Beth Cherryman

Up and down the country the annual rush has begun.  Supermarkets, butcher shops, cheese shops, quaint boutique-y specialist veg shops – none are safe.  As the masses fight to secure the ingredients for their perfect Christmas feast.

Stocks are in short supply and competition is rife.  The aisles are lined with the treacherous queues of already stressed-out and excitable cooks.  Feverishly, they guess at portion sizes, only to bid over a turkey that could well feed a small army, picturing in their heads the moment the magnificent bird is produced, steaming, as the glorious centrepiece on their Christmas table.

But how often does this vision come to fruition?

The ghostly dinning rooms of Christmases past are littered with the remnants of lumpy gravy, dry turkey, mushy veg and, most disgusting of all, cold bread sauce.  Yet year on year the tradition continues.  Dreams are shattered under the pressure of preparing the most complex of meals.  Relationships severed as amateur cooks feel their efforts go unappreciated.

What is wrong with these people?  Who needs this stress?  You can escape this fate.  Be one of a growing number of savvy Christmas diners who value a sophisticated, relaxed and mouth-wateringly delicious festive feast.  Let someone else take the pain and eat your Christmas lunch at one of Cardiff’s fabulous and beautifully ambient restaurants.

The historic Barceló Cardiff Angel Hotel is one of Cardiff’s landmark Victorian buildings.  Situated in the city centre, overlooking the castle, it’s the ideal place to enjoy a Christmas meal with a touch of old-style glamour.  You will be welcomed into the hotel’s grand lobby with a Champagne Kir Royale reception before making your way into the warm and easy atmosphere of its Castell’s Restaurant.

Expect a four-course carvery meal with your choice of roast Glamorganshire turkey, horseradish encrusted roast sirloin of beef or orange-glazed Barbary Duck.  For pudding, why not allow your taste buds to delight in a deeply indulgent chocolate and Grand Marnier tart?  Then keep the after-dinner glow alight as you and your loved ones chat and joke over coffee and mints.

“There will be Christmas decorations and crackers, a visit from Santa and subtle Christmas music playing in the background,” says Caroline Prosspr, Christmas Co-Coordinator at the Cardiff Angel.  “The hotel opened in 1883, so you can imagine we’re used to putting on Christmas meals.  You’ll be in safe hands.”

The Christmas Day carvery lunch at the Cardiff Angel is £50 per guest, £25 for children aged between five and sixteen and children under four eat free.  View the whole menu at barcelo-hotels.co.uk, and to book or for more information call 02920649200.

Staying in the city centre, you may prefer to treat yourself to the luxury four-course festive extravaganza on offer at the Hilton.  Start with a refreshing glass of Bucks Fizz and then sit back and leisurely work your way through the extensive menu.  Choose between traditional roasts and more adventurous dishes, such as supreme of guinea fowl on a ragout of butter beans and chorizo and roasted Mediterranean vegetable soup with smoked paprika.

Christmas lunch at the Hilton will set you back £85 per guest; children under 12 are half price.  The Hilton will also serve a Christmas dinner from 6.30pm, and at £56 per adult this is the perfect option for anyone wanting a more affordable but no less glitzy occasion.  For more information visit Hilton.co.uk/Cardiff and to book call 02920646334.

For the ultimate festive feast try The Parc hotel.  Guaranteed to spoil your palette for any other Christmas meal, a glass of Champagne or mulled wine on arrival sets the tone for a relaxing five-course celebration.

Starter:

Roasted parsnip soup, trompettes, perl las beignets

Fish Course:

Warm cured sewin, crab vinaigrette, laverbread puree, shellfish sauce

Main Course:

Roast breast of bronze turkey, slow roast leg, cranberry and bacon stuffing, traditional vegetables

Intermediate:

Blood orange mousse, mulled wine jelly, biscotti

Dessert:

Homemade Christmas pudding, rum Anglais

Coffee and Mince Pies

Not a menu for the faint hearted, but an exercise in fine-dining excellence unlikely to be matched in any home kitchen this Christmas day.

Christmas lunch at The Parc is £100 per adult.  For more details and to book call 02920785592.

The city centre is not the only part of town catering to the more discerning Christmas diner.  The fabulous restaurants of Cardiff Bay are embracing those who desire a hassle-free Christmas, and what better way to digest your wonderful meal than a walk round the waterfront.

This will be the third year Miller and Carter steak house and grill have opened their doors to Christmas guests.  They are offering three courses to be followed by coffee and truffles.

Their diverse menu includes some exciting additions.  For your main course you could try the Chestnut Roulade, which is sweet chestnut, rosemary and red onion roulade filled with goat’s cheese and redcurrants and served with cherry tomato sauce.  For dessert you could choose the White Chocolate Box, shortbread topped with white chocolate mousse and raspberry coulis with a white chocolate coating and served with white chocolate sauce and whipped cream.

“Christmas is great here,” says Richard Terry, Miller and Carter’s assistant manager.  “It’s a nice atmosphere, it’s busy.  The restaurant is full of families and we get a lot of our regulars too.

“Why should people eat out on Christmas day?  Because you don’t have to do the washing up.  Put your feet up and let someone else take care of you.”

Christmas at Miller and Carter is £60 per adult and £30 per child.  Visit millerandcarter.co.uk/millerandcartercardiff for more information or call 02920451315.

For something a little more contemporary, Strada is offering a family friendly three-course Italian meal and a complementary glass of Prosecco for a very reasonable £40 per guest.   The full menu can be viewed at strada.co.uk.  For information and to book call 02920482112.

So no excuse, leave the work to someone else.   Christmas feasts are about family and friends, but also fabulous food.  Escape the kitchen and enjoy the company – cook up a plan to eat out this Christmas.