As South Africans face another Christmas under a pandemic, many families have decided to forgo the tradition of spending hours slaving away behind a hot stove preparing a huge feast.
Those who have opted to be wined and dined at their favourite restaurants this festive season have the added benefit of not lifting a finger to do the dishes.
The staff at various restaurants in Gqeberha — some who were fully booked for their Christmas lunches more than three weeks ago — on Wednesday said they were happily bracing themselves to welcome all of the Christmas revellers.
Chefs will be cooking up a storm preparing all the traditional favourites like roast chicken, lamb, turkey, duck, honey glazed gammon, and prawns.
Sun International’s Boardwalk Hotel and Casino food and beverage manager Patrick Carty said they had been fully booked three weeks ago.
Carty said Kipling’s Brasserie, The Bayside Pantry, and the Boardwalk International Convention Centre (ICC) would all be incorporating the same menu at R400 per person.
Available from the Carvery are traditional roast turkey with nut stuffing and cranberry jelly, rolled leg of Karoo lamb with fresh rosemary and garlic, and roast sirloin of beef.
The hot buffet selection will serve a selection of curries, seafood, fish, slow-braised oxtail, and a variety of vegetables.
Traditional mince pies, trifle, and steamed Christmas pudding are among the options available on the dessert menu.
“We are looking forward to welcoming everyone on Christmas Day and serving them the delicious crowd-pleasing traditional dishes that the chefs will prepare.
“There will be live entertainment at the ICC and at Kipling’s Brasserie.
“We are very, very grateful that we are fully booked,” Carty said.
Less than an hour’s drive from Gqeberha, the Cattle Baron Grill & Bistro at the Addo Elephant National Park will be serving a three-course menu for R229 per adult and R120 per child.
Restaurant manager Raymond Mdluli said he could not think of a better combination than enjoying the scrumptious food and then going for a game drive or self-drive through the park to catch a glimpse of the Big Five.
He said the menu would be a mix of SA traditional and western favourites.
Starters are a choice of crumbed mushrooms, fresh Greek salad, or deep-fried calamari, while the main course buffet would offer tender roast chicken, roast lamb with baby onions, beef curry, fried hake pieces, BBQ pork ribs, gammon roasted with pineapple and cherry glaze, pumpkin, creamed spinach, mixed vegetables, roast potatoes, and seasoned rice.
The restaurant is serving malva pudding and custard for dessert.
“We have been serving our Christmas lunches since the restaurant opened its doors in 2014 and we are beyond blessed to be fully booked,” Mdluli said.
“Those who booked will be served during two sittings by our friendly staff members.”
Seared tuna and marinated prawn ceviche, turkey roulade and confit duck leg, individual beef wellington, peppered ostrich carpaccio, candy cane crème brûlée, and Santa’s Amarula sticky toffee pudding are some of the treats patrons will miss out on if they have not booked a table at Ginger The Restaurant.
Mande Bande, group PR, and international sales manager for the Port Elizabeth Hotel Group, said guests would get a three-course culinary experience along with festive table settings and crackers.
“Our menu has hints of tradition, but with a signature Ginger spin.
“We are already fully booked for our Christmas Day lunch and dinner.”
Ginger will have three sittings on Christmas Day and one during the evening.
Those who booked their tables paid R510 for adults and R270 for children 12 years and younger (babies free of charge).
At the Beach Hotel, it is a good old-fashioned buffet type spread with traditional dishes and fresh ideas to cater to everyone.
Here guests who do not want to dine on Christmas Day can do so on Christmas Eve.
The cost varies from R365 per person for the Christmas Eve and Christmas night dinners to R395 per person for the lunch on Christmas Day. Children 12 and under pay half price.
They too are fully booked and ready to receive their guests.
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As South Africans face another Christmas under a pandemic, many families have decided to forgo the tradition of spending hours slaving away behind a hot stove preparing a huge feast.
Those who have opted to be wined and dined at their favourite restaurants this festive season have the added benefit of not lifting a finger to do the dishes.
The staff at various restaurants in Gqeberha — some who were fully booked for their Christmas lunches more than three weeks ago — on Wednesday said they were happily bracing themselves to welcome all of the Christmas revellers.
Chefs will be cooking up a storm preparing all the traditional favourites like roast chicken, lamb, turkey, duck, honey glazed gammon, and prawns.
Sun International’s Boardwalk Hotel and Casino food and beverage manager Patrick Carty said they had been fully booked three weeks ago.
Carty said Kipling’s Brasserie, The Bayside Pantry, and the Boardwalk International Convention Centre (ICC) would all be incorporating the same menu at R400 per person.
Available from the Carvery are traditional roast turkey with nut stuffing and cranberry jelly, rolled leg of Karoo lamb with fresh rosemary and garlic, and roast sirloin of beef.
The hot buffet selection will serve a selection of curries, seafood, fish, slow-braised oxtail, and a variety of vegetables.
Traditional mince pies, trifle, and steamed Christmas pudding are among the options available on the dessert menu.
“We are looking forward to welcoming everyone on Christmas Day and serving them the delicious crowd-pleasing traditional dishes that the chefs will prepare.
“There will be live entertainment at the ICC and at Kipling’s Brasserie.
“We are very, very grateful that we are fully booked,” Carty said.
Less than an hour’s drive from Gqeberha, the Cattle Baron Grill & Bistro at the Addo Elephant National Park will be serving a three-course menu for R229 per adult and R120 per child.
Restaurant manager Raymond Mdluli said he could not think of a better combination than enjoying the scrumptious food and then going for a game drive or self-drive through the park to catch a glimpse of the Big Five.
He said the menu would be a mix of SA traditional and western favourites.
Starters are a choice of crumbed mushrooms, fresh Greek salad, or deep-fried calamari, while the main course buffet would offer tender roast chicken, roast lamb with baby onions, beef curry, fried hake pieces, BBQ pork ribs, gammon roasted with pineapple and cherry glaze, pumpkin, creamed spinach, mixed vegetables, roast potatoes, and seasoned rice.
The restaurant is serving malva pudding and custard for dessert.
“We have been serving our Christmas lunches since the restaurant opened its doors in 2014 and we are beyond blessed to be fully booked,” Mdluli said.
“Those who booked will be served during two sittings by our friendly staff members.”
Seared tuna and marinated prawn ceviche, turkey roulade and confit duck leg, individual beef wellington, peppered ostrich carpaccio, candy cane crème brûlée, and Santa’s Amarula sticky toffee pudding are some of the treats patrons will miss out on if they have not booked a table at Ginger The Restaurant.
Mande Bande, group PR, and international sales manager for the Port Elizabeth Hotel Group, said guests would get a three-course culinary experience along with festive table settings and crackers.
“Our menu has hints of tradition, but with a signature Ginger spin.
“We are already fully booked for our Christmas Day lunch and dinner.”
Ginger will have three sittings on Christmas Day and one during the evening.
Those who booked their tables paid R510 for adults and R270 for children 12 years and younger (babies free of charge).
At the Beach Hotel, it is a good old-fashioned buffet type spread with traditional dishes and fresh ideas to cater to everyone.
Here guests who do not want to dine on Christmas Day can do so on Christmas Eve.
The cost varies from R365 per person for the Christmas Eve and Christmas night dinners to R395 per person for the lunch on Christmas Day. Children 12 and under pay half price.
They too are fully booked and ready to receive their guests.
HeraldLIVE
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