The English Christmas @ Palms Kitchen, Fairfield By Marriott

No matter what country, culture or religion you belong to – Festivals are one thing that everyone fondly looks forward to for they aren’t just traditional celebrations running down from generations but the harbinger of special seasonal savouries which are prepared characteristic to that particular time or day of the year. Bringing people together like a charm, food works almost like magic and its these food traditions which often become the most important part of the celebrations, even though they might differ from culture to culture. The same is the story for Christmas whose frolic begins from the night before and goes on uninterrupted until the New Year’s day. And amidst all the festivities, its the traditional food be it a Roasted Turkey or a Chicken Pot Pie which everyone looks forward to on the table.

Celebrating the same fervour for food, the recent newcomer Palms Kitchen hailing from Fairfield By Marriott is bringing in their special Christmas Feast to Hyderabad which flaunts an exhaustive menu centered around the spirit of this special day, having countless dishes from different regions of the world. From the mild and light Coronation Chicken Salad to the hefty Whole Roasted Turkey, the extensive menu sports numerous culinary delights with the kitchen’s spin on it. Planned for a Christmas Eve Dinner as well as for a beautiful Christmas Day Lunch, I was fortunate to be a part of their menu trials for the same last week which turned out to be an incredible gastronomical voyage.

Starting the night with some salads, the kitchen presented an eclectic variety of the same for both vegetarians as well as non vegetarians. While the Sticky Sausage and Crushed Potato Salad was the pick by fellow meat lovers, the classic Waldorf Salad was keenly enjoyed by the vegetarian counterparts. My personal favourite however had to be their Grilled Salmon Salad which came in drenched in a flavourful lemon garlic dressing which complemented the natural flavours of this fatty fish fairly well.

Unlike other places which focus more on their appetizers and less on the mains, Palms Kitchen in contrast had a lesser number of dish count on the appetizer course just to not overload the diner with multiple choices and take the attention away from the star dishes for the night. With two variants available for each diet, the place presented their delicious Honey Glazed Chicken and crispy Prawn Cocktail for the non veg and Risotto Cheese Balls and Potato Corn Fritters for the veg. Honey Glazed Chicken was my pick from the lot which displayed a complexity in flavour, harmonizing the hot, spicy notes with that of the sweetness from honey. Even Prawn Cocktail was a good one to munch on having crispy battered & fried prawns but came a tad bit too oily.

The mains section for the menu by far was one of the best ones that I’ve seen in a buffet in recent times. From grilled meats to flavourful fish, wholesome root roasts to colourful amalgamations of winter veggies, you name it and the dish was there! And ofcourse the highlight of the meal which sat as a crown jewel on the table was this beautiful Whole Roasted Turkey enveloped in a rich aroma from the Rosemary and Thyme. Prepared with skill and simplicity, this juicy, succulent meat was perfumed by the herbs as well as the citrus zests, each of which blended together perfectly hitting just the right notes on the taste buds. My only suggestion to the kitchen would be to crisp up the skin a bit more which would add an element of texture, taking the dish to the next level.

Among other mains that I tried Grilled Fish in Lemon Butter Sauce and Ratatouille were the ones that caught my eye. Flaky Basa fillets treated with just the right amount of love and care, these were extraordinary when paired in a fatty, zingy sauce and trust me, if you are a seafood lover, you too wouldn’t be able to stop at just the first round. Ratatouille was undoubtedly the star of the night from the vegetarian section sporting a beautiful arrangement of veggies like Squash, Zucchini and Aubergine woven together and roasted in a chunky tomato gravy, laden with the sweet flavours of onion and garlic.

Though I personally avoid desserts, Christmas is one of those festivals where you can’t really hold back – especially when you have delightful options like Stolen Bread Slices, Macarons and ofcourse the traditional, Plum Cake. The place also had their version of the classic Bûche de Noël having a swiss roll made out of sponge cake and chocolate buttercream, making it look like an actual piece of wood that traditionally families carried to their houses and burnt on the Christmas Eve.

With a stunning menu created by the chefs, the team delivered a mesmerizing dining experience which went leaps and bounds from my initial expectations, which rightly gave a glimpse of what treasures this festival of joy holds gastronomically. Served as a buffet for on Christmas Eve as a dinner and lunch on the Christmas Day, this one isn’t something to miss out on at all so hurry and grab your share soon!

#British #Continental #English