The new festive feast at Wetherspoons was a mixed bag
The Wetherspoons Christmas dinner along with festive loaded fries and the big cheese burger
It’s that festive time of year again – when the city’s Christmas markets are in full swing, Liverpool ONE is adorned with twinkling lights and the seasonal tunes are back to torment retail staff.
This also signifies the launch of a new menu by Wetherspoons across its numerous locations, including those here in Merseyside. Whether you’re craving a budget-friendly mulled cider, a side of pigs in blankets, or simply seeking some comfort food, the latest Spoons offerings is said to have got your back.
But does the Christmas menu truly warrant loosening your belt for, or is it merely just wearing tinsel to distract us? We dove in fork-first at The Welkin find out.
Perhaps the most obvious and crucial meal on the new menu was the Christmas dinner itself. Wetherspoon’s version consisted of sliced turkey breast and winter vegetables. It came complete with sage and onion stuffing, carrots and parsnips, mash, two pigs-in-blankets, peas, cranberry sauce and gravy.
The Wetherspoons Christmas dinner along with festive loaded fries and the big cheese burger
My plate was practically swimming in gravy and I’m almost certain an entire can of peas was used for my meal alone. The mash was far from lumpy and so received my seal of approval straight away.
I found the turkey was a bit lacking in flavour but considering both the price and portion size, one can hardly grumble. The star of the show, without a doubt, was the pot of Emmental and cheddar cheese sauce. It accompanied the Big Cheese burger and was sheer deliciousness.
It was like a warm hug after being out in the chilly weather. I could’ve bathed in this sauce. Moving on from the sauce to the burger itself, it lacked a certain sparkle. Overall, it’s something I could opt for again and tasted as you would expect, but I’m puzzled as to why it couldn’t be a regular feature on the menu given its lack of festival cheer.
The brie slices weren’t melted, but considering the tastiness of the two halloumi fries perched on top, I’m willing to overlook it. The same goes for the festive loaded chips. In my view, they were neither loaded nor particularly festive. It was essentially a smattering of pigs in blankets tossed onto poorly-melted cheesy chips.
The Wetherspoons Christmas desserts
There were other options on the menu, including vegan choices and a festive pizza. However, after sampling three dishes, I felt it was time to switch to something sweeter.
We ordered both desserts on offer – the giant profiterole and a cookies and cream blondie. Visually, there were no issues, but when it came to the taste, there were several.
Both arrived lukewarm, leaving us wondering whether they were meant to be served warm or cold? I don’t believe had they arrive temperature appropriate, it wouldn’t have saved the dessert but certainly would’ve been a step in the right direction.
It’s fair to Christmas dinners are a bit like Sunday dinners, everyone thinks their mums or nans are the best ones going. While I wouldn’t be ditching my own family on Christmas Day in exchange for Wetherspoons, I would appreciate it if my mum mastered the Wetherspoons cheese sauce for this year.
Wetherspoons receiptSliced turkey breast and winter vegetables with a soft drink £14.99The big cheese burger with a soft drink £12.65Two portions of two pigs-in-blankets £3.24Festive loaded fries £8.99Giant profiterole £5.58Cookies and cream blondie £5.58
Total: £51.03
Dining and Cooking