From the minute you walk through the holly and Christmas light strewn arches in The Midland hotel, you feel a grand sense you are in a special place.
The Hotel was designed by Charles Trubshaw and opened in 1903 and harks back to a different period of life in England.
That grandeur remains, amplified at the moment by stunning Christmas decorations and twinkling lights throughout the hotel.
There is a strong nod to the past in the decor, but that is coupled with beautiful 21st century sophistication.
And they have just launched their Christmas Menu, for the ultimate Yuletide indulgence which is available until December 30.
If you want a great Christmas meal in grand settings, The Mount Street Dining Room and Bar could be the place for you.
The settings are absolutely beautiful, high ceilings and muted light creating a light, sociable atmosphere.
The bar is a beautiful, towering beacon of light decked out with just about any drink you could desire.
We went down to try a mixture of the A la carte menu and the seasonal treats too.
For some nibbles we tried the delicious cheddar and marmite cheese straws with a delicious beer cheese dip, an understated but delicious opener that was recommended by a friendly waitress.
For starters, I had the roasted scallops with celeriac, compressed apple and confit chicken wing (£16) which were beautiful, the celeriac flavour complementing the buttery texture of the scallops. The confit chicken wing was also a nice and unique touch.
My partner had the Slow cooked pigs cheek, with watercress puree, Nasturtium leaf and pink grapefruit (£9) which was cooked to absolute perfection, with falling apart tenderness and rich flavour sharply contrasted with the pink grapefruit. A real experience.
Next up for the mains was the Rolled breast of turkey wrapped in parma ham, with sage and onion stuffing, thyme and garlic roasted potatoes, roasted parsnips and carrots, chipolata, sage butter brussels sprouts.
A fantastic Christmas meal, beautifully presented with all the classic trimmings you’d expect.
I had the roast cannon of Yorkshire lamb with baragoule artichoke, spelt grain, lentils and broad beans, accompanied by mushroom ketchup (£29).
Cooked pink, the lamb was very tender and enjoyable. The mushroom ketchup added a deep texture of flavour, accompanied with lentils it concluded a hearty dish perfect for winter.
For puddings, we opted to share a cheeseboard with a great selection of artisan cheeses, grapes, celery and pickle (£12). A nice way to round off a beautiful selection of food that is guaranteed to leave you with your trouser waistline fit to burst.
For the Christmas menu, The Midland are offering both lunch sittings (2 course £29, 3 course £36) and dinner sittings (2 course £32, 3 courses £39).
To start with, you can choose from:
Slow Cooked Ham Hock Terrine with Tonka Bean Mayonnaise and savoury granola
Midland smoked Salmon with pickled cucumber, dill emulsion and salmon caviar
Caramelized onion tart with rosemary and lemon vinaigrette, feta and celery cress.
Mains include:
Rolled breast of turkey wrapped in parma ham, with sage and onion stuffing, thyme and garlic roasted potatoes, roasted parsnips and carrots, chipolata, sage butter brussels sprouts (what is a Christmas dinner without sprouts, after all)
Roasted fillet of cod, with spelt barley risotto, trumpet mushroom and roasted cauliflower
Butternut, spinach and goats cheese wellington with butternut puree, fondant potato and sautéed and wild mushrooms.
If you’re feeling exuberant and want to go al the way to three courses, you can pick from: Mulled wine and poached pear opera cake with vanilla Chantilly cream, Christmas pud with brandy sauce and redcurrants or a a selection of cheese and biscuits with celery, chutney and grapes.
This December also sees the return of the Tea Room’s Festive Afternoon Tea.
Guests can enjoy a glass of mulled wine on arrival, before sitting down to a delicious selection of sandwiches, bursting with seasonal flavours, before being enticed by an assortment of home-made cakes such as white chocolate mousse, cranberry and orange compote and a mulled spice rum snowball.
Served from 12pm to 4.30pm, Festive Afternoon Tea includes a glass of Champagne and is available until 2nd January, at £44 per person.
For those who really want to get the party started, The Midland Champagne Lounge has got it covered, with a selection of seasonal cocktails.
You can choose from a Merry Martini (Vanilla Vodka, Baileys, Amaretto and Milk), a Gingerbread Mojito (Bacardi, Gingerbread Syrup, lime wages and mint leaves) or a Christmastini (Mozart Dark Chocolate Liquor, Cointreau and Orange Juice), all at £9 per cocktail.
There’s also an option for children, with a Grinch Punch (Pineapple juice and green colouring) featuring on the menu for £4.50.
If you want to celebrate and put your feet up in style, The Midland’s Christmas package includes a two-night stay, starting on Christmas Eve, with Festive Afternoon Tea, Christmas Day festive lunch and an extended breakfast on Boxing Day all included.
Prices start from £490 for two people.
To find out more about The Midland’s Christmas offers, please click here.