Last week we had the pleasure of attending Aubaine’s Noël menu tasting at their Marylebone branch which was a very enjoyable evening of the most wonderful Provençal food and wines.

Aubaine are relaxed all-day dining French brasseries with their own in-store patisseries and boulangeries, combining the elegance of a Parisian salon with the relaxed ambience of a Provençal bistro, always holding true to their philosophy of simple luxury: “simplicité c’est beauté”.

We were greeted in the upstairs room, tastefully decorated for Christmas in gold and white, with a glass of delicious white mulled wine which I loved. It was not as sweet as other mulled wines and it had just the right balance of spices, citrus fruit and honey. Luckily we were given a card with the recipe, so I will definitely try to reproduce it at home.

There was a table where guests could decorate Aubaine gingerbread men with the most excellent array of edible cake decorations, and everybody had a lot of fun outdoing each other in ways of creativity and colourfulness.

From 21st November, the special festive set menu will be on offer across all of Aubaine’s restaurants, featuring a selection of traditional Noël flavours and ingredients, catering to both meat eaters and vegetarians with innovative dishes. For just £19.50 guests can enjoy two courses of sumptuous winter food which we were invited to taste (Please note, we were given samples, the actual portions will of course be much larger!). Choose from Poached Egg with Butternut Squash Tart & Red Port Reduction or Smoked Salmon, Beetroot Tartare & Horseradish with Watercress Salad. There is also the most wonderful Lobster Bisque with Crayfish, Mushrooms and Tarragon and I loved the Pheasant & Girolle Mushroom Terrine with Fig Chutney & Crostini.

The three main courses include a traditional Ballotine of roast Turkey, Alsace Bacon, Confit Potato, Sage & Chestnut Jus and Provençal Black Truffle Tortellini, Chestnut Velouté & Crushed Chestnut which full of lovely autumn/winter flavours. Other options are Poached Lemon Sole with Braised leeks, Orange & Avruga Caviar Beurre Blanc and, for a small supplement, Sirloin Steak with Frites & Peppercorn Sauce.

Diners can round off their meal with an indulgent dessert for just £4.

Aubaine’s Chef Patissier, Alix Andre, has created a new festive patisserie range and customers will be able to enjoy the cakes and other patisserie items from Aubaine’s own bakery either in the restaurants or to take home. I loved the Green tea and Yuzu Macaron Christmas Tree and the miniature Tarte Tropezienne with smooth winter spiced cream. The rich and decadent traditional dark and white chocolate Buche de Noël was worth the extra calories and anyway, I have heard that calories don’t count over the festive days! For customers who want to celebrate l’Epiphanie in traditional French style, there’s Aubaine’s own Galette des Rois, featuring buttery pastry and smooth almond cream Of course there also larger cakes available, which are perfect for celebrations.

Aubaine can help you with organising every Christmas occasion, small or big, taking the stress out of Christmas. Larger groups and parties will be able to make use of the private dining rooms of the restaurants, and choose from two special menus from either £36 or £45. What’s more, before 14th November, guests booking a table of more than six people will be provided with a complimentary glass of prosecco or white mulled wine upon arrival, and those booking a private dining room in December will receive a voucher for £50 to enjoy at Aubaine in January.

Aubaine’s restaurants can be found at Brompton Cross, Regent Street, Kensington, Mayfair, Wimbledon, Selfridges, Marylebone, Broadgate Circle and Hyde Park.

The new Aubaine Deli can be found in Covent Garden.

 

Website: http://www.aubaine.co.uk

Twitter: @AubaineUK

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