Sassy’s Christmas Dining in Guide 2015

Ah, the holidays… while we’ve been counting down the days until Christmas since last December, we must admit that sometimes the season can get a bit hectic. It’s easy to get overwhelmed by RSVPs, last-minute shopping and trying to feed all your in-laws out of Hong Kong-sized kitchens. And if you don’t fancy getting all dressed up for one of these Christmas dining options (let’s face, we need to be in our Christmas jumpers and stretchy leggings when we tuck into a turkey meal!), then why not order in? Opting for catering will not only give you some peace of mind, but will also carve out more time for you to spend with friends and family in the comfort of your own home, which is what the holidays are all about anyway!

Here’s our pick of some of the most delectable take-away Christmas dinner options available this year along with where to find some other tasty treats. No more struggling to fit that turkey into your tiny Hong Kong oven… if you even have one!

Private Chef Standards with Invisible Kitchen

Chef Tom Burney never let’s us down with his skilfully prepared, scrumptious food! This Christmas, let Invisible Kitchen look after your Christmas meal with an epic feast that won’t disappoint (trust us, we’ve tried it!). Choose from a range of packages to suit different budgets; there’s the Standard Christmas Party Package ($270 per head for 25 – minimum order), the Classic Christmas Party Package ($550 per head for 25 -minimum order) or the Deluxe Christmas Party Package ($800 per head for 25 – minimum order). The Invisible Kitchen team will set up shop where you want and create a catered Christmas meal like no other. We devoured the carefully curated dishes, which included a Smoked Salmon Red Pepper Basil Pesto Pasta Salad to start and of course, a Traditional Roast Turkey with all the trimmings – we’re talking pork and cranberry stuffing, duck-fat roasted potatoes, roasted parsnips and carrots. Perfect for office parties!

If you want to keep it simple but still have all your food prepared for you on the big day, you can also opt for a Christmas Home Hamper for just $300 per head for eight people. It includes sliced roast turkey, triple cooked duck-fat roast potatoes, roasted parsnips and carrots, brussel sprouts with bacon and shallots, red wine gravy with cranberry sauce and the surprisingly addictive spiced braised red cabbage. All this will be delivered to your door, ready to heat up and enjoy. What could be easier?

www.invisiblekitchen.com

Bet on Butchers Club

This one is for all those carnivores out there! You’re probably already familiar with their juicy, up-scale burgers in Central and Wan Chai, but did you know that you can get those fine Australian cuts at the Butchers Club Shop in Aberdeen, Butchers Barrel in Mid-Levels and also by ordering online? This winter, The Butchers Club is offering four hefty holiday hampers starting at $1,500 which are perfect for enjoying at home. Weighing in at around 13kg, these hampers can definitely be stretched to cover at least a few holiday meals!

A fail proof option is the Traditional Christmas Hamper ($3,000), which comes with a 7kg turkey, 4kg smoked ham, 2kg pork roast, truffle mustard, apple sauce, and gravy. Alternatively, the Butchers Christmas Hamper ($1,500) is basically just a down-sized version of the latter, but with a slightly different flavour palette. And for all those Aussies abroad over the holidays, The Butchers Club has created a very special Aussie Christmas Hamper ($4,500) to help fend off some homesickness. This hamper includes a 2kg rib roast, 4kg smoked ham, 2kg pork rack roast, Australian king prawns, pork sausage, apple sauce and tarragon mustard to help you throw your own Aussie-styled Christmas celebration in Hong Kong.

Please visit store.thebutchers.club.com to order online or e-mail [email protected].

Go Gourmet or go home!

If you’re planning a big holiday party, Go Gourmet and sister-service Magnolia’s all-inclusive party packages are about to make your life a whole lot easier. For $375 a head, you and your guests can enjoy delicious food, unlimited drinks, equipment and staff. The event specialists can also help you find a suitable venue if you’re trying to take this party out of home. If you don’t need quite all that manpower, Go Gourmet is also offering drop-off packages starting as low as $180 a head.

In more important news: to spread the Christmas cheer, Go Gourmet and Magnolia have teamed up with Feeding Hong Kong to match a meal for every one of your guests that will be distributed to those in need this holiday season. This means that if you book a party with, say, 50 guests, you’re helping serve 50 people delicious meals! You can’t say no to that.

If you’re not throwing a big soiree, you can still cash in on a delicious Magnolia meal. They will be continuing their Thanksgiving menu until 31 December (honestly, Thanksgiving can and should be served all year long), which offers a variety of tasty turkey options, like the Magnolia Turkey which is injected with cajun spices, but also hams, pies and all your favourite sides.

Contact [email protected] to get your party started!

Oo La La Rotisserie

If you’re looking to take on some new traditions this year, test out La Rotisserie’s succulent, slow-roasted guinea fowl, a customary French festive dish. If you’ve never tried guinea fowl before, it’s similar to chicken but has more flavourful, earthy tones. It’s also a bit smaller than your average bird, so it’s better suited for intimate gatherings. If you’re still not quite convinced, just think about when French food has ever failed you? Never.

