FOOD&DRINK

Yikes! It’s already time to get booking if you want to score a tasty Christmas treat at some of the region’s top restaurants. Tony Benjamin stuffs the turkey.

Don’t tell the turkeys but their days of clucking about in the hedgerows are numbered. We may still be on British Summer Time but the catering world is already gearing up for Christmas and, as those special menus start to appear, we feel it’s only right to warn you that the time has come to start thinking about The Office Christmas Dinner. As with everything in life, it’s the early bird that gets the worm (or full roast turkey dinner with trimmings) and if you want any chance of booking yourself, colleagues or family parties into the most popular places you need to start thinking about it now. Happily for you, dear reader, we at Venue have done a bit of looking around ourselves to give you a heads up on what’s on offer across Venueland this festive season, with everything from fizzy breakfasts to oriental feasts for you to consider. Most do the trad thing – roast turkey, pud and suchlike – with reasonable vegetarian options and house specialities. Most have the full menu on their website too, so be sure to check them out as well.

Bath

Browns • One of the few places that will be open right through Christmas Day (see panel), Browns will be offering a special three-course menu at £24.95 (lunch)/£29.95 (dinner), with treats like rabbit, pheasant, prune and armagnac terrine and beef wellington alongside roast turkey and Christmas pud.

ORANGE GROVE, BATH ,BA1 1LP. TEL: 01225 461199, WEB: WWW.BROWNS-RESTAURANTS.CO.UK

19th House • Bath’s elegant new restaurant and bar is offering a classy three-course menu including vodka-cured gravadlax and ‘traditional cottage pie’ alongside the turkey and cranberry sauce.

19 ST JAMES PARADE, BATH, BA1 1UL. TEL: 01225 447728, WEB: WWW.THENINETEENTHHOUSE.COM

Bathampton Mill • It’s spit roast chicken in place of turkey but otherwise the staples are in place, as well as niceties like duck rillette, forest mushroom risotto and baked stollen with cognac ice-cream. The three-course meal is £20 (lunch) or £25 (evening) and there’s even a discount for early takers.

MILL LANE, BATHAMPTON, BATH, BA2 6TS. TEL: 01225 469758, WEB: WWW.THEBATHAMPTONMILL.CO.UK

River Cottage Canteen • There’s a seasonal simplicity to the menu here that fits the River Cottage ethos, with a three-course menu including slow-roasted leg and poached breast of free-range organic turkey and chocolate and chestnut torte (there’s no Xmas pud option). Priced at £24.50 (two-course)/£28 (three-course), it’s an ethical winner.

22 WESTGATE ST, BATH BA1 1EP. TEL: 01225 471578, WEB: WWW.RIVERCOTTAGE.NET

The Cork • If you’ve a bigger party in mind, The Cork’s choice of buffet catering is ideal. The options begin at £7.50 a head and rise to £13 for a hot buffet complete with carving chef and the full Xmas roast option, as well as choices including roasted butternut squash, thyme and parmesan risotto.

11 WESTGATE BUILDINGS, BATH BA1 1EB. TEL: 01225 333582, WEB: THECORK.CO.UK

Bristol

Juniper • Classy European-style dinner menu, free-range chicken and mince pies included £21.95 (two-course)/£25.95 (three-course).

21 COTHAM RD SOUTH, BRISTOL, BS6 5TZ. TEL: 0117 942 1744, WEB: WWW.JUNIPERRESTAURANT.CO.UK

Clifton Sausage • They’ve got the classic roast turkey in the three-course menu but why not try reindeer and cranberry sausages? £23.50 (lunch)/£28.50 (evening).

7-9 PORTLAND ST, BRISTOL, BS8 4JA. TEL: 0117 973 1192, WEB: WWW.CLIFTONSAUSAGE.CO.UK

Boca Bar • Imaginative local and seasonal menu (loin of wild boar, anyone? Christmas pudding brownie?) with a discount for early booking. £21.95(two-course)/£25.95(three-course).

PAINTWORKS, BATH RD, BRISTOL, BS4 3EH. TEL: 0117 972 8838, WEB: WWW.BOCABAR.CO.UK

Glassboat • Choice of breakfast, lunch and dinner mixing the roast classics with contemporary English and European dishes. £17.50 (breakfast); £20 (two-course lunch)/£25 (three-course lunch); £30 (three-course dinner).

WELSH BACK, BRISTOL, BS1 4SB; TEL: 0117 929 0704; WWW.GLASSBOAT.CO.UK

Lido • As befits their award-winning green philosophy, the Lido’s menu will be seasonal and thus depend on what’s available – sample dishes might include seared venison slow-cooked in sherry or chocolate and salted caramel tart. £29.50 (three-courses). And you could swim, of course!

