Yahoo News Gorgeous town 18 minutes from Surrey with castle in high street and restaurant with giant snowmen
The countdown to Christmas is officially on and many people have been heading to the high street to start shopping for their loved ones. One town that is looking particularly festive is Windsor.
Located just 18-minutes drive from Bagshot in west Surrey, the royal neighbourhood is dazzling with lights, boasts a fabulous 20ft Christmas tree and features lots of lovely restaurants offering festive menus. There's also an ice rink, horse-drawn carriage rides through a wintry Windsor Great Park and an illuminated lights walk just up the road.
If you're looking for somewhere a bit different to do your Christmas shopping and fancy a joyous day out, Windsor has it all, and a lunch pit stop is a must. The Ivy Royal Windsor Brasserie has been transformed into an alpine winter wonderland and has launched its festive menus for both residents and tourists to enjoy.
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Located along the buzzing high street, not only does the stylish eatery have a wonderful backdrop of Windsor Castle to gaze at, diners will also spot two huge snowmen at its entrance. Inside, customers can expect festive blooms, winter scenes, live music, and the odd appearance from Father Christmas across the season.
Complete with crackers, the festive set menu is available from 11.30am daily with a choice of two or three courses. There are five starters on offer including a creamy, twice-baked stilton and walnut cheese soufflé and a roast pumpkin and butternut squash soup with chestnut ricotta, pine nuts and sage.
No main course would be complete without turkey, and at The Ivy the traditional dinner has been given a stylish twist and is served as a succulent ballotine with apricot and pork stuffing, crispy bacon, a pig in blanket, sprout and parsley mash, cranberry chutney, and a rich truffle sauce. Vegetarian options include an indulgent and earthy foraged wild mushroom and truffle linguine with a plant-based cream cheese sauce, topped with pine nuts, handpicked rocket, truffle and gold flakes.
On the side, guests ready to get truly festive can select a serving of Brussel Sprouts, laden with chestnuts and juicy cranberries. The desserts are absolutely brilliant and there are a few showstoppers in the mix including this year’s winter mascot, The Ivy Snowman.
Served theatrically under a cloche with smoke, it consists of vanilla parfait with chocolate brownie, served with milk foam, pandan sponge cake, and topped with honeycomb and popping candy. Alternatively, guests can take the traditional route with a classic flambéed Christmas pudding, served with almonds, redcurrants and a smooth vanilla cream.
For something a bit lighter, but by no means less impressive, the classic frozen berries dish arrives magically on dry ice and is accompanied by a jug of hot silky smooth melted white chocolate. If you can fit anything else in after that feast, there is the option to add almond mince pies to your experience.
Served with an indulgent brandy cream, candied orange and pine sugar, this will no doubt get guests truly into the festive spirit. Laura Mills, managing director at The Ivy Collection said: “This season, we wanted to ensure we are providing the perfect festive setting for our guests to make lasting memories with loved ones.
"We have carefully created menus to elevate the entire festive season, with seasonal specials featured on our all-day dining menu, Boxing Day Brunch, and festive breakfast, as it’s never too early in the day to start celebrating. Christmas time can be very busy, especially for those who will be in charge of prepping and cooking the main meal on the big day itself.
"This is why we want to invite our guests to celebrate with us and let us do the hard work on the days surrounding. We will be serving up magically festive meals with style and fantastic flavour, topped off with our unforgettable Ivy service. We can't wait to welcome you.”
How to book a table at The Ivy Royal Windsor Brasserie:
Address: High Street, Windsor, SL4 1PQ.
Parking: Town centre car parks within walking distance.
Price: Festive set menu two courses from £55 or three courses from £60.
Opening times: Monday to Thursday: 8:30am-12:30am, Friday 8:30am-1am, Saturday 9m-1am and Sunday and Bank Holidays: 9am-12am.
Book: Call 01753983555 or visit ivycollection.com.
Facilities: Wifi, baby changing and disabled access.
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