I think it’s fair to say that the Christmas spirit has started to hit. A walk through town can alone get me excited, with the Christmas lights and the classic Christmas songs playing in shops; and how can we forget the way Costa Coffee have started using their Christmas tree stencil to decorate our coffees. Now if that doesn’t get you in the mood for Christmas, I don’t know what will!
Of course, the Christmas period can be a bit hectic for some, with the panic shopping and stress of organising, but at the end of the day it’s a special time for every single one of us. The best part? Without a shadow of a doubt, it has to be the Christmas food for me. I don’t know why, but Christmas dinner would not taste as good any other time of year. Maybe it’s the family we share it with that makes it special, or it might just be that secret ingredient Grandma uses that she swears she won’t ever tell. Whatever it is, nothing beats a home-cooked Christmas dinner. But for those of you at university or working further from home, I have selected a few Christmas menus for you that will definitely come a close second to Grandma’s special recipe. Whether you are trying to decide where to go with your friends, flatmates or colleagues, there’s something for everyone.
For the students amongst you, why not dine out close to home at the University of Leeds’ own Terrace Bar in the Union? Their Christmas dinner service runs from November 19th until December 14th with a choice of afternoon or evening dining sessions. They have three distinctive Christmas menus at student prices, such as their canapés menu for £4 per head, their buffet service for £6 per head or their three course meal for £14 per head. Both their canapé and buffet menus include foods that cater for all dietary requirements, what more could you ask for?
If your friends are a bit indecisive and picky about where they want to go, there is the Christmas menu at Red Hot World Buffet; which suggests in the name that they have a large variety of different dishes, as well as the traditional Christmas ones. This menu is perfect for those of you who want to branch out and try different things whilst still indulging in your conventional Christmas dinner. Their three-course buffet menu will cost you only £7.99, so not only are they providing variety but that price tag makes the meal well worth it.
Although many of you may visit the Faversham regularly on nights out, they are also well-known for their food, believe it or not. They have created not only one, not two, but three different Christmas buffet menus for you to choose from. Prices range from £6.95 per person for their simpler menu, £8.95 per person for their more extensive menu, and £10.95 per person for their most lavish menu. Don’t worry about prices though as they all still offer the traditional turkey and the people’s favourite that is pigs in blankets.
Now for those who are looking for something slightly more up-scale and pricey, I suggest you take a look at Zizzi’s Christmas party menus. Zizzi is also offering three different choices; the cheapest at £16.95, menu two at £19.95 and then finally for those who want to splash their cash there is the top menu priced at £24.95. However all these menus stick to the traditional Italian food that Zizzi is well-known for, so if you are looking for traditional turkey and all the trimmings then this may not be for you. They do however include a glass of Italian bubbly and some menus offer a slow-roasted lamb option.
On the opposite side of the spectrum, there may be some of you who would prefer a slightly more relaxed way to celebrate Christmas. You may not want to bother with all these fancy menus and exhaustive dinners. So if you’re looking for something quick and easy to wet your appetite, Costa Coffee have brought out a few special Christmas treats for those of you who are on the go or are fuss-free. You could try their brie and cranberry panini or turkey feast sandwich. Or if you’re just looking for a sweet bite, their mince tarts, chocolate Yule log or Black Forest cupcakes might do the trick.
Christmas is not only a time to give presents to those you love, but your stomach deserves the same treatment too! Why not give it an early Christmas surprise by trying out my suggested Christmas menus? After all, the diet only starts after New Years!
Websites:
http://www.leedsuniversityunion.org.uk/barsandclubs/terrace/
http://www.redhot-worldbuffet.com/specialoffers.html
http://www.thefaversham.com/christmas-parties/
http://www.zizzi.co.uk/christmas
http://www.costa.co.uk/media/6533/christmas_release_2010.pdf
Images:
http://www.theangelmidhurst.co.uk/christmas-dinner.htm
http://www.arthursclipart.org/xmas/xmas/page_02.htm
http://www.flickr.com/photos/costacoffeeuk/6820745818/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/costacoffeeuk/page5/