OAKFIELD PLACE, BRISTOL, BS8 2BJ; TEL: 0117 933 9533, WEB: WWW.LIDOBRISTOL.COM

Lockside • Tranquil waterside views and a choice of breakfast (£13.95), lunch (four-course £23.95) or dinner (five-course £28.95) all with ‘goodies’! Good selection of stylish dishes including slow-cooked confit of duck, Parma ham with Roquefort figs and their Xmas pud is vegetarian!

1 BRUNEL LOCK RD, BRISTOL, BS1 6XS. TEL: 0117 925 5800, WEB: WWW.LOCKSIDE.NET

Spyglass • They’re not doing a special menu, as far as we know, but the special thing is that this favourite party dining destination will be open (having abandoned their traditional winter closure) and the barbie will be smoking.

WELSH BACK, BRISTOL, BS1 4SB. TEL: 0117 927 7050, WEB: WWW.SPYGLASSBRISTOL.CO.UK

Zen • They’ve really gone to town at Zen this year, with special Chinese menus ranging from £20-£42 and a traditional English choice at £28. Bigger parties get extra dishes and everyone gets Xmas pud if they want it.

UNIT 4B, HARBOURSIDE, EXPLORE LANE, BRISTOL, BS1 5TY. TEL: 0117 371 3888, WEB: WWW.ZENHARBOURSIDE.CO.UK

NOA • There’s a Japanese lightness to the menu at NOA that might be a tempting contrast to the traditional uberstodge – and they can even tailor things for a gluten-free option. The splendid Mikado four-course meal combines beef negimaki with grilled Bahamas lobster and there’s a full vegetarian menu, too. Lunch is from £15 and dinners from £25-£35. 

12-13 WATERLOO ST, BRISTOL, BS8 4BT. TEL: 0117 973 2881, WEB: WWW.NOAJAPANESE.CO.UK

Prosecco • Gordon Ramsey’s pick of Bristol Italian restaurants is offering a typically stylish take on the festive template, with turkey wrapped in ham with shallot and sage stuffing and roasted aubergine ravioli among the choice items. The three-course menu’s available for lunch or dinner at £27.

25 THE MALL, BRISTOL, BS8 4JG. TEL: 0117 973 4499, WEB: WWW.PROSECCOCLIFTON.COM

Bells • Famed for its contemporary take on French cuisine and excellent wine list, Bell’s is offering a special three-course seasonal meal as either lunch or dinner for £27.

1 YORK RD, BRISTOL, BS6 5QB. TEL: 0117 924 0357, WEB: WWW.BELLSDINER.COM

Three Coqs Brasserie • A trio of excellent chefs promise to pamper with an eight dish selection from their menu, priced at £25 or £32, with a festive emphasis on relaxed sharing.

1 WHITELADIES GATE, BRISTOL, BS8 2PH. TEL: 0117 949 3030

Berwick Lodge • If you’re really pushing the boat out, this stunning boutique hotel and restaurant just outside Bristol will be happy to discuss a range of bespoke dinner, lunch or party options.

BERWICK DRIVE, HENBURY, BRISTOL, BS10 7TD. TEL: 0117 958 1590, WEB: WWW.BERWICKLODGE.CO.UK

Browns • See Bath listing above.

38 QUEEN’S RD, BRISTOL, BS8 1RE. TEL: 0117 930 4777, WEB: WWW.BROWNS-RESTAURANTS.CO.UK

Out of town

Ronnie’s • North of Bristol but well worth the visit – Ronnie’s was Good Food Guide restaurant of the year in 2009 and the Xmas menu reflects their reputation, with Moroccan spiced nut roast and whisky milkshake just two of the eye-catchers. £27 (two-course)/£30 (three-course).

11 ST MARY ST, THORNBURY, BS35 2AB. TEL: 01454 411137, WEB: WWW.RONNIES-RESTAURANT.CO.UK

OTHER OPTIONS

Breakfast

Too busy for lunch? Then why not get a head start on the celebrations by having a Christmas breakfast instead. Festive early birds are catered for at Bristol’s Lockside (£13.95) and Glassboat (£17.50) with a glass of buck’s fizz and a choice of breakfasts.

Christmas Day

If you really want to impress the in-laws and don’t fancy cooking on The Big Day, why not check into Brown’s restaurant in Bristol or Bath where £60 (£30 under-12s) will get you a four-course dinner? Bathampton Mill restaurant outside Bath also has a four-course offer for £65, or you could opt out completely and get a room for two at the Avon Gorge Hotel (£199 for two nights) and invite the family to join you for a six-course lunch (£65) in the splendidly scenic Bridge Café. They may not be exactly cheap options but there again someone else will do the washing up.

Cook it yourself?

This could be your chance to amaze your workmates – the highly fancy Berwick Lodge hotel restaurant will be running two-hour classes showing you how to make the classic ‘bird in bird pye’. You know, the one where you get a turkey stuffed with a chicken which, in turn, is stuffed with a loin of pork. For a mere £150 you get all the meat as well as the tuition and the finished item should feed a party of 10 people. They’ll even freeze it and keep it till you need it.
 

Copyright Tony Benjamin 2010

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