, it's priced at £25 for 3 courses which is a bargain for the top quality dishes we've come to expect here. Fulham foodies can start with spiced parsnip soup or seared scallops with crispy pork, and then feast on hearty mains like braised Galloway beef shin and roast breast of wild pheasant. Their puddings have had us in raptures on more than one occasion, so we recommend saving room for egg nog crème brulee or chocolate fondant before heading to the bar for cocktails.
2) Vegetarians facing the prospect of yet another nut roast might want to head for Saf instead, where there's a much more appealing menu on offer. Chef Chad Sarno cooks many of his dishes below 48°C to preserve optimal flavour and nutrition, so you won't find any of the usual Christmas stodge here. The tasting menus, ranging from two to five courses, feature delicious dishes that are 100% free from animal products, dairy and processed ingredients. Vegan gourmets and raw food enthusiasts can feast on chestnut crepes with wild mushroom and walnut stuffing; beetroot ravioli; and sweet pumpkin pie with espresso syrup - all washed down with a glass of biodynamic wine, recommended by Saf's sommelier, Joe McCanta. For guilt-free dining, this Shoreditch gem is hard to beat.
3) While a yuletide trip to Paris would be ideal, a trip to Alain Ducasse at The Dorchester is certainly the next best thing. The restaurant itself is a neutral space in understated shades of beige but we like to think that's to help the Michelin-starred food take centre stage. The £285 Christmas menu features decadent dishes like duck foie gras and chestnut ravioli; crab with truffled minestrone; seared scallops; and roasted 'Jaune des Landes' capon breast with seasonal vegetables. It's a bit of a budget buster but who cares? Tis the season after all...
5) With its clean lines, light wood and bright white walls; Madsen is the ultimate antidote to traditional tat and tinsel. Until December 23rd, this Scandinavian eatery is doing a Christmas buffet every Friday, Saturday and Sunday for lunch and dinner. As you would expect, there's plenty of herring, gravlax, and freshly baked rye and sourdough bread on offer. We recommend the Swedish Christmas ham with mustard and traditional Jannsons Frestelse - a wonderfully creamy potato and anchovy casserole.
6) On the tenth floor of Kensington’s Royal Garden Hotel, Min Jiang is one of the most successful newcomers to the London dining scene this year. If you haven’t popped in for the Beijing Duck and stunning views of Hyde Park yet, why not try out the £60 Christmas menu? It starts with dim sum and a king crab meat and scallop soup, before moving on to a fish course of silver cod with Chinese rice wine sauce. The main course is roast duck accompanied by stir-fried pak choi, special fried rice and assorted seafood wrapped in a lotus leaf. For dessert, there’s jasmine tea tiramisu with chocolate tuille. Min Jiang’s tranquil bar is an unexpected delight, so make sure you stick around for cocktails.
7) Can't afford a trip to Malaysia this year? No problem - Jom Makan's got it covered. Their three festive menus are priced between £10 and £15 and include classic dishes like beef rendang, gado-gado, nasi goreng, and roti canai - a flaky flatbread served with a tasty vegetable and lentil curry. The restaurant is cunningly tucked away on Pall Mall East, moments from Leicester Square and Covent Garden - perfect for pre-theatre dinners or a quick bite before Happy Hour.
8) London's finest Scottish bar and restaurant, Albannach, is the perfect setting for a Christmas party with a Celtic twist. The ground floor bar offers a great range of cocktails, fine wines, and the most extensive whisky list outside Scotland; while the mezzanine restaurant is offering two special festive feasts showcasing the very best produce from north of the border. The menus include dishes like loin of Highland venison with roasted root vegetables; smoked Shetland salmon and crushed potato salad; and traditional cranachan of Caledonian raspberries in honey and whisky cream.
9) Why not swap parsnips for pad thai this Christmas by relocating your festive feast to London's most popular Thai restaurant? Throughout December, Mango Tree is serving two three-course menus put together by Executive Chef Mark Read and priced at £38. Some of the exotic dishes on offer include beef and sweet potato yellow curry; grilled tiger prawns with fragrant basil; and salmon and butterfish baked in banana leaves. For dessert, a trio of mango and coconut jelly, mixed berry bread pudding and vanilla and pandan ice cream is a refreshing change from traditional Christmas pud.
10) Quilon has been serving up authentic South Indian food near Buckingham Place for over a decade now and was recently awarded a well-deserved Michelin star. Their festive lunch and dinner menus start at £26 and £37 respectively, so you might want to convince someone else to take you as a Christmas treat. Dishes include fragrant Goan chicken; exotic mango curry; pepper shrimp; and mini masala dosa – rice and lentil pancakes filled with potatoes and spicy sambhar.
As you can see, there’s no need to get stuck with turkey this Christmas when London’s restaurants are serving up such tasty alternatives. Don’t forget the added bonus of no washing up! That said, if you are looking for something more traditional then take a look at our Christmas special offers - there’s bound to be a menu with extra giblets out there somewhere.
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