When it comes to the holiday season, you may find yourself spending more time than you would like to in your kitchen, prepping ingredients and setting timers for the glazed ham and pudding.
And while your guests will certainly appreciate the time and effort you put into preparing a home-made dinner extravaganza, sometimes it’s nice to take a short cut and head to a restaurant open on Christmas Day. Here are some of the restaurants that will be serving those special meals.
Cathedral Cellar – Cape Winelands
The Cathedral Cellar is one of the most exquisite venues in the Winelands. Allowing an intimate party of up to 120 guests, this venue dates back to the 1930s when it was converted into KWV’s main cellar. Chef Mynhardt Jourbert’s events at the cellar are characterised by their fine balance between the bold and the understated. Think bright colours counterpoised with foliage, chandeliers, French linen tablecloths and cream porcelain plated with heritage-inspired cuisine. This year Jourbert will once again host his exceptional festive Christmas lunch in this magnificent venue. Join guests at a long table in the cellar and celebrate in true Boland country style. The menu will be served family style at the table and wines can be pre-ordered, booked and paid for from the KWV Wine Emporium, and will be ready for you on arrival. The menu includes fresh green Free State asparagus, vanilla and rose-syrup beetroot salad, classic potato salad, huge festive roast Cornish hen, pickled beef tongue, rolled deboned leg of lamb, and Christmas ice cream cassata. All this costs R950 a person.
For bookings, you call 084 916 4506 or [email protected]
Haiku – Cape Town
Haiku is back with a delicious bang after Covid-19 in the form of drool-worthy “festive” season menus. Established 17 years ago and still serving up small plates that are as delectable as the day they launched in 2005 – back when Capetonians were delighted to discover then still relatively unknown eats such as pot stickers – Haiku Asian Tapas restaurant remains a trendsetter when it comes to dim sum and then some. As for what to expect from the menus, set menu A starts with dim sum: prawn har gau, spinach har gau, lamb pot stickers and prawn toast. This is followed by sizzling beef, chicken hot pot, cheng yuan fish, Cantonese veg, and egg fried rice for the mains. Cheesecake and Asian ice cream round off the meal. Set menu B is more extensive. First to be served are tuna tacos, salmon tartare, crispy prawn cheng fan, lamb shui jiao, spinach har gau, mushroom pot stickers, and Peking duck. For the main course, there are Singapore chilli prawns, salt and pepper calamari, sizzling beef, chicken hot pot, Cantonese veg, veg Hakka noodles, and egg fried rice. Chocolate spring rolls, cheesecake and Asian ice cream make up the desserts.
The menus are priced at R425 or R695 a person, excluding drinks.
If you are in and around Durban, you can spend Christmas lunch in style while The Chef’s Table chefs prepare a feast for you. With a mouth-watering menu and an enviable drinks list, there’s no reason to look elsewhere. The restaurant will be hosting a sophisticated Christmas lunch that includes a complimentary glass of bubbly on arrival followed by a four-course menu for R 1395 a person and R650 for kids under 12 years of age.
Since opening in 2016, The Chef’s Table has earned its place as one of the more sophisticated dining experiences in Durban, while remaining contemporary and approachable. Beautifully designed, with luxurious detail, the restaurant offers gracious hospitality, located in the heart of the uMhlanga village. They present a modern, seasonal menu inspired by the best fresh, seasonal ingredients KwaZulu-Natal has to offer. The open-plan kitchen is at the heart of the restaurant, allowing diners to watch the chefs at work and feel the connection to the food and the beautifully plated dishes being prepared.
For bookings, you can email [email protected].
Roar Bistro & Bar – Johannesburg
And if you are in and around Johannesburg you can celebrate Christmas at Roar Bistro & Bar with a delectable five-course meal. The Christmas Day Lunch costs R750 a person. Cost includes a welcome drink on arrival as well as merry live entertainment. As for the menu, you can expect a delicious selection of options. Think roast picanha with chimichurri and stuffed pork loin on bone-dry apricot, sage and bacon served with curried carrot purée and oyster mushroom tempura with Bbordelaise jus; tortellini filled with oxtail ragout and Parmesan emulsion; and ricotta chocolate chip mousse tart with confit Mandarin.
For bookings, you can call 011 245 4846 or email [email protected].