La Rotisserie’s Christmas Package ($1,380 for eight guests) includes two roasted guinea fowls served with homemade red berry sauce, French beans and trumpets and, wait for it… truffle parmesan mashed potatoes (probably the four greatest words in the English language put together). And, of course, no French meal is ever complete without ending on a sweet note. Indulge in a chocolate cake with candied orange peel because, after all, it is the holidays. Make sure you order fast because these birds are in limited supply!

To place an order, either e-mail [email protected] or order online at www.larotisserie.com.hk.

Kayobi Kitchen

If you fancy something a little different, be sure to try out Kayobi Kitchen. This year they’ll be offering Christmas Party Sets with a selection of international dishes prepared with that distinctive Japanese culinary discipline. The Party Sets cost $1,200 (6-8 guests) or $2,300 (12-14 guests).

For h’orderves and pre-dinner grazing, both sets come with three separate Thai-Vietnamese, BBQ and Spanish tapas platters. Highlights include Vietnamese sausages, pork back ribs and spicy blacken chicken strips that can take your tastebuds from Hong Kong, around the world, and back again. You can individualize your menu by choosing between equally mouthwatering options for salads, pastas, rice and desserts to accompany your main meat. When you order the set, Kayobi will hook you up with a discounted Christmas Turkey ($580).

All items offered in the Party Sets are also available a la carte, along with some additional dishes, including a savory prime rib roast and hot grilled zucchini and bell peppers.

To place an order, please call 852-3568-4245 or e-mail [email protected].

Mandarin Hamper Heaven

Apparently, you have not experienced Christmas in Hong Kong until you have experienced a Mandarin Oriental Christmas Hamper. These hampers are the Birkins of holiday hampers, and it is not hard to tell why. The Mandarin Cake Shop offers a variety of hampers ranging from $1,798 (The Hamper) to $19,998 (The Limited Edition Hamper). All hampers include the Mandarin’s famous XO sauce, rose petal jam and Christmas stollen, as well as a sampling of other festive snacks and gourmet treats to stir some Christmas spirit and help ring in the New Year.

I’m hoping to score at least The Hamper, which comes with panettone, chocolate covered almonds, Christmas pudding, cookies, and seasonal popcorn to satisfy my loyal sweet tooth. The other more elaborate hampers come with different cured meats, cheeses, teas and wines.

Orders can be made from now until 26 December in person (The Mandarin Cake Shop, 5 Connaught Road, Central), over the phone (852-2825-4008), or by e-mail ([email protected]). Deliveries can be made throughout Hong Kong Island, Kowloon and the New Territories. 

Holidays Meet Health at A.B.S.

And finally, just because it’s the holiday season does not mean you are allowed to totally blow your diet. Yet, between Thanksgiving and New Years I often find myself elbow-deep in the cookie jar with little remorse. I just cannot resist all my favourite Christmas sweets! Anything But Salads is offering a solution to satisfy those sneaky, holiday cravings — two special edition Christmas hampers brimming with healthier festive treats that you wont have to feel guilty about. The two hampers, “Gratitude” ($588) and “Abundance” ($1,438), are stuffed with tasty delicacies like vegan almond butter cake, Kombucha, ‘rawnola,’ flax crackers and organic herbal chocolates.

These are VERY limited edition, so make sure you snatch one up as soon as you can! Reserve yours today by contacting [email protected]. Hampers can be picked up at Anything But Salads, Shop B, G/F, 14 Tai Ping Shan Street in Sheung Wan or delivered to your door step for $55.

Blue Butcher’s Free-Range Festive Turkey

If you want the tastiest turkey this year, you can’t go wrong with Blue Butcher’s Hunter Valley free-range turkeys. Known for delectable meats, Blue Butcher will be serving up a succulent turkey feast with the most premium taste and texture. The best thing is that you can actually have this delicious turkey delivered to your home. Simply order a whole or half turkey ($1,880 for 6-8 people or $980 for 3-4 people) 48 hours in advance and with the help of Deliveroo, it will be sent over to where you choose. No oven? No problem!

Contact Blue Butcher at [email protected] or call 2613 9286. You can also order through Deliveroo at www.deliveroo.hk.

Lovin’ The Langham

We love the pure elegance of The Langham Hong Kong, and this year they are keeping it classy with a classic turkey takeaway from their Main St. Deli. With a signature Main St. twist, these turkey-to-go combos include an all-American array of festive foods including roasted pumpkin soup with toasted pistachios, cornbread stuffing, brussel sprouts, almond-glazed beans, potatoes, cranberry-orange sauce and a pie or Christmas pudding for desserts. Phew! All this will come with either a 6kg or 9-10kg Tom U.S turkey for $1,938 or $3,088 for 6-10 people or 16-20 people respectively. And that’s not all, because if you want to add any delish extras goodies, you can opt for extra soup, stuffing, sauce, gravy or potatoes to suit your preferences. This is definitely a place to come if you’re looking for an extravagant, delicious Christmas meal that will fill up the whole family!

Fill out an order form here. See more info on The Langham’s Dining options here. 

Have A Happy Turkey Time!