Christmas is coming and the goose is getting fat…
If you fancy a fantastic festive dinner with all the trimmings you’ll find it aboard the very merry ship Hispaniola London.
Moored nearby Embankment and recently refurbished and under a new General Manager, James Bueno, and new Head Chef Paulo Sousa, it is the place to, ahem, flock this Christmas tide.
Nothing says Christmas more than pantomime villagers skating across a frozen lake headed for the Goose Fair. A brisk walk out on the deck with a chilled glass of Laurent Perrier champagne was as icy as it got for us. From the warmth of the mint green and gold Upper Desk restaurant we drank in the views of London Eye and the Marriott County Hall across the shimmering Thames. This is where we gathered to celebrate the golden goose. Quite why goose has gone out of fashion is not clear – 360,00o people flocked to this year’s Nottingham Goose Festival, but more for the waltzers and dodgems than for our feathered friend.
The Golden Goose carved by Head Chef Paulo Sousa of the Hispaniola
Starters came as a fancy prawn cocktail crammed full of crayfish and langoustine – so fresh they jumped out the bowl and into my lap. But this show has the humble goose with star billing appearing alongside roasties, sugared carrots, sprouts with pancetta, Calvados glazed apples and a delicious date and red wine sauce. As with any star’s entrance there was an awful lot of ooh-ing and ah-ing and a full five minutes of instagraming before we tucked into the juicy dark meats. Rich, gamey and intense in flavour – not at all fatty like we’re led to believe.
And as if that wasn’t enough, on to dessert of Christmas pudding with brandy and orange butter.
We were serenaded by Norman on the piano who played us all the way from Sinatra to Bruno Mars via a few carols. Of course, we all cheered on the sixth day of Christmas.
Upper Deck Dining Room
By the end of this sumptuous feast we were in no state to be dancing or a-leeping.
In fact, it was us being fattened up for Christmas.
Shared between four people. £75 per person. Requires 48 hours notice.
For reservations please call 020 7839 3011.
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