Christmas is a time to indulge in food and drink, but after a while, it is easy to become fed up with a traditional roast even before the big day. Thanks to meals out with friends, work Christmas parties and family gatherings, we can already reach our fill of turkey, roast potatoes and all the trimmings.
However, there isn’t much better than heading out into the cold and enjoying a festive meal with loved ones. I went to the Botanist, which has restaurants up and down the country, to treat myself to a meal that had a rather unusual take on the traditional Christmas feast. The restaurant and bar has certainly had a winter wonderland makeover, as at their West Bridgford branch I was greeted with what can only be described as an arctic lodge.
Its warm and inviting atmosphere set the tone for the evening and made me want to get stuck into their Christmas menu. Throughout December, the Christmas dining menu is available as either a two-course or a three-course lunch, as well as a three-course dinner.
Since I went in the evening, I opted for the three courses and certainly had my fill. My boyfriend and I started off with the Christmas sharing platter, which is the only starter option, but it certainly has everything you need.
As our platter arrived at our table, we were both taken aback by just how generous the portion sizes were. Served on a family-style tray, we had an array of starters to try.
Fried camembert bites came with an onion marmalade and saffron aioli, which were melt-in-the-mouth. Pigs and blankets had a sweet cranberry glaze that helped set them apart from others.
Houmous with spice-roasted chickpeas sat in a garden spade, which was a nod to the Botanist’s theme. It also came in handy as we were able to scoop up the fragrant hummus out of the spade with fresh chilli oil and garlic flatbread.
The star of the sharing board came with the Korean fried chicken that was covered in spicy gochujang with fresh coriander. It certainly packed a punch, so I would recommend eating last so as not to take over the flavours from the other starters.
Next came the main event. The Botanist is best known for its hanging kebabs, which typically come in three varieties: chicken, lamb kofta, or crispy panko halloumi.
But, for Christmas, the hanging kebabs have undergone a very festive makeover. I went for the turkey hanging kebab, which featured roast turkey, stuffing and pigs in blankets.
The three Christmas dinner staples were skewered on a kebab stick and arrived at the table hanging from a stand. A sweet glaze sat on top of the stand on a small plate, which I could either pour through so that it would drip down my kebab or remove to use as a side dip.
It also came with all the trimmings in a separate dish, which included crispy roast potatoes, carrots, Brussels sprouts and red cabbage. The dish is certainly a showstopper, but what surprised me most was just how juicy and moist the turkey was.
Often known as a dry meat, the chargrilled flavour enhanced the turkey to make it packed full of flavours. My boyfriend went for the 8oz sirloin steak, which came with vintage cheddar and beef dripping dauphinois potato plus a red wine jus.
He was very impressed with the steak and was pleased to have a slightly less festive option on the Christmas menu. Other mains include pan-fried salmon with herby mash and mushroom bourguignon pie.
We were both pretty stuffed from our starter and mains, but of course we had to try dessert. The sticky toffee pudding was light and the gingerbread ice cream added some Christmas warmth to the dish.
While the millionaire’s brownie proved a decadent end to an enjoyable meal out, vanilla ice cream paired with fudge pieces, crushed honeycomb and chocolate butterscotch sauce rounded off everything perfectly.
Of course, it isn’t just the food that has a Christmas makeover at the Botanist. Festive tipples include winter spiced mulled wine plus two cocktails – Partridge in a Pear Tree and It’s Mine Old Fashioned.
I had the Partridge in a Pear Tree, which is Absolut Vanilia Vodka with pear, cinnamon, a splash of lemon juice and prosecco. The Botanist certainly know how to do Christmas, and it isn’t to be missed if you are after a modern take on festive classics.
The two courses start from £26.95, while the three courses start from £39.95, depending on the date you go. To find out more, head to thebotanist.uk.com.
Dining and Cooking