COOL AND CONTEMPORARY
Rhode Island
Give thanks for delicious food at Cherry Hinton diner Rhode Island, where mobile dining outfit Provenance Kitchen will be hosting a special Thanksgiving supper this month. They will be serving a ‘Farm to Table’ Thanksgiving feasting menu with all the dishes sourced from local suppliers, using the best British produce for a delicious, traditional American feast. The Thanksgiving Supper Club is on 26 November, from 7pm, and tickets are £25 each. www.rhodeislanduk.com
CAU
We love buzzy and stylish CAU, always a sure-fire hit for its great steaks and sides. They’re adding a little festive flavour to their Buenos Aires-inspired dishes with an inventive Christmas menu this year: for starters, pick up pulled pork and morcilla fritters, coated in a crispy almond crumb and served with an apple and quince jam, or perhaps you fancy a blue cheese and sprout leaf salad, accompanied by cranberries, roasted chestnuts and chopped egg? For the main event, tuck into wild mushroom and black truffle tortellini with sage butter, and finish your meal with delectable desserts such as the CAU Christmas pudding sundae or the mince pie empanadas (which come with an eggnog tipple: result!). The Christmas menu costs £24 for two courses and £29 for three courses. www.caurestaurants.com
Novi
If you’ve read our review on page 73, chances are your interest has been already been piqued by the establishment formerly known as The Fountain. Sleek, stylish and thoroughly modern, this is one for non-traditionalist foodies. On the carefully thought-out Christmas menu, you’ll find interesting dishes, packed with quality ingredients. Starters include duck liver parfait served with shallot marmalade and ginger bread, whilst on the mains list you’ll find roast turkey with roasties, apricot stuffing and tarragon gravy. Finish your meal with deliciousness like the mulled wine chocolate torte, and a couple of Novi’s cocktails of course! The Christmas menu costs £28 per person for three courses. www.novicambridge.co.uk
La Cucina
Looking for something different for Christmas dinner? Those in search of lighter, more continental cuisine in St Ives should head for family-run Italian restaurant La Cucina, on Station Road. In this homely but modern setting, you’ll find starters such as beef carpaccio, scallops or torta di funghi; slow-cooked veal shin with risotto, roasted vegetable gnocchi or salmon in white wine and honey sauce for the main; finishing with a choice of desserts such as tiramisu or panettone pudding. The Christmas menu starts at £29.95 for three courses. www.lacucinastives.co.uk
WINTER WARMERS
The Kingston Arms
Tucked away just off Mill Road, the Kingston Arms is a long-standing Cambridge favourite, loved for its great selection of real ales and its quality pub grub. Its tiny size, fairy lights and crackling fires make it super cosy in the winter months, and there’s a selection of board games if you’re pitching up for a long stay. The food is great value (especially the Recession Menu), and consists of pub classics like burgers, steaks and sausage and mash. They do a mean Sunday roast too, and their chips, as previously documented in Edition, are a thing of wonder. Just be sure to book a table if you’re planning on eating – it gets seriously busy. www.kingston-arms.co.uk
The Red Cow
Lovely rural hideaway The Red Cow, Chrishall, has everything you might want from a winter meal out: open fires, twinkly lights adorning ancient beams and delicious food. Their Christmas menu is £24.50 for three courses or £20 for two. How about ham hock terrine or smoked haddock goujons to start? Then roast turkey, pork belly, venison and vegetable casserole or chargrilled vegetable and goats’ cheese gratin. Finish with Christmas pud or chocolate orange bread and butter pudding. www.theredcow.com
The Chequers
This 16th-century pub recently reopened after being taken on by the team behind The Three Tuns in Ashwell, which is known for its quality food and setting. The Chequers, in Fowlmere, is dog and family friendly, and serves a traditional pub menu, with a contemporary twist, including a full roast on Sundays. www.thechequersfowlmere.co.uk
The Plough
