Now it's the first of December it's full steam on the pedal for the Christmas preparations - sourcing the turkey, shopping for presents and hoisting up the tree. Bristol is glistening with lights and Clifton's twinkling Christmas tree towers over The Ivy Clifton brasserie, another mark that the festive season has arrived.
I was here to try the brasserie's illustrious Christmas menu, promising an elegant three-course menu to immerse myself in the festive spirit. The Ivy has almost a 100-year history, but was only reimagined into what it is today in the 1990s offering exclusive, fine dining at its site in London, and has since expanded to more than 30 sites across the UK.
Inside and the Art-Deco-esque brasserie oozes its usual opulence but with festive touches from an ornate tree, sparkling lights and flashes of gold and red across the restaurant. Each room was heaving with work dos, family gatherings and couples for an early week celebration, proving it a popular choice in the festive season.
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The Christmas menu is a slimmed-down version of their extensive a la carte, costing £55 per person for three courses consisting of five options for each. Our starters were fantastic, sharing a light and fluffy blue cheese and walnut souffle alongside a potato rosti with a creamy mushroom and truffle sauce that was incredibly smooth.
The restaurant's festive twist on a shepherd's pie made a return this year, swapping in lamb for a mixture of turkey and goose topped with a creamy mashed potato and a single pig in a blanket. People who want to keep it traditional can order the roast chicken option or indulge in an eight-ounce sirloin steak for a £4 supplement.
Meat-free diners have roasted butternut squash as their main course, served with an incredibly hot harissa sauce, buckwheat and feta. It was topped with pomegranate seeds and cranberries for a festive touch and is a welcomed, lighter option on a menu full of rich and luxurious flavours.
As the accompanying side dish, I chose Christmas's most contentious vegetable - Brussels sprouts - which might have been one of my favourite parts of the meal. This was nothing like the ones you'd typically have on a roast - hard, whole and bland - they were chopped up and sauteed with chestnuts and cranberry, delicious and morish.
For sweet, the restaurant group has reprised its 'Santa's On His Way' dessert, a moist red velvet cake encased in tempered chocolate that resembles Father Christmas going down the chimney. It's a great bit of fun, but was quite difficult to eat with all the chocolate.
Adding extra sparkle this year was the restaurant's cocktail menu curated in collaboration with Monkey 47 Gin. I adored my first drink of choice (sadly not a Negroni, Sbagliato, with Prosecco in it), which was The Golden Pamplemousse - a delicate mix of Begamont Liquor, vodka and citrus, topped with The Ivy Champagne for a little touch of luxury for £13.75.
The cocktails are certainly pricey but incredibly theatrical; the Popping Cracker Royale was a sweet, fruity drink that came topped with popping candy and candy floss (£13.75). This drink obviously caught the eye of other diners as trays and trays of these drinks came pouring from the bar throughout the evening.
Sadly, my second drink was tinged with regret which was ordered at the end of the meal alongside an already sickly-sweet dessert. I chose The Gift That Keeps On Giving (£13.50) made from rum, banana liquor, salted caramel and cream that resembled a boozy milkshake - essentially not the best idea after three courses. You probably need something a bit more than a sweet tooth to enjoy this drink, alongside 'Nuts About Chocolate' (£12.25), which was a similar level of rich.
You'll have to be prepared for a weighty bill at the end if you choose the set Christmas menu alongside the cocktails, but it's certainly worth it for a festive treat. The entire experience is filled with theatrics set inside the impressive building and the staff were so friendly and accommodating, and they even throw in a Christmas cracker for good measure.
The Ivy Clifton Brasserie is at Caledonia Place, Clifton, Bristol, BS8 4DN, UK
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