Christmas feast in the city
From sumptuous meals in bogies to sun-kissed brunch spreads, city eateries offer all this and more today.
Christmas gives you the perfect excuse to take a breather from calorie counting and indulge in gastronomic pleasure to your heart’s content. If you are feeling lazy to fuss over whipping a gourmet meal at home, city hotels have laid out splendid food spreads that combine the holiday mood with the festive spirit.
From traditional feast that features roasts and plum puddings to lighter and innovative spread that include soup and salad to woo health junkies, options abound for those who want to soak in the Christmas sprit over a laid-back meal. And the setting is no less grand! The city looks like a winter wonderland with lovely Christmas displays at hotels. From an eight-feet-high gingerbread house at Crowne Plaza Today, Okhla, to a Christmas tree lit up with 2,000 glitter butterflies at Shangri La’s Eros, there’s no dearth of enchanting sights. So, pick up your knives and indulge with a festive spirit.
A lavish spread
Choose from an array of soups, pastas, salads, fresh breads, and dessert displays at Urban Pind, GK I. The Christmas brunch offers fresh vegetable salads, such as asparagus, mushroom, baby corn, haricot beans, broccoli and tri bell pepper, and grilled meat treats. Pair your meal with wine or beer, or sip on some delicious mocktails. For a sweet ending, head to the dessert display that offers Indian sweets and yummy baked goodies.
Meal for two: Rs 2,000
Hint of organic
At Olive at the Qutub the Christmas Day brunch prepared by chef Saby features special traditional Christmas dishes such as turkey, ham, plum pudding, etc. There are live pasta, pizza, and dessert stations. There’s an array of condiments, breads with truffle and red wine butter, organic honey (sweet clover, eucalyptus, and Himalayan flora) to choose from. Those who love eggs can try out an organic egg omelet at the egg station. The chef also has special Christmas gifts for all guests. Wash down the treats with Grey Goose martini and red and white sangria.
Meal for two: Rs 5,000
European feast
Greenhouse on the Ridge at Olive at the Qutub, Mehrauli, offers you a home-style European feast with delicacies put together by chefs Alice Helme and Flora Hilleary. The Christmas supper (8 pm onwards) is a’la carte. The menu includes beetroot soup with crème fraiche, crab and avocado tian with cherry tomato salsa, whole roast Himalayan river trout with Hollandaise sauce, roast turkey, bacon, and cranberry sauce, fruits of the forest compote and more.
Meal for two: Rs 3,000
Be spoilt for choice
Tuck into a lavish buffet (lunch and dinner) at New Town Café, Park Plaza, Gurgaon. Begin with salads such as Milano salami with papaya or sliced lamb roulade with artichoke; move on to the turkey, lemon and chilli prawns and Indonesian Lamb Rendang Curry. To pamper your sweet tooth, there is Croquembouche, orange honey mousse, ginger pistachio pudding, and poached pear in red wine. A glass of sparkling wine comes complimentary.
Meal for two: Rs 2,598
Children (5-12 years): Rs 699 each
Traditional fare
The traditional Christmas lunch menu at Café at Hyatt Regency, features a buffet selection of gourmet salads, a seafood bar, roast meats, live kitchens, hot station and desserts accompanied by unlimited beverages. The spread put together by chef Maria Julia Martini includes some special additions, such as American butterball turkey, sage-onion-chestnut filling, snail sausage, slow roast honey thyme gammon ham, and apple pepper glaze.
Meal for two: Rs 5,000
Dine like a king
At The Grill, Lalit, try the lavish brunch at 24/7 Restaurant that’s serving roasted turkey, ham, bacon wrapped chicken and live grill. There will be unlimited mulled wine, and sparkling wine too. Expect a visit by Santa who’ll shower goodies on kids. There’ll be magic and caricature show, tattoo artists, balloon artists and various games. From traditional cakes to pies and liqueur chocolates and cookies, different sweets are on the platter.
Meal for two: R5,400
Kids buffet (5 to 12 years): R1,500
Poolside treat
Sit by the poolside and enjoy a laid-back Christmas brunch even as you soak in the sun at Aman, New Delhi. The elaborate buffet features roasted lamb with trio of peppers, mushroom ragout, Provencal fish stew, roast turkey, shrimp cocktail, broccoli almonds and sun dried tomatoes, jacket potatoes and more. Among the desserts, ask for X’mas puddings, fresh fruit tarts, carrot walnut slice with cream cheese, and mille-feuille.
Meal for two: Rs 7,000
Sun soaked X’mas
Relish a grand brunch sitting in the palm-lined Claridges Garden at the Claridges, New Delhi. Take your pick from European, Indian and Chinese cuisine. Treats include farmed duck consommé with duck leg confit tortellini, traditional roast turkey with baby carrot, wood fire oven baked black cod with white bean and roasted pears and sugar baked brioche. There will be a live band playing in the garden, children can be kept entertained with activities such as pottery, face painting, etc, at the kid’s corner.
Meal for two: Rs 6,990
Ride the train of joy
Hop into the train of joy at the Liverpool Terminal, Tivoli Garden Hotel, Chattarpur, which dons a Victorian look for Christmas. The feast is splendid — you have a whole range of festive delicacies such as roast turkey, red wine, pate, sausage and bacon rolls, mince pies, butterball turkeys, cranberry stuffed chicken and more. Team up your meal with a glass of mulled wine, which is on the house. For a sweet ending to your meal, there is plum pudding with brandy custard sauce, date and fig tart, pear cheesecake, and more.
Meal for two: Rs 2,500