Located in pretty Great Chesterford (seven miles south of Cambridge), The Plough is bursting with charm: a lovely, traditional pub which serves up a great range of modern pub favourites all year round. It’s run by owners David and Juliana, who make sure to look after all their guests. Their Christmas party menu is priced at £25 per head, and features soup of the day or smoked mackerel pate to start, a choice of roast Norfolk turkey, roast beef or pie of the day for the main event, then either traditional Christmas pudding, chocolate salted caramel torte (we’d go for that!) or baked custard tart. This can be adjusted to suit dietary requirements. For Christmas Day itself, you’ll be served a sumptuous five-course lunch priced at £47 per head (three-course children’s menu £25), which you can enjoy at leisure in this friendly, rustic pub. The pub, which is Cask Marque accredited, also boasts a lovely wine menu and real ales on tap. www.ploughgc.co.uk
The Red Lion
Located in Hinxton, the Red Lion is a smart pub-restaurant bursting with country charm. The interior of the rustic building is all cosy chesterfields, exposed beams and roaring log fires. On the Christmas menu you’ll find traditional festive fare like roast turkey with stuffing and pigs in blankets, and home-made Christmas pud with brandy sauce. For veggies, there’s pumpkin and pear soup with roasted pomegranate seeds and home-made bread and quinoa and stir-fried winter vegetables with truffle oil and parmesan crisp. Desserts include baked chocolate cheesecake, sticky toffee pudding and passion fruit posset. It’s £23.50 for two courses and £27.50 for three. www.redlionhinxton.co.uk
Carpenter’s Arms
Rejuvenated Cambridge pub The Carpenters Arms, on Victoria Road, is a wonderful place to enjoy a relaxed winter afternoon. Sink into one of its leather chesterfields, real ale in hand, and peruse the warming winter menu. This Christmas, the kitchen is offering three courses for £25 or two for £19, including root vegetable soup, duck salad or treacle-cured salmon to start; traditional roast turkey, fish stew, shoulder of lamb or nut roast with all the trimmings; followed by Christmas pud with brandy butter, sticky toffee pudding, chocolate mousse, lemon posset or a selection of cheeses. carpentersarmscambridge.co.uk
King William IV
A quirky, atmospheric dining destination, the King William IV in Heydon is an imposing 16th-century village pub with a sumptuous menu. For Christmas 2015, they’re serving up a three-course feast for £26.95 per head including starters such as cream of celeriac soup, ham hock or whole baked Camembert; roast turkey, a game and chicken wellington or vegetable arrosto with truffle polenta for main course; and finish with Christmas pud with brandy sauce, fig, plum and pistachio tart, black cherry cheesecake or crème brûlée with orange and cranberry compote. Mmmm… www.king-william-iv.co.uk
The Willow Tree
It’s really easy to fall in love with Bourn’s gorgeous gastro pub. Listed in the Michelin Guide, its menu ranges from elegant takes on pub grub to more refined, ambitious offerings, and the pub hosts special events throughout the year, such as this month’s Night Circus Feast (29 November). The festive dining menu looks typically lovely, featuring dishes including venison haunch with pomme dauphine, Brussel leaves, turnips and port jus, and decadent desserts like a dark chocolate pot with whiskey cream. There are some delicious sounding vegetarian options too – we love the look of the pistachio and blue cheese nut roast with rosemary and garlic roasties. It’s £30 for three courses, £25 for two. On Christmas Day, the Willow Tree will be serving up a spectacular five-course menu with cocktails at £85 per head. www.thewillowtreebourn.com
FINE DINING
The Three Horseshoes
Situated in the peaceful village of Madingley, The Three Horseshoes has a reputation for serving up some of the best food in the county (or if you believe The Independent’s review, it’s “easily one of the best restaurants in England today”). The setting is lovely: a thatched country pub with a light and airy dining room in the conservatory, and once again it’ll be offering a brilliant Christmas party menu this year. Dishes include slow-cooked beef cheek with red wine, star anise, ginger, parsnip puree and cavolo nero, and decadent desserts like roast Comice pear with hot chocolate sauce, crumble and clotted cream. It’s £32 for three courses plus tea, coffee and mince pies. www.threehorseshoesmadingley.co.uk
Hotel du Vin
Surely one of the city’s most glamorous hotels, this Trumpington Street favourite oozes old school luxury. With its cosy nooks, crackling fires and city centre location, it’s a fabulous place to escape the chill and enjoy a French-style feast this winter. The bistro’s menu combines Gallic and British influences, serving hearty dishes that are packed with seasonal produce. The Christmas party menu includes fig and stilton galette, slow-cooked beef bourguignon, roast turkey ballotine with all the trimmings and desserts like mulled wine poached pear with gingerbread ice cream. The menu, which includes three courses plus tea, coffee and mince pies, is £26.95 for lunch or £32.95 for dinner. You can enjoy it in the bistro or, if you’re after a more intimate affair, in the private dining room. www.hotelduvin.com
Squires at Bedford Lodge
If you fancy hopping over the Suffolk border to Newmarket, Squires at the Bedford Lodge Hotel is a little gem that’s well worth the trip. It boasts a modern, arty interior and fabulously innovative menu all year round, and there’s a host of seasonal treats to get stuck into this winter. The Christmas Fayre menu, available every day in December, features dishes like peppered pork tenderloin with pear gel, serrano crisp, confit potatoes and parsnip toffee, or fresh crab and spring onion risotto with sweetcorn, red chilli and avocado. It’s worth pointing out that Squires is a really good option for veggies too – with multiple, interesting vegetarian dishes on the menu like the winter root vegetable, mascarpone and nut strudel or chickpea, tofu and roasted butternut squash with ciabatta croutons (a far cry from your bog-standard cauliflower cheese or nut roast). The hotel offers party night packages which include a three-course dinner and disco, and there’s also a ritzy black tie New Year’s Eve gala dinner and ball. www.bedfordlodgehotel.co.uk
SOMETHING DIFFERENT…
Zara Indian Cuisine
Try spicing things up this winter with a trip to one of team Edition’s favourite curry houses – Zara Indian Cuisine. Located in Great Shelford, this top-notch restaurant is housed within a converted railway building and serves up a huge range of beautifully put together, creative Indian dishes. Going way beyond your bog-standard offerings, Zara offers regional recipes and speciality dishes aplenty, all freshly made using the finest ingredients. www.zarashelford.com
La Raza
For cocktails, tasty food and music – you can’t go far wrong with La Raza. Rose Crescent’s subterranean restaurant and club is an especially good option if you’ve got a larger group (an office Christmas party, say), or if you’re after a good all-in-one night-out destination, since you’ll be set from pre-dinner drinks through dinner to dancing at this city centre venue. For Christmas, they’re offering tapas-style festive sharing dishes, suitable for groups of four to 50 diners, with prices starting from £16.95. Choices include Spanish-style roast turkey (rubbed with paprika, cumin, cinnamon and cayenne), baked crispy serrano ham and blue cheese salad, and sweets including chocolate torte with raspberry coulis and cream. The bar staff will be on hand to knock up expertly mixed cocktails, and the dance floor ought to burst into action at around 11pm… www.laraza.co.uk
Cambridge Cookery School
Check out Cambridge Cookery School’s shiny new premises and enjoy a hands-on festive foodie experience this winter. On 22 November, discover how to make Scandinavian breads, from Swedish Advent bread to a magnificent saffron Christmas cake, before sitting down with your classmates to enjoy a traditional Swedish festive lunch of Jansson’s Temptation and Gubbröra (takes place 10.30am-2.30pm, £125 per person). Then, on 12 and 13 December, join in with one of the school’s most popular annual classes, a session for parents and kids to make panettone and mince pies. Learn all the techniques and tricks you need to whip up these festive sweet treats at home, enjoy sparkling wine or soft drinks while you bake, and take home goodies you’ve made during the session (10am-12.30pm and 1.30pm-4pm both days, £75 per pair). www.cambridgecookeryschool.com
